Nerd Night

From Weezerpedia

Nerd Night is a series of events hosted by Rivers Cuomo where he invites fans to join him, either for movie screenings or live theatre (mostly works by William Shakespeare, with the exception of the first two) around Santa Monica/West Los Angeles. The first one was announced on the revamped riverscuomo.com; subsequent Nerd Night announcements have been tweeted out by Rivers via his Twitter account @riverscuomo, usually with a link to his website where one can request tickets. The Nerd Nights have included anywhere from 20-40 fans, where Rivers either rents out a movie theatre for private screenings, or pays for tickets for the entire group.

You can read a bit more about the Nerd Nights and Rivers' interest in Shakespeare in an interview by Alex Scordelis for Vulture here

Nerd Night I

The first Nerd Night, on June 26, 2011, featured a screening of The NeverEnding Story.

Announcement

"Come watch “The NeverEnding Story” with me at a theater in Santa Monica on Sunday, June 26. (It’s a private screening.) If you would like to attend, please send an email with your full name and contact information (email, phone number, city in which you reside), and we’ll send invitations with more details to 40 of you (plus 1 guest each)."

Nerd Night II

The second Nerd Night, on September 25, 2011 featured a screening of Time Bandits.

Dork Day I

Dork Day + Nerd Night VI invitation

Related to the Nerd Nights, Rivers made an announcement for a "Dork Day I", where he invited fans to bring their children for a family friendly production of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, put on by Theatre For a Small Space. Though he called it Dork Day I, there has only been one Dork Day to date.

Nerd Night XI

The eleventh Nerd Night, on June 15, 2015, was especially unique as Brian Bell showed up after the screening of Antony & Cleopatra to join Rivers in playing an acoustic version of "Cleopatra", the ninth track off of EWBAITE, for the fans. They even donned Roman-style helmets for the occasion. Also, since this Nerd Night was just after Rivers' birthday, fans celebrated by bringing him a cake and presents; and one fan even made Cleopatra-themed cupcakes.

Rivers and Brian at Nerd Night XI
Rivers and Brian at Nerd Night XI

Rivers at Nerd Night XI

Nerd Nights to Date

Date Event Production Venue
May 26, 2011 Nerd Night I The NeverEnding Story (screening) Aero Theatre, Santa Monica
September 25, 2011 Nerd Night II Time Bandits (screening) Santa Monica Screening Room
October 22, 2013 Nerd Night III Romeo & Juliet - performed by the Colonials: An American Shakespeare Company Miles Memorial Playhouse, Santa Monica
November 9, 2013 Nerd Night IV Macbeth - performed by The City Shakespeare Company (CityShakes) The Space, Santa Monica
April 12, 2014 Nerd Night V Merchant of Venice - performed by The City Shakespeare Company (CityShakes) The Space, Santa Monica
July 13, 2014 *Dork Day I Midsummer Night's Dream - performed by Theatre For a Small Space Miles Memorial Playhouse, Santa Monica
July 18, 2014 Nerd Night VI Romeo & Juliet - performed by The City Shakespeare Company (CityShakes) The Space, Santa Monica
October 18, 2014 Nerd Night VII Julius Caesar - performed by the Colonials: An American Shakespeare Company Miles Memorial Playhouse, Santa Monica
November 17, 2014 Nerd Night VIII Macbeth (screening) Laemmle Royal, West LA
November 17, 2014 Nerd Night IX Midsummer Night's Dream (screening of the live performance at the Globe Theatre in London) Laemmle Royal, West LA
April 12, 2015 Nerd Night X King Lear - performed by the Colonials: An American Shakespeare Company Miles Memorial Playhouse, Santa Monica
June 15, 2015 Nerd Night XI Antony & Cleopatra (screening of the live performance at the Globe Theatre in London) Laemmle Royal, West LA
October 2, 2015 Nerd Night XII Macbeth - performed by the Colonials: An American Shakespeare Company Miles Memorial Playhouse, Santa Monica

See also