About the Play:

The Nerd has long been a favourite of acting teachers for Male Monologues, Female/Male Scenes, and Male/Male Scenes.

The Nerd is a full-length comedy by Larry Shue. An eternal geek comes to visit an old "acquaintance," who is soon desperate to get him out of the house. The action centres on the hilarious dilemma of a young architect who is visited by a man he's never met but who saved his life in Vietnam – the visitor turning out to be an incredibly inept, hopelessly stupid "nerd" who outstays his welcome with a vengeance. 

The Nerd is one of the funniest plays ever written. Now an aspiring young architect in Terre Haute, Indiana, Willum Cubbert has often told his friends about the debt he owes to Rick Steadman, a fellow ex-GI whom he has never met but who saved his life after he was seriously wounded in Vietnam. He has written to Rick to say that, as long as he is alive, "you will have somebody on Earth who will do anything for you" – so Willum is delighted when Rick shows up unexpectedly at his apartment on the night of his thirty-fourth birthday party. But his delight soon fades as it becomes apparent that Rick is a hopeless "nerd" – a bumbling oaf with no social sense, little intelligence and less tact. And Rick stays on and on, his continued presence among Willum and his friends leading to one uproarious incident after another, until the normally placid Willum finds himself contemplating violence – a dire development which, happily, is staved off by the surprising "twist" ending of the play.

The Nerd has long been a staple of regional and community theatre seasons the world over. Winner of two Obie Awards and two Outer Critics Circle Awards as Best New American Play and Best Off Broadway Production. First presented by the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre in 1981, The Nerd also played to audiences across the pond. It ran at The Aldwych Theatre in London's West End theatre district. The production featured now famous comic genius Rowan Atkinson – Mr. Bean – as the title character. His performance set the bar for all actors that take on the role of "the nerd." The play has become a favourite scene study vehicle in acting classes and workshops and is regularly performed in regional, middle school, high school, college, and community theatre productions.

Cast: 2 female, 5 male

What people say:

"…the audience almost never stops laughing — handkerchiefs wiping away tears of merriment…." — Variety

"Shue delivers a neatly crafted package that uses some classic comic forms to bring the audience to its knees, laughing." — The Milwaukee Journal

"…a spring tonic of side-bruising laughter…." — The Milwaukee Tribune

About the Playwright:

Larry Shue (1946-1985) was an American playwright and actor. After serving in the Army during the Vietnam War, he began his career as a professional actor and playwright appearing in a soap opera, in New York theatre and in a few films. As playwright-in-residence at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, two of his best-known plays were written and produced: The Nerd and The Foreigner. Both went on to be produced on Broadway, winning two Obies and two New York Drama Critic Awards. Sadly, his success was short-lived. He died in the crash of a commuter plane in Virginia at the age of 39.