A new femme-fuelled, political farce set to give a satirical, dramatic and enticing inside-look at American politics, Queensland Theatre presents the Australian premiere of Selina Fillinger’s brash new play, POTUS, in the Bille Brown Theatre this July.
Penned by up-and-coming playwright, Selina Fillinger, the three-time Tony award-nominated play is centred around a fictitious President of the United States’ (POTUS) foul-mouthed faux pas in front of the media and foreign dignitaries. It follows seven powerhouse women as they navigate misplaced hallucinogenic drugs, a sex scandal and an assassination attempt – all within 24 hours!
Led by acclaimed director, Lee Lewis OAM, POTUS will be brought to life by a star-studded, all-female ensemble featuring Amy Ingram (Family Values and Netflix’s Boy Swallows Universe) who plays Stephanie, alongside Christen O’Leary (Ladies in Black, Triple X), Emily Burton (Othello, Storm Boy), Emily Liu (White China), Jodie Le Vesconte (Family Values), Wendy Mocke (Bernhardt/Hamlet, Taming of the Shrew) and Paula Arundell (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child).
“Set in the White House, POTUS is a farce with seven women who are quite literally trying to piece back the American government after one swear word,” said Lee Lewis OAM. “This young playwright in Fillinger has managed to write some of the most extraordinary comic lines to get us through the most devastating truths about power.”
While much has changed politically since Selina Fillinger first penned the satirical zingers that make POTUS so powerful, she feels that the lines find renewed meaning with each new political scandal. “Unprecedented times require unprecedented courage. I started working on POTUS when I was a very scared, very sad 23-year-old woman who needed to laugh. I wrote this play to give myself joy, catharsis and courage. I hope it offers audiences the same,” says Selina.
The new play comes with a label of ‘not for the faint-hearted’ which Queensland Theatre Executive Director, Criena Gehrke, said it is proud to wear. “POTUS is a satire about the hypocrisy of American politics and the people that work furiously behind the scenes to hold chaos together. It’s bold and brash but makes for an incredibly timely, and equally powerful story to bring to the stage,” said Gehrke.
“It’s written by a woman, directed by a woman and features a fierce all-female cast making it another outstanding piece of diverse storytelling that we’re excited to bring to the Queensland stage.”
Selina Fillinger is an internationally produced writer and performer. Her feminist farce, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, garnered three Tony nominations and made Fillinger, at 28, one of the youngest female playwrights ever produced on Broadway.
Other plays include Baby, Under the Sill, The Collapse, Something Clean, Faceless, and The Armor Plays: Cinched/ Strapped. Her work has been developed at Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Williamstown Theatre, Old Globe Theatre, and Alley Theatre, among others.
Fillinger is currently commissioned at Roundabout and South Coast Repertory. She has developed TV with AMC, Freeform, Hunting Lane, and Hulu. She wrote for the third season of Apple TV’s The Morning Show and is currently developing a feature film with Killer Films. Fillinger was named to the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Hollywood/ Entertainment.
Director: Lee Lewis | Featuring: Paula Arundell, Emily Burton, Amy Ingram, Emily Liu, Wendy Mocke, Christen O’Leary, Jodie Le Vesconte | Set and Costume Designer: Christina Smith | Associate Costume: Designer Nathalie Ryner | Lighting Designer: John Rayment | Composer and Sound Designer: Brady Watkins | Choreography and Movement Direction: Kate Harman, Gavin Webber | Stage Manager: Maddison Penglis | Assistant Stage Manager: Tia-Hanee Cleary | Writer: Selina Fillinger
POTUS
Bille Brown Theatre, 78 Montague Road, South Brisbane
Season: 27 July – 24 August 2024
Information and Bookings: www.queenslandtheatre.com.au
Image: The Cast of POTUS – photo by Morgan Roberts