presents
OPEN AUDITIONS
The Nerd
By Larry Shue
A Comedy
directed by Grant Fitch
Auditions and Performances to be held at Beatniks On Conkey, 420 Conkey Street, Hammond, IN
Audition Dates:
Sunday February 15, 2026
5 PM
Monday February 16 7PM
Show Dates April 10 11 12 17 18 and
19, 2026
Need 4 men, and 2 women, 1 child
Set in Terre Haute, IN, in the late
70s / early 80s, "The Nerd" is a frantic comedy about
aspiring young architect Willum Cubbert. Willum has often
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."
So Willum is delighted when Rick shows up unexpectedly at
his apartment on the night of his thirty-fourth birthday
party! But his delight soon fades as it becomes apparent
that Rick is a hopeless "nerd" — a bumbling oaf with no
social sense, little intelligence and less tact. As Rick
outstays his welcome with a vengeance, his continued
presence leads the normally placid Willum, along with his
boss and his friends, into one uproarious incident after
another.
ROLES AVAILABLE:
(All roles open. Ages are flexible and approximate.)
- Willum Cubbert (Male, 20s-40s): A polite, easygoing
architect
- Tansy McGinnis (Female, 20s-40s):
Willum’s intelligent, practical friend, and possible love
interest
- Axel Hammond (Male, 20s-40s):
Willum’s sarcastic, theater critic best friend
- Rick Steadman (Male, 20s-40s): The
“Nerd”; genuine, socially awkward, obliviously
annoying
- Warnock Waldgrave (Male, 40s-60s):
Willum’s volatile client
- Clelia Waldgrave (Female, 30s-50s):
Warnock’s nervous, compulsive wife
- Thor Waldgrave (Boy, 8-12): The
Waldgraves’ unruly son (I'm open to girls for this too.)
Auditioners do not need to have anything prepared. You will do a
cold reading of a monologue and possibly some scenes from the
play.