-Brenda Hillegas
Photo By Ashley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios
The three-time Tony Award-nominated Broadway play, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, finally has a regional premiere in Philadelphia at the Arden Theatre! I saw this on Broadway and immediately thought how perfect it would be for Philly stages, specifically Arden or 1812 Productions. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when it was announced POTUS would kick off Arden’s 2024-2025 season with Jen Childs- the Producing Artistic Director for 1812 Productions- directing!
The show features a cast of seven women, all directly linked to the President through work or other relations! When a PR nightmare emerges, this dynamic group of women come together to keep him out of trouble. But at what costs?
This show is absolutely hilarious, has a great playlist, full of farce, and lots of bad words. You do not want to miss it!
Below, Jen Childs talks more about the production and what she hopes audiences will take away from it. Don’t miss your chance to see POTUS, through October 13th. Tickets here.
Q: POTUS has been performed on stages throughout the country, as well as Broadway. What makes this show so approachable?
A: I think it’s unique. There are no other farces that feature an all-female cast. It is a unique look at politics. It’s rambunctious, outrageous, and very, very funny. There’s nothing else like it. It’s a great opportunity for a group of women to really sink their teeth into something that is super funny and do a whole bunch of things that they don’t normally get to do.
Q: Do you have a favorite scene, prop, or line you can share without giving too much away?
A: Oh, man. That’s hard. They’re all my favorites. All my children are my favorites. Usually, I’m not a fan of vomiting, but there’s some very funny vomiting in the show, in electric colors, which makes me laugh. It’s also really unexpected. Also, there’s this scene towards the end where, at the top of each scene, it’s described as “Margaret versus Stephanie,” “Jean versus Harriet.” You have these very short scenes in the beginning where the women are really grappling with each other, and by the end, they are united. It’s expected, but the way they get there is beautiful.
Q: Which of the seven characters do you find yourself identifying with the most?
A: It depends on the day. I’m a little bit of all of them. I’m certainly Stephanie, who is constantly needing to be reminded that she’s good at her job. Sometimes, I’m Harriet who’s super in charge and the boss and can handle anything and makes things move. I’m never really Dusty. That’s maybe the one that I’m not. I’m both Harriet and Stephanie. Harriet, who’s the boss who gets shit done and Stephanie, who gets things done but is a little bit more insecure. I vacillate between those two those two places.
Q: Along with directing POTUS, you’re also working on This Is the Week That Is at 1812 Productions. Any time management tips for our readers?!
A: I feel like I’m lucky because the two pieces are so connected. They really inform each other. They also couldn’t be more different, but there’s a real overlap in terms of subject matter. Sleep when you can. I don’t really have any time management tips. You just make it happen.
Q: After I saw POTUS on Broadway, I immediately purchased tickets to see it again. Why should audiences come see the Philly production? What do you hope they take away from the show?
A: A part of what was so amazing about the Broadway cast is that there was this rock star cast, and we have an equally rock star cast here in Philadelphia. There’s a large core of Philly favorite performers and then a couple of others who are from out of town, but it’s an extraordinary group of women. It’s an extraordinary cast.
In terms of what I want people to walk away with, I want people’s bellies to hurt from laughing, and I want them to have gone at least once or twice and ask themselves, “huh”. There is, of course, the comedy and then, there’s very pointed truths dropped in. The show is important, and it’s coming with heart and meaning behind it.
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