In the 1970s, Milwaukee Repertory Theater actor and playwright-in-residence Larry Shue penned a comedy about one of the most obnoxious characters in American theater. Now, the Rep pays tribute to Shue’s brilliance by mounting its fourth production of his play, The Nerd. The show, which began as a Milwaukee Rep staged reading in the 1979/80 season, was so popular that it had its world premiere the following season. Eventually, the play had a Broadway run (with Mark Hamill in the lead). These days, it is often mounted by regional theater companies nationwide. Over the past 40 years, some of the Milwaukee Rep’s best and brightest comedians have taken on the challenge of playing Rick Steadman, the “nerd” in the play’s title. Thankfully, the tradition continues with Michael Doherty currently in the role. As someone who has laughed her way through The Nerd on more than one occasion, it always surprises me how long it takes for the title character to appear onstage. As the play opens, we are caught up in the humor between Willum, an architect, and his two friends, Tansy and Axel. They have shown up in Willum’s apartment to surprise him on his birthday. Willum is somewhat half-hearted about the attention; he’s licking his wounds over the recent break-up with girlfriend Tansy, who’s preparing to take a job as a “TV weather girl” in Washington, D.C. Axel, Willum’s other friend, is a vain, cynical theater critic. He tosses off comical barbs as quickly as straight-man Willum can absorb. Tansy is no slouch in the comedy department, either. At the moment, she’s more than a bit irritated by Willum’s easy-going nature (which is soon to be tested) and his lack of “gumption.” Willum, a Vietnam veteran, becomes excited to learn that he’s finally going to meet Rick Steadman, a Wisconsin man who saved his life on the battlefield. Since Willum was unconscious at the time he was dragged to safety in Vietnam, he has never had a chance to see Rick or thank him for his life-saving role. The prospect of meeting Rick heightens the tension until Rick appears at Willum’s door. He’s dressed for a Halloween party, despite the fact that it’s a few days past Halloween. Rick, a hayseed from the country, proceeds to drive Willum and his friends to distraction. He has the unenviable job of being an inspector at a chalk factory, and he bores them with myriad details about chalk, his family life, and so forth. By the end of the first act, he is standing on Willum’s couch, singing the “Star-Spangled Banner” while accompanying himself on a tambourine. As Act II opens, the put-upon trio (Willum, Tansy and Alex) decide to stage some weird shenanigans of their own. In this way, they believe Rick will be so confused (or unnerved) that he flees for his home in Wisconsin. The jokes fly even more rapidly than in Act I, and the audience is treated to non-stop opportunities to laugh. The antics are silly, to be sure, but the audience is so primed for hilarity that even the slapstick jokes get a huge reaction. The Nerd is played out on a mid-century modern set in shades of gold, aqua and avocado green. Willum’s apartment has a sunken living room, which allows the actors a few different levels to deliver their lines. One edge of the set disappears into an unseen kitchen, which is the refuge for Tansy and a businessman’s wife, who has an odd habit for stress relief. Under the able direction of veteran Milwaukee Rep director JC Clementz, the cast is top-notch. Michael Doherty plays Rick Steadman with skill and grace, not to mention a knack for crude humor and disgusting noises. He pushes Willum (Andy Nagraj) to the brink of despair, as Tansy (Alex Keiper) and Axel (Jeremy Peter Johnson) look on in disbelief. One of Willum’s employers (Chris Mixon) and his submissive wife (Lillian Castillo) also get a taste of Rick’s boorish behavior. Their young son, alternately played by Charlie Cornell and Damon McCoy, is a spoiled brat who gets his due when he spies Rick in his sea monster costume (by costume designer Misti Bradford). Whether one is enjoying The Nerd for the first time or the fifteenth, the sharp wit of Larry Shue’s writing is guaranteed to bring a touch of light-hearted glee to audiences everywhere.
