Opening the season is Larry Shue’s “The Nerd,” a side-splitting comedy about a Vietnam veteran named Willum Cubbert who wants to repay Rick Steadman, the man who saved his life. When the fellow ex-GI-turned-nerd shows up on Cubbert’s doorstep for an extended stay, Cubbert is taken on the ride of his life and is left to bring order to Steadman’s disasters. Directed by Stephen Michael Ayers, associate professor of theatre arts, “The Nerd” will stage Sept. 26-30.

 “Lucky Stiff,” directed by Charlie Flynn McIver, artistic director of the N.C. Stage Company, is a musical based on Michael Butterworth’s mystery “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo.” Timid shoe salesman Harry Witherspoon learns by telegram that he has inherited the fortune of his Uncle Tony, an Atlantic City casino manager, under one condition—Witherspoon must take his uncle’s preserved body on vacation to Monte Carlo. With script and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephan Flaherty, “Lucky Stiff” will run Nov. 8-11.

Set for Feb. 21-24 is the Broadway musical “Guys and Dolls,” directed by Broadway star Terrence Mann (pictured) , the Carolyn Plemmons Phillips and Ben R. Phillips Distinguished Professor of Musical Theatre at Western. Set in New York in the 1940s, the musical tells the story of Nathan Detroit, who makes a bet with his friend Sky Masterson that he can’t make the next woman he sees fall in love with him. The amusement begins when Sarah Brown, the neighborhood missionary, is the first doll Masterson sees. “Guys and Dolls” is based on Damon Runyon’s short story “The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown,” and was created by authors Joe Swerling and Abe Burrows, and musician Frank Loesser.

The season will close with the Festival of One Acts, a collection of one-act plays performed by students. Directed by students from WCU’s advanced directing class, the performances will range from classic to contemporary works, and will run April 9-13.

All shows will stage in Hoey Auditorium, with the exception of “Guys and Dolls,” which will be in the Fine and Performing Arts Center. Evening performances and weekend matinees are available.

Season tickets are on sale now. Prices for season tickets are $55 for adults, $40 for senior citizens and Western faculty and staff, and $20 for students.

Memberships also are available for the Patron Club, which provides additional financial support to the University Players and its activities. Memberships are available at the Actor ($250), Director ($500) and Producer ($1,000) levels. All membership levels offer tickets to all productions, and much of the cost of membership is tax deductible.

For more information about season tickets or Patron Club memberships, contact the Fine and Performing Arts Center box office at (828) 227-2479 or visit http://wcutheatre.ticketsxchange.com. Tickets also will be available for individual productions.