Women Hold Up the Free World
By Paul Atreides
Author, playwright
Theatre critic at EatMoreArtVegas.com
It’s Women’s History Month, and what better way to celebrate it than with a production of POTUS, Selina Fillinger’s silly salute to their strength, now running at Vegas Theatre Company.
As directed by Daz Weller and Maythinee Washington, it’s a fast-paced, frenetic spoof of a West Wing in turmoil as seven women attempt to keep a philandering, loud-mouthed, ally-angering President in line—and alive (more’s the pity).
The cast is all top-notch. Gabrielle Silveroli (Jean), Diamond Landrun (Chris), Amanda Guardano (Dusty), Kim Forest (Bernadette), Sabrina Cofield (Margaret), Valerie Carpenter-Bernstein (Harriet), and Heidi Brucker Morgan (Stephanie) turn in excellent performances. They’re all so committed to character that they suck you into the craziness from the get-go.
It’s poor, put-upon, and under-appreciated Chief of Staff Harriet who must herd the rest of them. Carpenter-Bernstein controls the chaos and commands the stage as she’s putting out the fires, trying to come up with solutions, and covering up for a buffoonish boss.
What would a chaotic White House be without a FLOTUS? While Cofield fires off some great lines of dialogue, it’s almost always yelling. The laughs would land with more punch if her delivery were more modulated between a First Lady's calm, cultured poise and hissy-fits over her adulterous husband.
As an actor, one of the keys to this type of comedy that incorporates the physical with the verbal jabs is the ability to be fearless; to never be afraid of looking foolish. And the two standouts are Guardano and Morgan.
Guardano plays the against-type Iowa farm girl to the hilt, making a gradual transition from the silly innocent to a sexpot willing to do anything for her country. She’s wholeheartedly down with the suggestive antics.
No one has it worse than poor, put-upon people-pleaser and golfer staff member Stephanie, who is expected to jump at a moment's notice and do everything she’s told—all at once. As Harriet tells her, “All of them, Stephanie! I need all of them first.” She gets so rattled that she downs illicit drugs. Morgan is fearless in matching the physical with the verbal from her first entrance.
The sound could be brought down a few decibels for this audience member, but overall, production values are high. The set invokes the entire west wing of the White House, moving quickly from office to office to pressroom to restroom. The costumes are wonderful, particularly those for Harriet.
The 2024 presidential campaign is heading into high gear. Give yourself a treat. Go see this. It’s a frantic, frenetic play and the pacing is excellent. While the cast needs to hold for laughs, the run time might double if they did so for them all. Yes, it’s that funny.
What: POTUS
When: 7:30 pm Fridays
2 pm and 7:30 pm Saturdays
5 pm Sundays
Through March 24
Where: Vegas Theatre Company.
1025 S. 1st St., Suite 110
Tickets: $35 - $60 (www.theatre.vegas)
Grade: **** Scrumptious
Producer: Vegas Theatre Company; Artistic Director: Daz Weller; Director: Maythinee Washington, Daz Weller; Set Design: Whitney Lehn Meltz, Daz Weller; Lighting Design: Paige Borak; Costume Design: Abbie Stroot; Stage Manager: Nichole Killian Co-Stage Manager: Amanda Peterson Assistant Stage Manager: Christine Steele