Theatre VCU’s newest play hits Hodges

It’s 1978 and life is groovy. You’re a successful architect, you’ve got a far-out pad and a foxy neighbor, and on your 34th birthday you’re finally going to meet and thank the guy who saved your life in Vietnam.

What if the savior turns out to be the biggest nerd you’ve ever encountered? He’s a tactless party guest turned permanent house guest. How far would you go to appease him since you owe him your life?

This is the premise of “The Nerd,” Theatre VCU’s first show of the fall season, and is written by Larry Shue and directed by guest artist Drew Fracher. It is showing Sept. 28 to 30 and Oct. 5 to 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 1 and 8 at 3 p.m. at the Raymond Hodges Theatre in the Singleton Center for Performing Arts.

“Friendship and what are you willing to do to help your pals out,” Fracher said, are the main themes of the show. He said he and the department picked a silly comedy that would showcase the students’ talent and entertain audiences.

Fracher, a VCU alumnus, said it’s a valuable part of education to be able to pick the brains of professionals. Working with a professional director shows students what they will experience in the real world.

“It’s always nice for them to have somebody from the outside that they don’t have history with. Fresh blood as it were,” Fracher said.

Even though he got his graduate degree from Western Illinois University, Fracher said when people ask where he went to school, he says VCU. He said the program here is very good and really prepared him for the professional world.

“Drew is more than amazing. What’s nice about him is he has a good balance between saying a note out loud for everyone to hear, or sometimes, if it’s just a detail he’ll whisper it in your ear, then step back and see it, which makes it a lot more personal and one-on-one,” said Frank Alfano, who plays Rick Steadman, the “nerd.”

Fracher has worked as a fight director for theaters all over the U.S. He is a fight master and past president of the Society of American Fight Directors. His directing and fight credits include numerous Shakespeare plays, “The Three Musketeers,” “A Christmas Carol” and “Zorro,” which he co-authored.