Category: ACT Contemporary Theatre

@showsiveseen Selina Fillinger's "#POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are 7 #Women Trying to Keep Him Alive" #comedy #play at @acttheatre. Smartly written, engaging, and sharp dialogue. Absolutely likeable characters. Lots of laughs & reactions from the audience. I'd like to imagine the 45th #president's staff was like this. Review: showsiveseen.com/9746 Director: Jillian Armenante Stage Manager: Jamie J. Kranz #showsiveseen #theatre #presidency ♬ Vote or Die – Anthony Kapfer

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Selina Fillinger’s POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are 7 Women Trying to Keep Him Alive comedy play at ACT Theatre. Engaging, smartly written, sharp, vulgar dialogue. Absolutely likeable characters. Lots of laughs & reactions from the audience. I’d like to imagine the 45th president’s staff was like this.

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): Hijinks ensue as 7 women struggle to prevent presidential scandals.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: The comedic sensation comes to Seattle and delivers a riotous punch as it unveils the story of seven extraordinary women tasked with managing the antics of the most powerful man in the world. From PR nightmares to global crises, these brilliant and VERY different women navigate a maze of chaos, risking everything to uphold sanity and stability in the White House. Fueled by Selina Fillinger’s sharp wit and biting satire, this Tony-nominated play offers an unforgettable tribute to the unsung heroes behind the political curtain.

Attended Performance Date: Opening Night 9/12/24 – Keep your eyes peeled for preview posts on my website and social media if you want earlier notification of shows I’ve seen. Show closes on 9/29/24!

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: A couple locations around the White House

Static (Stationary) Set? Mostly yes

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You should be remotely familiar with USA politics

Defined Plot/Storyline: Mostly yes with slightly heavier emphasis on dialogue

Equity Actors: 6

Total Number of Actors: 7

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium to fast speed

Was there an intermission? Yes

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Probably not, but it was good

Mainstream Appeal: Medium to high

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

• Good Hook: The play started with Harriet (played by Anne Allgood) exclaiming “Cunt!” That sure grabbed the audience’s attention! Strangely, “cunt” and “cunty” have become more mainstream curse words in the past decade’s zeitgeist. Ironically, I feel like this is due to more female empowerment. Maybe it’s like how the LGBT community reclaimed the word “queer.” Pretty soon, “cunt” will be as popular as “dick.” Now that’s shattering the glass ceiling! 😛
• Dusty: Dusty (played by Carly Corey) reminded me of the endearing Elle Woods sorority president from Legally Blonde.
• Technical Difficulty Diversion: Towards the end of the play, the stage rising mechanism failed. Oh, the magic of live theatre! Usually, the audience just sits there quietly, but people started yelling out things like “How’ve y’all been?” “How about that debate?” and “They’re eating dogs and cats!” Eventually, the director (Jillian Armenante) walked on-stage and lead an impromptu Q&A like JoJo Siwa. I actually thought it was part of the show at first! In the end, the technical crew finally fixed the malfunction and Jillian jumped around the fixed stage then purposely magnificently collapsed at the center to make sure the platform would support the actors adequately. I enjoyed her impromptu diversion more than the the alternative of sitting around doing nothing while waiting for the fix. However, repeatedly asking the technical crew, “Have you fixed it yet?” was like a kid asking, “Are we there yet?” It won’t speed things up!

Rant(s)

• Off-stage Character: There was an odd moment in the play when Chris, the reporter and working mother played by Ayo Tushinde, delivered a lengthy tirade directed at a younger upstart male coworker who was off-stage. This interaction felt out of place because it was the only instance when a character spoke to someone in front of them who wasn’t physically present on stage. Additionally, the script expected the audience to fill in the blanks for the man’s response. The fact that he wasn’t even a significant character made the scene weirder. The dialogue would have been better as a phone call and not a face-to-face (or “face-to-nothing?”) confrontation.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

• Secretary: At first, Stephanie (the presidential secretary played by Annette Toutonghi) was my favorite character. Her overtly timid demeanor valiantly trying to become more assertive was amusing. However, her character’s development descended into a gratuitous spectacle for cheap slapstick laughs.
• Script Progression: Similarly, the script initially featured incisive, engaging dialogue that captivated the audience with its crude wit. However, the play devolved into chaotic scenes aimed at eliciting cheap laughs. While the first act maintained a sense of plausibility and vibrant comedy, the second act became implausible cacophony. Where was the Secret Service and video surveillance?!

Theatre Company: ACT Theatre

Venue: The Gregory A. Falls Theatre at ACT Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 700 Union St, Seattle, WA 98101

Price Range: $73-104

Ticket Affordability Options: Check out the theatre’s official discounts page.

Dates: September 7 to 29, 2024

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Paid lot or paid street parking. If I don’t walk to this theatre, I park in the old convention center garage with the entrance between Seneca and Pike. There is indoor access from the garage to the theatre if you walk through the old convention center.

Like/Comment/Share my Social Media Posts About this Performance:

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Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

• https://acttheatre.org/2024-25-season/potus/
• Program

Pictures: See pictures below by Rosemary Dai Ross.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.

@showsiveseen Stefano Massini's "The Lehman Trilogy" epic 3-act #play at @acttheatre starring Brandon J Simmons, Bradford Farwell, & Robert Pescovitz. #Lehman Brothers' fascinating rise from humble slavery-tainted beginnings to late-stage capitalism. Convincing accents & cast doubling. Closes this wknd! #theatre #showsiveseen #LehmanBrothers #jewish #BaruchHashem #capitalism #bank #banking #finance Review: showsiveseen.com/8525 Photos: @rosemarydaiross ♬ Looking for a man tima remix – Tima Pages

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Stefano Massini’s “The Lehman Trilogy” epic 3-act play at ACT Theatre. Lehman Brothers’ fascinating rise from humble slavery-tainted beginnings to late-stage capitalism. Convincing accents & cast doubling. #LehmanBrothers #jewish #BaruchHashem #capitalism #bank #banking #finance

Synopsis from the Theatre: The Tony Award®-winning Best Play comes to Seattle after a triumphant run on London’s West End and Broadway. The Lehmans began as many American immigrants did in the 19th century: on a cold dock in New York City in 1844 as a young Jewish man enters his new country for the first time. Joined by his two brothers, they live the American Dream: from humble beginnings to outrageous success. 163 years later, that legacy—The Lehman Brothers—comes crashing down, triggering the largest financial crisis in history. How? Why? This extraordinary feat of storytelling invites us to question what success is worth, how legacy is defined, and what we value in the wake of devastating collapse.

Attended Performance Date: Opening Night 5/2/24 – Keep your eyes peeled for my preview posts on my website and social media if you want earlier notification of shows I’ve seen. Get you tickets now since the show closes this weekend.

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several

Static (Stationary) Set? Mostly, yes

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but you’d probably appreciate this more if you’re familiar with the Lehman Brothers collapse during the Great Recession.

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Equity Actors: 2

Total Number of Actors: 3

Perceived Pace of the Show: The play started slow while introducing a single character for several minutes with the typical energy of a one-person show. A good play hooks the audience at the beginning, but this one did not. When the two remaining actors entered the stage, the show picked up the pace. But after the second act, the sheer epic length slowed it down again!

Length (Including Any Intermission): A whopping 3.5 hours!

Was there an intermission? Two

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Probably not, but it was good.

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

• Philip Lehman: Philip Lehman (played by Robert Pescovitz) was delightfully pragmatic and cold like a robot. Some may view his personality as calculating or controlling, but I saw him as an inspiration. He wouldn’t let emotions get in the way of progress.

Rant(s)

• Air Conditioner: Turn on the A/C! I’m reminded of ACT Theatre’s A Christmas Carol when they didn’t turn on the heater.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

• New York City: Maybe it’s my jealousy of not living in “The Big Apple,” but this is the first time I was a little annoyed by the way plays and musicals idolize New York City. We get it … everywhere else is trash!
• Great Recession: I was surprised that the play didn’t focus more on the 2008 financial crisis.
• Jewish References: The script was quite heavy on Jewish references compared to what’s usually in live theatre. That would be fine if the main intent of the play was to showcase Jewish American culture. If that was not the main intention, then the references should be more subtle to not distract from the main messages. Without this subtlety, the play just becomes a Jewish show like Fiddler on the Roof. I don’t remember much about Fiddler on the Roof except that there were a bunch of Jewish themes. Interestingly enough, The Lehman Trilogy playwright was Italian!

Theatre Company: ACT Theatre

Venue: The Falls Theatre at ACT Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 700 Union St, Seattle, WA 98101

Price: Medium to Expensive

Tickets: https://acttheatre.org/2023-24-season/the-lehman-trilogy/

Ticket Affordability Options: Check out the theatre’s official discounts page.

Dates: April 26 to May 19, 2024

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking: Paid lot or paid street parking. If I don’t walk to this theatre, I park in the old convention center garage with the entrance between Seneca and Pike. There is indoor access from the garage to the theatre if you walk through the old convention center.

Like/Comment/Share my Social Media Posts About this Performance:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• X (Formerly “Twitter”)
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Threads

Buy a Ticket or Learn More:

• https://acttheatre.org/2023-24-season/the-lehman-trilogy/
• Program

Pictures: See pictures below and in video above by Rosemary Dai Ross.