Center Stage Jackson to Present THE NERD

Center Stage is proud to present the first of this season's free Staged Reading series, The Nerd by Larry Shue. Set in Terre Haute, Indiana in late 1979, The Nerd centers on the hilarious dilemma of a young architect who is visited by Rick Steadman, a fellow ex-GI whom he has never met but who saved has life after he was seriously wounded in Vietnam. Willum is delighted when Rick shows up unexpectedly at his apartment on the night of his thirty-fourth birthday party. However, Rick's awkward manner and inappropriate behavior throw the occasion into shambles. It turns out that Rick is a stupid nerd who overstays his welcome with a vengeance.

The Nerd will be performed on September 19, 2015 at 2:00pm at the Jackson School of the Arts Ensemble Theatre, located at 634 Mechanic St. Jackson, MI 49203.

This is a free performance, with donations encouraged.

Directed by Michael Cicirelli, the cast includes Sean Harmon, James Stump, Aleshia Cloyd, Phil Kolis, Jeff Boyer, Jen Hart, and Logan Harmon.

Please note that this performance contains some mature language.

Staged Readings are different from regular plays or musicals in that actors and actresses perform with scripts in hand, with minimal set, props and blocking. The Staged Reading Series is the brainchild of Ann Holt, who wrote and applied for a grant for the series in 2009. The purpose of the Stages Reading Series was to allow the community to become familiar with a wider variety of theatrical works and playwrights, allow more of the community to be active and involved in community theatre, allow community members that have never acted before a way to 'get their feet wet', and allow veteran actors and actresses the opportunity to perform without the committment of a regular show.