Arden Theatre Company Presents Philadelphia Premiere Comedy POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive

 

ARDEN THEATRE COMPANY BRINGS PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE COMEDY POTUS: OR, BEHIND EVERY GREAT DUMBASS ARE SEVEN WOMEN TRYING TO KEEP HIM ALIVE TO THE STAGE SEPTEMBER 12!

 

Philadelphia, PA | August 20, 2024 – The three-time Tony Award-nominated Broadway play, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, makes its highly anticipated Philadelphia premiere at Arden Theatre Company (40 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106) on September 12. POTUS is a riotous comedy that shines a light on the women behind the man in charge of the free world. The hour and forty-five-minute production contains mature and strong language. Written and premiered by Selina Fillinger in 2022, the then 28-year-old became one of the youngest female playwrights ever to have a show produced on Broadway. Directed by Philadelphia-based comedic dynamo Jennifer Childs (she/her), this premiere unfolds on the F. Otto Haas Stage with previews beginning September 12, opening night September 18, with performances through October 6.

When the President unwittingly spins a PR nightmare into a global crisis, the seven brilliant and beleaguered women he relies upon must risk life, liberty, and the pursuit of sanity to keep the commander-in-chief out of trouble. This all-female farce is a hilarious homage to the women who keep things running and get the job done.

The dynamic all-female cast features Kimberly Gilbert (she/her) (Bernadette, the President’s sister) Susan Riley Stevens (she/her) (Harriet, his chief of staff), Karen Peakes (she/her) (Jean, his press secretary), Suzanne O’Donnell (she/her/hers) (Stephanie, his secretary), Alia Munsch (she/her) (Dusty, his dalliance), Jessica Johnson (she/they) (Chris, a journalist), and Rachel Leslie (she/her) (Margaret, the President’s wife, The First Lady).

“There are no other theatrical farces that feature an all-female cast,” says director Jennifer Childs. “In traditional farces, women are always secondary characters and too often are stereotypical tropes next to the more nuanced male characters. POTUS offers a cast of ferocious women the opportunity to be outrageous and funny and flawed and fully themselves. It is a really smart piece of comedy that asks each cast member to play at the top of their physical, intellectual, and emotional intelligence. And it’s ridiculously funny.”

 

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES:

Selina Fillinger (Playwright) is an LA-based writer and performer. Original plays include The Collapse, Something Clean, Faceless and The Armor Plays: Cinched/Strapped. She recently made her Broadway debut with her seven-woman farce, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive. Her plays have been developed at Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, McCarter Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Old Globe Theatre, Alley Theatre, St. Louis Repertory Theatre and Northlight Theatre. She’s currently commissioned at South Coast Repertory and Roundabout. She was a Hawthornden Fellow and a resident of McCarter’s Sallie B. Goodman Artist’s Retreat; Something Clean is the recipient of the 2019 Laurents/Hatcher Award and Cinched/Strapped received the 2019 Williamstown Theatre Festival’s L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award. POTUS was on the 2019 Kilroys List. Selina wrote for the third season of Apple TV’s The Morning Show; she’s developing a feature with Chernin/Netflix and a pilot with Hunting Lane/Hulu. Fillinger was named to the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Hollywood/Entertainment.

Jennifer Childs (Director) is Producing Artistic Director for 1812 Productions: Philadelphia’s All-Comedy Theatre Company. For 1812, she has created over twenty original comedies including the annual political humor show, This is the Week That Is. She has been performing and directing at the Arden since 1992, most recently directing What The Constitution Means to Me. Other recent directing credits include Noises Off at Delaware Theatre Company, Last of the Red Hot Lovers at Walnut Street Theatre and The Play That Goes Wrong at 1812 and Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Up next – This is the Week That Is at 1812!

Kimberly Gilbert (Bernadette, the President’s sister), an award-winning DC actress and Delco native making her debut at the Arden. Regionally, Gilbert has performed in Washington D.C. during the Wooly Mammoth Theatre Company’s 2014 production of Marie Antoinette (Marie Antoinette), for which she won the Helen Hayes Award for Best Actress in a Play in 2015. She also performed in the Taffety Punk Theatre Company’s 2023 production of La Salpêtrière (Antoine), where she won a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Play in 2024.

Susan Riley Stevens (Harriet, his chief of staff) has previously appeared at the Arden in Cinderella (Maria). Stevens’ regional work includes roles with the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, PA, Bristol Riverside Theatre in Bristol, PA, People’s Light in Malvern, PA, and Act II Playhouse in Ambler, PA, where she starred in the 2017 production of Bad Dates (Walker), for which she won the Barrymore Award for Best Actress in a Play in 2007.

Karen Peakes (Jean, his press secretary) has performed at the Arden in A Little Night Music (Countess Charlotte Malcolm) and Prayer for Owen Meany (Tabitha Wheelwright, Nun). The Philadelphia-based actress has performed in shows locally, including Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, PA, People’s Light in Malvern, PA, 1812 Productions in Philadelphia, PA, Act II Playhouse in Ambler, PA, and the Delaware Theatre Company in Wilmington, PA.

Suzanne O’Donnell (Stephanie, his secretary) is well known to the Arden audience for multiple roles at the theatre, including Romeo and Juliet (Nurse) and Dancing at Lughnasa (Agnes). Regionally, O’Donnell has performed in productions at 1812 Productions in Philadelphia, PA., Folger Theatre in Washington, D.C., Cape May Stage in Cape May, NJ, and the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina in Hilton Head, SC.

Alia Munsch (Dusty, his dalliance) is so thrilled to be returning to the Arden! Credits include: Spandex the Musical (Off-Broadway), Motown the Musical (Nat’l Tour), Into the Woods (Arden Theatre Company), Pippin (Weston Theatre Co.), Gentleman’s Guide (Hippodrome Theatre), In the Heights (Gateway Playhouse), Carousel (Riverside Theatre), Oklahoma! (Denver Center of the Performing Arts), West Side Story (IHI Stagearound Tokyo), Smokey Joe’s Café (Engeman Theatre). Education: Barnard College, BA Dance. NYU Steinhardt, Master’s Music.

Jessica Johnson (Chris, a journalist) is an award-winning actress who has performed a number of times at the Arden in Once on This Island (Papa Ge), Ragtime (Sarah’s friend), and The Legend of Georgia McBride (Jo). Johnson’s regional work includes roles at Theatre Horizon in Norristown, PA, for which she won the Barrymore Award for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical as Celie in Theatre Horizon’s 2018 production of The Color Purple, Walnut Street Theatre, and Gretna Theatre in Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania.

Rachel Leslie (Margaret, the President’s wife, The First Lady) is a New York City-based actress making her debut at the Arden. Most recently, Leslie starred in the world premiere of Kia Corthron’s 2024 production of Fish (Jasmine) and Broadway’s 2018 production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (ensemble). Some of Leslie’s film and television credits include Law & Order, FBI: Most Wanted, Alpha House, and Unforgettable.

The production design team includes Megan Bellwoar (she/her) (Assistant Director), Tom Shotkin (he/him) (Stage Manager), Chloe Kincade (they/them) (Assistant Stage Manager), Colin Mcllvaine (he/him) (Set Designer), Krista Smith (she/her) (Lighting Designer), Ariel Wang (she/her) (Costume Designer), and Elizabeth Atkinson (she/her) (Sound Designer).

POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive begins September 12, opens September 18, and runs through October 6. The Opening Night sponsor is Harmelin Media. Honorary producers are June and Steve Wolfson. Single ticket prices vary by performance and start at $37. Tickets are available online at ardentheatre.org, by phone at 215.922.1122, or at the box office at Arden Theatre Company (40 N. 2nd Street).

 

SPECIAL EVENTS and PERFORMANCES for POTUS

Pay-What-You-Choose Community Benefit Final Dress | Wednesday, September 11 at 7pm
A Pay-What-You-Choose final dress performance will benefit the League of Women Voters of Philadelphia. The League of Women Voters of Philadelphia is a nonpartisan, grassroots civic organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Instead of a ticket, donations will accepted and proceeds will be donated to the League.

Pantsuit Happy Hour | Preshow Thursday, September 26, 2024 | 5:30pm to Curtain at 7pm
Don your fiercest pantsuit (or other power outfit!) and join the Arden for a preshow happy hour.

Post-Show Talkbacks
Join a member of Arden’s artist team for post-show talkbacks held after specific performances.

Smart Caption Glasses | Starting Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Wearable, customizable Closed Captioning available to reserve for performances starting on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.

Young Friends Night! | Thursday, October 3, 2024, 7 p.m.
Use code: YFARDEN for $30 tickets (Arden Young Friends is designed for audience members 40 and under and includes a pre-show networking event).

Audio Description & Opening Captioning Available
Friday, October 4, 2024, 7 p.m.
Saturday, October 5, 2024, 2 p.m.