Comedic chaos features ‘The Nerd’ at CMC’s New Space Theatre
-
Joshua Adamson, playing Willum Cubbert, drops to the floor during a scene for Sopris Theatre Company’s presntation of “The Nerd.”
Kyle Mills / Post Independent
-
Evan Piccolo as Axel, Suzie Brady as Tansy, and Joshua Adamson as Willum Cubbert, go through dress rehearsal Tuesday night in the New Space Theatre in the Calaway Academic Building at CMC Spring Valley.
Kyle Mills / Post Independent
-
Evan Piccolo, as Axel, and Suzie Brady, as Tansy, go through dress rehearsal Tuesday night in the New Space Theatre in the Calaway Academic Building at CMC Spring Valley.
Kyle Mills / Post Independent
-
-
Justin Tinker, who plays Rick Steadman, listens to input as the cast goes through scene walk-throughs earlier this week at CMC’s Spring Valley campus.
Kyle Mills / Post Independent
-
Cast members of Sopris Theatre Company’s latest production “The Nerd” go through dress rehearsal as they prepare for opening in the New Space Theatre Friday night at Spring Valley.
Kyle Mills / Post Independent
-
Brendan T. Cochran
Kyle Mills / Post Independent
IF YOU GO …
What: Sopris Theatre Company at Colorado Mountain College presents “The Nerd” by Larry Shue
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Feb. 22-23; and 2 p.m. Sunday and Feb. 24
Where: New Space Theatre, Calaway Academic Building at CMC Spring Valley, 3000 County Road 114
Admission: $18 for adults, and $13 for seniors and students
With the house lights dimmed, and the stage aglow, the cast of Sopris Theatre Company’s latest production took the stage for a dress rehearsal earlier this week.
“It’s really just pure over-the-top farce, total goofiness on stage,” director Brendan T. Cochran said of “The Nerd.”
“Anything you can think of, it has pratfall, food flying across the room,” he said.
Set in the late 1970s, “The Nerd,” a comedy written by playwright Larry Shue, is set around Rick “The Nerd” Steadman showing up at the front door of architect Willum Cubbert, whose life he saved in Vietnam. Rick turns out to be an incredibly inept, hopelessly stupid nerd who outstays his welcome with a vengeance.
Cochran said he was approached by CMC Theatre Artistic Director Gary Ketzenbarger about directing the play after it was chosen by the theatre faculty last spring.
“The play has sort of become a period piece over the years,” Cochran added. “It’s a really great opportunity. I love Larry Shue.”
Casting for the play started eight weeks ago, with Joshua Adamson and Justin Tinker being cast as the main characters, protagonist and antagonist Willum and Rick.
With rehearsals stretching over the last six weeks, Cochran said he has been working in some capacity or another for four to five months, reading the script, getting familiar with it and brainstorming ideas.
“It is so technical for the actors to make chaos look really good on stage. It has to be choreographed, and real precise,” Cochran said.
The premier for the show is Friday, with the curtain going up at 7 p.m.
Encore performance will be 7 p.m. Feb. 16 and again Feb. 22-23, with matinee shows at 2 p.m. Feb. 17 and 24 at the New Space Theatre, Calaway Academic Building at CMC Spring Valley.
Admission is $18 for adults, and $13 for seniors and students, as well as CMC employees and graduates. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com or by emailing svticketsales@coloradomtn.edu.
Cochran and the cast are really excited to finally have an audience in the theater.
“The show isn’t complete until you have an audience there reacting,” Cochran said. “Especially with a comedy like this.”
Support Local Journalism
Support Local Journalism
Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.
Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.
Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.
