Rob Nash returns to Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston June 23 through July 18 with his solo piece Freshman Year Sucks and its sequel, Sophomore Slump. 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."
Following the Stages production, Nash and Calhoun plan to bring Freshman/Sophomore Off-Broadway in 1999.
For tickets ($15-$12), call (713) 52-STAGES. Stage Repertory Theatre is located at 3201 Allen Parkway at Waugh. -- By Christine Ehren