Rob Nash ends his return to Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston July 18 with the closing of his solo piece, Freshman Year Sucks, and its sequel, Sophomore Slump. Performances began June 23. Tony Award-winning choreographer Jeff Calhoun (Will Rogers Follies, Annie Get Your Gun) directs.

Told with an intermission to separate them, Freshman Year Sucks and Sophomore Slump looks at a group of friends growing up in an upper-middle class Houston high school through several very different decades. Freshman finds former Iowa City resident Johnny, Ben, who is discovering his homosexuality; and broken-hearted wedgie victim George in 1981 falling in and out of love and trouble. Sophomore takes place ten years later in 1991, although the characters have only aged a year. Now their favorite teacher, Mr. Smith, is stricken with AIDS and the boys join together to try and raise money for his hospital bills. Freshman/Sophomore are one half of Nash's solo serial work, "The Holy Cross Quadrilogy," which also includes Junior Blues and Senioritis.

Other works by Nash include 12 Steps To A More Dysfunctional You, 12 Steps To A More Dysfunctional Christmas and 12 Steps To A More Dysfunctional Family. He has appeared on VHI Stand-up Spotlight and Comedy Central's "Out There In Hollywood."

For tickets ($15-$12), call (713) 52-STAGES. Stage Repertory Theatre is located at 3201 Allen Parkway at Waugh.

-- By Christine Ehren