In The Shue I Knew Craig Mahlstedt, writes, “The Nerd addresses the issue of talented people becoming too comfortable. It also talks to me about friendship, of ‘being cruel to be kind’ as the Bard would say. Most of the time it really makes us laugh-not mean laughter, but laughter at ourselves. What we will put up with in specific situations out of certain feelings of obligation is both amazing and hilarious, especially when written by a crafty observer like Larry Shue.”

Shue, served as Playwright-in-Residence for Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, which produced The Nerd, his first full-length play, in 1981 starring the playwright as Willum. In 1982 the play moved to England to become the all-time top grossing American play in London’s West End. The Nerd opened on Broadway in 1987, and has been produced in all 50 states since. He followed up with The Foreigner at Milwaukee Rep. in 1983, which moved Off-Broadway in 1984 with Shue himself in the New York cast. The Foreigner went on to become the fifth longest-running Off-Broadway play in history, running 700 performances.

By 1985 Larry Shue had won two Obie Awards, two New York Drama Critic’s Circle Awards, and was performing in his own works as well as others professionally. No one knows how much more Shue would have contributed to the American theatre had his career not been cut short in 1985 by his untimely death in a plane crash at age 39. Shue’s comedies are funny, fast-paced, warm glimpses of human nature that bring out the best in actors, and have a profound effect on audiences. Shue once said, “You have tired neurotic people filing in (the theatre) and you have kids coming out giggling and flirting.”

We hope that our efforts touch your life and that you leave our theatre richer for the experience.