Thunder River Theatre Company (TRTC) will be premiering its final full-season production, “POTUS: Or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive,” on June 14 at 7:30pm. This high-energy, raunchy, satirical and politically relevant show with an all-female cast and director will run for three weekends.
Written in 2022 by Selina Fillinger, this show tells the story of seven women who work closely with the president of the United States. The play delves into the nuances of gender politics and the struggles of maintaining leadership. Filled with colorful language and holding a space for topical conversation ahead of November’s election, this show is something that TRTC Artistic Director Missy Moore saw as a vehicle to challenge audiences.
“I read the script and immediately handed it to Sean [Jefferies], our previous executive director, and I said, ‘This is a ballsy-ass play. I think we should do it.’ We might offend a lot of people, but we live in a pretty affluent neighborhood, and it’s time to tell relevant stories,” Moore stated.
She continued, “I want to challenge my modern audiences with this production. Women have a right to curse, and women have a right to state their opinions and to do it clearly and concisely. There was a time in society when women were taught to ‘be in their place,’ and I’ve been trying to shake it up as artistic director. Yes, I want to honor the classics, but relevant stories must happen now.”
This cast of characters includes Harriet, the chief of staff, played by China Kwan; Jean, the president’s press secretary, played by Jenna Moll Reyes; Dusty, his dalliance, portrayed by Sonya Meyer; Bernadette, his sister, played by Toddy Walters; a journalist named Chris portrayed by Jasmine Jackson; and Margaret, the first lady, played by Janae Burris. Directed by Kate Gleason with assistance from Allison Fifield, this production also sees Moore stepping into her acting shoes as Stephanie, the president’s secretary.
Discussing what encouraged her to direct the production, Gleason said she enjoyed the farcical nature of the script. “I’m a huge fan of farces as a comedic actor. I just dig it,” she said. “So when Missy approached me to direct it, I was very excited. I had already read the play, so I knew what to expect. Still, in rereading it, I thought it was a great vehicle for seven amazing, strong comedic actresses, which you don’t get to see very often.”
Gleason noted that not many shows like POTUS exist within the theater space, where women get to behave badly, which further adds to the relevance of the characters’ reflections on real-life situations that women often encounter.
“Some of the language used is pretty blue. The truth is, in the real world, we as women do talk that way, and the women that I surround myself with feel comfortable using language that might be considered off-color to some people, especially coming from women,” Gleason stated. “I’ve seen many plays where men get to misbehave, but we don’t get a lot of female comedies where women get to misbehave.”
She further explained that the characters are well-rounded and “not diminished” by relaying the words of Jackson, who was not available to interview.
“She said, ‘They’re not diminished characters; they’re complex, funny, smart and flawed, but they’re not diminished in any way.’ I think that will be super exciting for audiences to see,” Gleason shared.
Reyes piggybacked on the sentiment, saying that she was drawn to the production because the material kept her on her toes. Additionally, she found the story to be a brand of good trouble she could get behind.
“I would get more and more shocked about what was happening as I turned each page of the script, which is always such a good reaction to anything,” she said. “What drew me to it is that it’s seven women being badass, funny and getting into trouble. I just really love that.”
In a Nutshell
What: Live theater
When: June 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29 at 7:30pm; June 16, 23 and 30 at 2pm.
Where: 67 Promenade, Carbondale
How: www.thunderrivertheatre.com or 970-963-8200