A four-letter word is about to rock the White House. Farcical hilarity ensues.
City Gate Productions presents POTUS in Woodside seven times from Friday, March 14, to Sunday, March 23.
In this Selina Fillinger comedy, seven brilliant and beleaguered women risk life, liberty, and the pursuit of sanity to keep the president out of trouble after he unwittingly turns a public relations nightmare into a global crisis. Oh, that commander-in-chief!
General admission is $25, but seniors and students can attend for $20. Shows are March 14 at 8 pm, March 15 at 8 pm, March 16 at 3 pm, March 20 at 7:30 pm, March 21 at 8 pm, March 22 at 8 pm, and March 23 at 3 pm.
This presentation is a collaboration of local art groups. The Secret Theatre, which has seating for about 50 attendees at 38-02 61st St., is the host. Meanwhile, the producer is City Gate, which was founded by married couple Virginia and Thom Harmon in Forest Hills in December 2021.
Fillinger, who grew up in Oregon, began writing plays while at Northwestern University, and she never looked back. This comedy, whose full name is POTUS: Or, Behind Every Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, debuted on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre on April 27, 2022 and got three Tony nominations. (Fillinger was 28.)
Her other plays are Baby, Something Clean, Faceless, The Armor Plays: Cinched/Strapped, The Collapse, and Under the Sill. Her work has been developed at Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Williamstown Theatre, The Old Globe, and Alley Theatre, among others.
In 2022, she joined The Morning Show on Apple TV+ as a staff writer.
The Woodside POTUS stars Marianne Goodell as Harriet. The rest of the cast is Erin Layton as Jean, Chanel Mack as Margaret, Farah Diaz-Tello as Stephanie, LaRelle Gee as Chris, Margaret Leisenheimer as Dusty, and Actors’ Equity Association member Tania Kass as Bernadette. Sarah Weglowski and Thom Harmon are the Producers. The rest of the team comprises Christina Shea-Wright (Director), Emma Reifschneider (Assistant Director), Kerryclare Gleason (Stage Manager), Grace Wylie (Costumes), Jorden Charley-Whatley (Set Design), Travis Youssef (Fight Choreographer), and Dylan Franz (Sound Design).
The Secret Theatre is one block from the 7 train’s 61st Street station and five blocks from the R/M train stop at Broadway and 65th Street. Parking is on the street.
Editor’s note: This show contains explicit language and adult content.
Images: City Gate Productions