“The Nerd” written by Larry Shue and being performed at the Three Hills Arts Academy from Feb. 9 through to the 11th, and from the 16th to the 18th, is almost too complicated to try to outline here.
But the real story is the great performances of all of the cast… and behind-the-scenes crew.
To speak to the story, imagine if you will, what might develop if a young architect with dreams of designing THE epitome of a structure that would be the talk of fellow architects. But instead, he has to put up with a client who insists on a design and continual changes that almost anyone could produce.
Then imagine that this architect (the Nerd) has an unexpected and unwelcome house guest drop in, and he feels obligated to allow her to stay because he believes he owes his life to her for a rescue while he was in Vietnam. (He never actually met her…)
Now, Brad Harback one of the co-directors warned that the play was not suitable for young children. Some adults may also be uncomfortable. The characters do not use “heck” or “darn it”. And there is an element of the absurd or “silliness” about it. But the comedy comes in some very clever lines and a lot of almost slapstick action.
And I will leave it there.
It is in the actors that the performance shines. The cast includes some better-known to the Academy plus some new ones. Jamey Coles plays Willum Cubbert (the Nerd). Rachel Laser is “Kate Steadman” the “guest”. Makayla Laslett is “Tansy McGinnis”, Josh Laplante is “Axel Hammond”, and Carinne Lamy is “Clelia Waldgrave”, with Caleb Johns being “Warnock Waldgrave”. “Thor Waldgrave” is played by Knightley Daniels for the first week and Logan Hope takes on the role for the second week.
The actors were just great because so much depended on quick timing and I might guess some of the most difficult challenges would be to keep a straight face when delivering lines that broke up the audience… including the director… when they knew what was coming.
As usual, the set design and other extras, like the lighting, the costuming, sound and sound effects, played such an important role in the play, but were never overpowering or distracting but did exactly what they were meant to do.
Here I would name the following: Co-Directors, Floyd Cotton & Brad Harback; Stage Manager, Set Design/Construction, Prop Master/Creator, Sherie Laplante; Set Construction, Technical, Brad Luijkx; Lights/Sound, Set Construction, Michel Laplante; Costume, Alyssa White; Sound Effects, Jamey Coles.
The setting is Terre Haute, Indiana, on November 4, 10 and 11.
