Mad Horse Theatre Opens Their 38th Season With The Raucous Comedy, POTUS

Mad Horse Theatre Company opens their 38th season with the raucous comedy, POTUS, September 21 - October 15.

POTUS, or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive by Salina Fillinger, directed by Lauren Stockless is a riotous comedy about the women in charge of the man in charge of the free world.  This Maine premiere runs September 21 - October 15 at Mad Horse Theatre, 24 Mosher St., South Portland.

POTUS takes place over one drug-fueled, wild ride of a day in the White House, when the President spins a PR nightmare into a global crisis and seven brilliant and beleaguered women risk life, liberty, and the pursuit of sanity to keep the commander-in-chief out of trouble. 

Lauren Stockless comments about directing POTUS: "I am unbelievably excited about this play. It's been so refreshing to experience a script that celebrates the power, intelligence, and hilarity of women as completely as Filinger's POTUS does. Each character in this script is a powerhouse all her own, and I am loving every second of discovering just how incredible they are. Filinger describes her ideal cast as "fast, fierce, and f-ing hilarious," and the group of artists we've built is that and more. My sides hurt from laughing after every rehearsal, and I'm constantly blown away by the talent in the room."

Author Selina Fillinger's brilliant, all-female farce took Broadway by storm earning three 2022 Tony nominations and was a 2019 selection for The Kilroys' List.  Fillinger writes for "The Morning Show" on Apple TV but is a newbie to Broadway, announcing her comic voice here with the smart dedication of her play to "any woman who's ever found herself the secondary character in a male farce."

Fillinger was raised in OR by "by hippies in the woods"  and attended Northwestern U. Now an LA-based writer and performer, her original plays include THE COLLAPSE; SOMETHING CLEAN; FACELESS; and THE ARMOR PLAYS: CINCHED/STRAPPED. Her plays have been developed at many theaters including the Manhattan Theatre Club.  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.                                                                                                                                       

The cast features Mad Horse Company members; Janice Gardner, Allison McCall, Savannah Irish and Marie Stewart Harmon.  They are joined by Guest Artists; Noli French, Alyssa Pearl-Ross and Chantal King.

The Production Team includes Mad Horse Company members: Lauren Stockless (Director), Mark Rubin (Producer), Jake Cote (Sound/Fight Design) and guest artists: Juliet Moniz (Stage Manager),  Hannah Publicover (Scenic Design), Jared Mongeau (Props), Phoebe Little (Costumes), Megan Tripaldi (Dramaturge), Hollie Pryor (Intimacy Director), Audrey Katsner (Light Designer) and Steve Lupien (Builder)

POTUS contains adult content and situations.  Recommended for ages 17 and up.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 and Sundays at 5:00 (Sunday 10/15 is at 2:00 pm)   All shows are Pay-What-You-Decide. No charge reservations are strongly suggested.   

The entire season of Mad Horse productions are Pay-What-You-Decide (PWYD). That means every production, every performance, every person pays what you decide. Here's how it works:

Make a no-cost reservation.
Come see the show.
Make a payment as you leave the theater!

We want to remove the financial barrier of seeing theater - particularly new theater work and open the doors to anyone interested in attending a show.

Support the arts in Maine. Consider donating to Mad Horse Theatre Company and our virtual programming by visiting madhorse.com/contribute.

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