Theatre Knoxville Downtown Opens 2013-2014 Season with “The Nerd” by Larry Shue

Theatre Knoxville Downtown opens its 2013-2014 season Friday, August 2, with “The Nerd” by Larry Shue. “The Nerd” runs Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm through August 18. There will be an opening reception Friday, August 2 at 7:00 pm. Tickets may be purchased at www.theatreknoxville.com or knoxalliance.com/knoxtix.html. Reservations are recommended. Tickets are $10 Thursday and Sunday and $15 Friday and Saturday.

Thought by many to be one of the funniest plays ever written, this side-splitting comedy was first presented by the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, then produced in Great Britain, then went on to Broadway. The story focuses on Willum Cubbert, an aspiring young architect who has frequently 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". Rick shows up unexpectedly at Willum’s apartment and his delight soon fades as it becomes apparent that Rick is a hopeless "nerd" with no social sense, little intelligence and less tact. As Rick outstays his welcome, his continued presence amongst Willum and his friends leads to one hilarious incident after another.

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

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

“The Nerd” is directed by Courtney Woolard and stars, Adam Hill, Rebecca Gomez, Jackie Nunweiller, Darin Starr, Denia Kirk, Konner Stump and BJ Roberts.

Originally known as "Knoxville Community Theatre," Theatre Knoxville was chartered in March 1976 as part of a downtown development program. It was felt that a community theatre actively housed in a center city location would act as a catalytic agent for the then-Mayor's urban renewal plan. The theatre performed in a variety of venues for decades before finding a permanent home, offering a wide range of adult and children's plays and workshops. TKD entered its current space at 319 N. Gay Street in 2005.

TKD was founded and has continued to operate as a community volunteer theatre, open to all residents to participate in every aspect of theatrical production: administration, technical and performance. Over the years it has been a training ground for volunteer technicians, designers and actors who have gone on to professional careers as a result of their volunteer experience.

Published July 21, 2013