By ANNETTE ESTERHELD Staff Writer

"The Nerd," playing at the Bowie Playhouse, is Bowie Community Theatre's first play of the season, a season which BCT President Janice Coffey said is "devoted to comedies because we all need to laugh."

Laugh you will, not little titters at clever puns, but deep belly laughs, laughs that make your eyes tear up and leave you gasping for breath. "The Nerd" tells the story of Willum Cuthbert, a young architect in the Midwest in the 1980s, who has often told his friends he owes his life to a man named Rick Steadman, a fellow soldier in Vietnam who saved Willum's life when he was seriously wounded. Since the war, Willum has written to Rick telling him that as long as he, Willum, is alive, that Rick will "have somebody on Earth who will do anything for you."

Willum is delighted when Rick comes to visit, but that delight soon changes to extreme frustration and near violence when Willum discovers that Rick is a "Nerd," one with no social sense, or tact. Rick wears out his welcome almost immediately, but he stays on oblivious to the near-disasters he causes in Willum's personal and business life.

Director Craig Allen Mummey has done an excellent job casting, including casting himself as nerdy Rick. In his role as Rick, Mummey is so irritating, you want to throw him out the window or pack him in a suitcase and ship him far away. He has an excellent sense of timing and is incredibly funny when he's being so irritating. As you laugh at him, you thank God he's a character in a play and not one in your own life.

Ben Carr does a very good job as the kindhearted Willum who wants to honor his promise to Rick, but is watching his life turn into a disaster with Rick's presence and his girlfriend Tansy's plan to leave the Midwest for a weather job in Washington, D.C.

Tansy is well-played by Victoria Hartford, who makes us laugh as she reacts with body movements and facial expressions to all the craziness around her, including handing plates to another character to break, trying to appease Willum's boss and working to be gracious to Rick when she desperately wants him to leave town.

Nancy Dall as the plate-smashing Clelia Waldgrave is hilarious and Michael Baca plays her bratty son Thor well.

James McDaniel V is Clelia's husband Warnock, the sleazy developer who wants to limit Willum's architectural creativity on Warnock's hotel plan. His nickname "Ticky" makes for a hilarious almost "Who's on First" bit with Rick. Rounding out the characters is Willum and Tansy's friend Alex Hammond played by Joseph Mariano. As the witty art critic, Mariano is priceless and his wit provides many of the laughs.

The timing of all the actors as they work together is superb. That timing is clearly present in the hilarious scene where the cast plays the game "Socks and Shoes." You have here a collection of actors who know their craft and Mummey's addition of himself to the cast as the nerdy Rick is brilliant casting.

In his director's notes, Mummey says in recent years he has tended to direct shows that are serious in tone and examine the dark side of humanity. "There is none of that in this show today, only the highest of jinks," said Mummey. "For me the reason for doing this show at this time is for the change of pace and for the sheer blessed silliness of it all. Enjoy!"

Thank you, Bowie Community Theatre, for presenting Larry Shue's "The Nerd" at Bowie Playhouse.