POTUS

BY SELINA FILINGER

ARENA STAGE, FISCHLANDER

2023

PRESHOW - WALK-IN

THE GLASS WHITE HOUSE - PRESHOW

OPENING SCENE - TWO ACTORS IN EMPTY SPACE

SECOND SCENE: TWO ACTORS AND A DOOR

THIRD SCENE: IN JEAN'S OFFICE

AN ATMOSPHERIC TRANSITION INTO END OF ACT ROOM

FIRST LADY INTERVIEW SCENE

MARGARET GETS THE GUN

THINGS START TO GET A LITTLE CRAZY

MR. PRESIDENT?

IN THE BATHROOM - ACT 2

MARGARET SPEAKS TO THE PRESS AS THE OTHERS TRY TO CORRAL THE DRUG-ADDLED STEPHANIE

THE WHITE HOUSE STARTS TO LIST AND FALL AS THINGS FALL APART

THE WHITE HOUSE AT THE END OF THE MADNESS

FOR THE CONCERT SCENE AT THE END WE OVERDROVE THE CENTER TRAP TO MAKE A LITTLE STAGE AND DROPPED A MIRROR BALL INTO THE GLASS WHITE HOUSE

Directed by Margot Bordelon

Set Design: Reid Thompson

Costume Design: Ivania Stack

Lighting Design: Marika Kent

Sound Design: SInan Rafik Zafar

Photographs: Margot Schulman and Kian McKellan

Actors: Naomi Jacobson, Natalya Lynette Rathnam, Megan Hill, Felicia Curry, Yesenia Iglesias, Sarah-Anne Martinez, Kelly McAndrew

How do you stage a farce in the round in the middle of Washington, DC? Keep the action moving swiftly, stage scenes in different quadrants of the stage, essentialize the furniture and props to what is required to do the scene and set location. Use the traps and the flies to swiftly move elements on and offstage. How about doors that pop-up at the ends of the voms, made out of plexiglass to minimize sightline issues? A glass and neon white house that hangs over the space and acts as chandelier, symbol, location map, and “glass ceiling?'“ A deck as inlaid wood featuring the presidential seal? Bold and fearless lighting and hip sound, and an extraordinary athletic ensemble of female comedians keeping them laughing. A wild ride of a project!