A Most Unwelcome Pest. Err. . .Guest

Willum Cubbert is dealing with quite a bit of frustration in his life.  His creativity is being whittled down to blah by a dull client.  The woman he loves is moving to D.C. to be a weather girl.  On the upside, he’s about to meet the man who saved his life in Vietnam.  But, when he arrives, Willum discovers he’s a creature beyond terror.  He’s. . .He’s. . .The Nerd!!!!  And it’s currently playing at Maples Repertory Theatre.

The plays of Larry Shue are enjoyable in every conceivable aspect (reading, performing, watching, and directing) and The Nerd is one of his finest and best known.  Shue not only had a great gift for wordplay, but he also had a flair for the ridiculous and a penchant for creating a title character who takes absurdity to the zenith.  As such, his farces are a rich source of fodder for directors and performers.

For a play of this type, I can think of no better director than Peter Reynolds who has a positive bent towards handling this kind of material.  Once again, he rises to the occasion with his direction of this piece.  Not only has Reynolds guided his actors to superior performances, but he knows how to get his thespians to mobilize the frenetic words so that they not only sound funny, but believable, no matter how outrageous the situation.  Reynolds also knows how to craft bits so funny with timing so smooth and coordinated that you’ll laugh until your ribs ache.

Splendid supporting performances were supplied by Holden White who’s an obnoxious brat as Thor Waldgrave.  Sandia Ahlers is darling as the meek Celia Waldgrave whose repressed anger manifests in the destruction of breakable objects.  Trevor Belt is the blustering, unimaginative hotel magnate.  Kimberly Braun is a unique blend of supportive friend and proponent of women’s lib as Tansy McGinnis.

Michael Perrie, Jr. darn near steals the show as Axel Hammond.  Perrie is perfect for the role and just glows as the cynical theatre critic.  His witty asides are so extemporaneous that I wondered if some of them were improvised.  Perrie is also a great deal of fun to watch as he always finds bits of business that keep him involved in the scene, but enhance the primary action as opposed to drawing attention away from it.  He’s also great at the absurd parts of farce and his chant at the play’s climax is one of the show’s hallmark moments.

Nick Ferrucci is the consummate everyman as Willum Cubbert.  Cubbert epitomizes most of Shue’s leads:  a nice guy who has difficulty standing up for himself and going for what he wants until an outside force galvanizes him.  Ferrucci is completely believable as the kind-hearted architect, but his life spirals out of control when he finally meets his nerdy pen pal who once saved his life.  Ferrucci skillfully walks that line of a man trying to maintain his gratitude while simultaneously losing his mind.  His meltdowns are hilarious especially when he practices speeches throwing out his pesty acquaintance and has a knack for farcical improv with his machinations to get Steadman out the door.

And the source of all this turmoil is Rick Steadman, brilliantly essayed by Andy Harvey.  Anything you can think of when you hear the word “nerd” is embodied in Harvey’s take.  Steadman has a nasally, adenoidal voice.  His dress sense is godawful.  He’s completely oblivious to social cues.  He has weird hobbies like adapting songs for tambourine.  He’s also good-hearted and well-meaning, but he has the Sadim (read that backwards) touch as everything he touches turns to blech.  Harvey doesn’t chew the scenery.  He devours it and has a grand time doing so and brings you along for the ride.

Dana Weintraub has designed a comfortable apartment for the level-headed Cubbert and the properties of Eliot Curtis give it that homey atmosphere (bonus points for digging up the Fry Guy on the bookcase to give the place that 80s feel).  Jack Smith’s costumes suit the personalities of the various characters from the suits of the urbane Axel and business minded Walgrave to Steadman’s rainbow-colored suspenders and ill-fitting clothes to the smart dresses of Tansy. 

This show is pure escapism.  Grab a ticket and laugh yourself into a happy place. It’ll cure what ails you.

The Nerd plays at Maples Repertory Theatre through July 31.  Showtimes are 7:30pm on July 16, 22, and 30 and 2pm on July 12, 17, 22, 26-27, and 31. Tickets cost $33 for the Main Floor and $26 for the balcony and can be obtained at the Box Office or by visiting www.maplesrep.com or calling 660-385-2924. Maples Repertory Theatre is located at 102 N Rubey St in Macon, MO.

P.S. I Love You

Josh Peyton and Sarah Schrader star in “Dear Jack, Dear Louise”

During World War II, Cpt. Jacob “Jack” Ludwig, an Army surgeon, began a correspondence with aspiring actress, Louise Rabiner.  Over the course of 3 years, their trading of messages blossomed into true love.  Follow the evolution and the ups and downs of their relationship in Dear Jack, Dear Louise currently playing at the Omaha Playhouse.

Ken Ludwig called this show a love letter to his parents as it is based on the true story of their courtship.  I don’t know if he used the actual letters written by his parents, but if he didn’t, he certainly managed to replicate the feel of a mail correspondence.  The dialogue of the letters perfectly captures that initial spark of interest, the getting to know each other, even the difficulties and squabbles every relationship undergoes, and the glow of real love.  It is also laced with the trademark wit and humor of Ludwig, but also shows his skills as a dramatic writer as he features some heavy moments that have all the subtlety of kissing a runaway freight train.

Susie Baer-Collins provides an outstanding piece of direction with the production, possibly one of her very best and that is saying something.  Her sure hand deftly handles this variation on the duologue and the conversations always snap and sparkle with realism and vitality.  I absolutely loved the staging with one character always slightly in front of another to show that they were in two different places.  Baer-Collins also pulled an extraordinary pair of performances from her two thespians.  If the quality of this show is an indicator of the rest of the season, it’s going to be an amazing ride at the Playhouse this year.

Over the past few seasons, Josh Peyton has established himself as one of the most believable actors in Omaha.  There is an extemporaneousness and naturalness to his performances that makes it seem like he is never acting, just being.  And this show is certainly no exception.  Peyton is sensational in the role of Jack Ludwig.  He reminded me of my own pop (who courted my mother through letters and tapes during the Vietnam War) with his quiet nature and dry wit.  His timidity in his early letters is so sweet and it was a joy to watch his confidence grow in proportion to his burgeoning love for Louise.  Peyton’s reactions are always just right and equal parts hilarious and haunting when the moment calls for them.  He also has a superb physicality which not only strengthen those expressions and reactions, but tells stories of their own such as dodging bullets and bombs and crawling through the dirt during hellish battles of the war.

I see great things in store for Sarah Schrader’s theatrical future after her phenomenal debut in this show. She is an absolute dynamo as Louise Rabiner and just seemed to quiver with energy.  Schrader was a perfect blend of sweet and tart as she could write very sensitive letters and then drop an epithet or pitch a mild fit in the blink of an eye.  Her animation blew out the scale and was always appropriate for the high energy actress with an obvious joie de vivre.  Schrader was equally impressive in the show’s heavier moments as she deals with the heartaches and fears of courting a soldier.

John Gibilisco’s usage of sound was some of the best I’ve heard in a show especially with the explosion of bombs and the belching of gunfire.  Jim Othuse created a simple set of tables, wardrobe, and shelves that provide the audience an opportunity to fill in the rest of the details with their own imaginations.  Othuse’s lights were remarkable with the flashing lights of rockets, the solo spotlights of sadder moments, and the lighting up of the theatre for VE Day.  Lindsay Pape’s costumes were spot on with Ludwig’s period military uniform and fatigues and the elegant 40s style dresses for Louise.

This was one of the most personally satisfying shows I’ve seen in recent years and, though the season be young, I think Peyton & Schrader have set an awfully high bar in terms of performances.  Get a ticket and you’ll see what I mean.

Dear Jack, Dear Louise runs at the Playhouse through Sept 19.  Showtimes are Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm.  Tickets stat at $36 and can be purchased at the OCP Box Office, by calling 402-553-0800, or visiting www.omahaplayhouse.com.  The Omaha Playhouse is located at 6915 Cass St in Omaha, NE.

Frost/Nixon Opens at Blue Barn on Feb 4

The Blue Barn Theatre Presents:

Frost/Nixon by Peter Morgan

Directed by:  Randall Stevens

Featuring

Paul Boesing as Richard Nixon
Aaron Zavitz as David Frost
Ben Beck as James Reston
Mike Markey as James Brennan
Matthias Jeske as John Birt
Dave Wingert as Bob Zelnick
Brent Spencer as Swifty Lazar
Will Mulller as Manolo Sanchez
Mary Trecek as Caroline Cushing
Dani Smith as Evonne Goolagong

Performance Dates:  Feb 4-28

Showtimes:  Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm.  Sundays at 6pm.  No show on Feb 7.

Location:  1106 S 10 St in Omaha, NE

Ticket Prices:  $30 for adults.  $25 for seniors (65+), TAG members, students, and groups of 10 or more.

Summary

Richard M. Nixon has just resigned the United States presidency in total disgrace over Vietnam and the Watergate scandal. British talk-show host David Frost has become a lowbrow laughing-stock.

Determined to resurrect his career, Frost risks everything on a series of in-depth interviews in order to extract an apology from Nixon. The cagey Nixon, however, is equally bent on redeeming himself in his nation’s eyes. In the television age, image is king, and both men are desperate to outtalk and upstage each other as the cameras roll. The result is the interview that sealed a president’s legacy.

Blue Barn Theatre Announces Auditions for “Frost/Nixon”

The BLUEBARN Theatre will hold auditions for Frost/Nixon by Peter Morgan.  Auditions will be held on Saturday, October 10th from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and Monday, October 12th from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. in their new home at 1106 S. 10th St.  (10th & Pacific) Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Callbacks (if necessary) will be determined at the auditions. Frost/Nixon will be directed by Randall T. Stevens.  Performances for Frost/Nixon run February 4 – 28, 2016 with rehearsals scheduled to begin in mid-December, 2015.

Needed for Frost/Nixon:  8 male (ages 20s-60s), 2 female (ages 20s-30s)  All ethnicities are encouraged to audition.  All roles are available. Please contact Randall T. Stevens at rstevens@bluebarn.org for specific character breakdowns.

About Frost/Nixon

Richard M. Nixon has just resigned the United States presidency in total disgrace over Vietnam and the Watergate scandal. British talk-show host David Frost has become a lowbrow laughing-stock. Determined to resurrect his career, Frost risks everything on a series of in-depth interviews in order to extract an apology from Nixon. The cagey Nixon, however, is equally bent on redeeming himself in his nation’s eyes. In the television age, image is king, and both men are desperate to outtalk and upstage each other as the cameras roll. The result is the interview that sealed a president’s legacy.

ABOUT THE BLUEBARN THEATRE

The BLUEBARN Theatre has been bringing professionally-produced plays to area audiences since 1989. Since its inception, BLUEBARN has produced over 100 plays and has established itself as Omaha’s professional contemporary theatre company.  Striving to bring artistically significant scripts and professional production values to Omaha and the surrounding region, BLUEBARN is known for high-quality entertainment and the fearless pursuit of stories that challenge both theatre artists and patrons.