POTUS, OR, BEHIND EVERY DUMBASS ARE SEVEN WOMEN TRYING TO KEEP HIM ALIVE Begins Run

Laugh out loud in the face of politics as usual with the comedy POTUS, Or, Behind Every Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive by Selina Fillinger, at City Theater Company February 27-March 7.

City Theater Company brings D.C. to Delaware with the raucous comedy.

Originally staged on Broadway by Delaware native Susan Stroman, this Tony Award-nominated, comedic tour-de-force stars an all-female ensemble as they navigate a very bad day in The White House.

Fillinger dedicates the play "For any woman who's ever found herself the secondary character in a male farce." The inscription resonated with CTC Artistic Director Kerry Kristine McElrone in choosing POTUS for the 32nd season.

"Fillinger makes it clear that the eponymous POTUS in her play is not modeled on any particular President, because his misdeeds and political persuasion are not the point," said McElrone. "The women breezing in and out of the Oval Office are the point. They are tasked with keeping this everyman avatar, who happens to be the leader of the free world, and whom we never see onstage, in his job."

"And while they do this to hilarious effect, as befits a farce, their reasons for doing so are grounded in the reality that every woman who has ever known a man in a position of 'power' immediately recognizes," McElrone said. "The piece is meant to be 'apolitical', but its politics are anything but in the grand scheme."

McElrone tapped Philadelphia's Kristin Finger to direct. Finger is a CTC alum who's appeared onstage in Assassins and Spring Awakening, and brought her improvised comedy Murder Manor to the CTC stage.

"I cannot imagine a better human than Kristin to take on POTUS here at CTC," said McElrone. "She is a fierce champion for women in all walks of life, but especially when it comes to the male-dominated landscape of comedy - an all-too-familiar landscape for those of us who identify as females in art."

"Women have historically been written as the damsel in distress, pining for a man to love them, some old hag who never found love or literally a witch," said Finger. "Fillinger's POTUS finally allows women to be women. They are powerful, flawed, and unf***ingparalell."

The ensemble features CTC alum Jessica Jordan (Dancing At Lughnasa) and Mary Carpenter, Jordan Fidalgo, Karen Getz, Kelsey Hébert, Heron Kennedy, and LaNeshe Miller White in their CTC debuts.

"The seven women of POTUS and their relationships to each other is the story I'm focused on telling, so getting to work with this amazing cast has made that goal such a graceful and hilarious adventure," said Finger. "These characters and actors all have one thing in common, their ability to make men look competent while keeping the world from burning down entirely."

The play also features original songs and music. Delaware's Grace Vonderkuhn, Nitro Nitra, and Hot Breakfast! are some of the bands contributing their work to the "BitchBeats" playlist that's called for in the script.

"CTC has been committed to showcasing the talents of working artists since we formed in 1993," said McElrone. "Playwrights, actors, directors, designers, and musicians have found a home here for 32 years, and it's extra-thrilling to stage a play that highlights the considerable creative work of so many outstanding artists. From the director and creative team to the actors and the soundtrack's musicians, POTUS is an ensemble piece that highlights our considerable local talent and reflects what CTC is all about."

POTUS runs February 27 through March 7 at City Theater Company.

The show is directed by Kristin Finger. It has scenic design by Rick Neidig, lighting design by Jason Burns, costume design by Maura Owens, music direction by Joe Trainor, fight coordination by Lee Jordan, sound design by Kristin Finger, stage managed by Stuart Thomas, and promotional art by Joe Trainor and Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.

POTUS runs February 27, 28 and March 1, 6, 7, 2026. All shows at 8 P.M. except for the sole matinee at 2 P.M. on Sunday, March 1.

The show is rated R (Language, themes, sexual and suggestive content.)