Mad Horse Theatre Company opens their 38th season with the raucous comedy, “POTUS.” “POTUS, or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive” by Salina Fillinger and directed by Lauren Stockless is a riotous comedy about the women in charge of the man in charge of the free world.  This Maine premiere runs from Sept. 21 through Oct. 15 at Mad Horse Theatre in South Portland.

“POTUS” takes place over one drug-fueled, wild ride of a day in the White House, when the President spins a PR nightmare into a global crisis and seven brilliant and beleaguered women risk life, liberty, and the pursuit of sanity to keep the commander-in-chief out of trouble.

Lauren Stockless says “I am unbelievably excited about this play. It’s been so refreshing to experience a script that celebrates the power, intelligence, and hilarity of women as completely as Filinger’s “POTUS” does. Each character in this script is a powerhouse all her own, and I am loving every second of discovering just how incredible they are. Filinger describes her ideal cast as ‘fast, fierce, and … hilarious,’ and the group of artists we’ve built is that and more. My sides hurt from laughing after every rehearsal, and I’m constantly blown away by the talent in the room.”

Author Selina Fillinger’s brilliant, all-female farce took Broadway by storm earning three 2022 Tony nominations and was a 2019 selection for The Kilroys’ List.  Fillinger writes for “The Morning Show” on Apple TV but is a newbie to Broadway, announcing her comic voice here with the smart dedication of her play to “any woman who’s ever found herself the secondary character in a male farce.”

Fillinger was raised in Oregon by “by hippies in the woods”  and attended Northwestern U. Now an LA-based writer and performer, her original plays have been developed at many theaters including the Manhattan Theatre Club.  She’s currently commissioned at South Coast Repertory and Roundabout. She was a Hawthornden Fellow and a resident of McCarter’s Sallie B. Goodman Artist’s Retreat.

The cast features Mad Horse Company members Janice Gardner, Allison McCall, Savannah Irish and Marie Stewart Harmon.  They are joined by guest artists Noli French, Alyssa Pearl-Ross and Chantal King.

The Production Team includes Mad Horse Company members Lauren Stockless (Director), Mark Rubin (Producer), Jake Cote (Sound/Fight Design) and guest artists Juliet Moniz (Stage Manager),  Hannah Publicover (Scenic Design), Jared Mongeau (Props), Phoebe Little (Costumes), Megan Tripaldi (Dramaturge), Hollie Pryor (Intimacy Director), Audrey Katsner (Light Designer) and Steve Lupien (Builder)

POTUS contains adult content and situations.  Recommended for ages 17 and up. Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 5 p.m. on Sundays (the show on Sunday, Oct. 15 is at 2 p.m.)  All shows are Pay-What-You-Decide. No charge reservations are strongly suggested.

Other shows this season

“White” by James Ijames, running Nov. 16 – Dec. 10
Gus is pissed. He’s a white guy who can’t get picked up by a major museum. Vanessa is trying to make it as an actress but finds there is something holding her back. When Gus’ partner, Tanner, introduces Vanessa to Gus they set out on a journey to create the perfect Black woman artist to pretend to be the creator of Gus’ art. A modern Frankenstein story with a dash of Mahogany, and Pygmalion to keep it gay and light. This play spins out of control as it explores issues of race, gender, sexuality, and art. Written by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of the Fat Ham, James Ijames, this will be the Maine premiere of “White.”

“Heroes of the Fourth Turning” by Will Arbery. Running Feb. 8 – March 3
It’s nearing midnight in Wyoming, where four young conservatives have gathered at a backyard after-party. They have returned home to toast their mentor Gina, newly inducted president of a tiny Catholic college. But as their reunion spirals into spiritual chaos and clashing generational politics, it becomes less a celebration and more a vicious fight to be understood. On a chilly night in the middle of America, this haunting play offers grace and disarming clarity, speaking to the heart of a country at war with itself. “Heroes of the Fourth Turning” was a 2020 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama and the winner of New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play. Will Arbery was a writer and co-producer on “Succession. “This is the Maine premiere. Directed by Christopher Price.

“Tumacho” by Ethan Lipton. Running April 11 – May 5
In a small town in the Old West, the mayor can’t keep his people from running away or dying at the hands of the local outlaw. And just when things can’t get any worse, an omen predicts that a demon ghost might soon return to possess one of the town’s few remaining people, and then to ravage the rest. Which tyrant will be more awful, the demon or the outlaw? And assuming the mayor can’t save the day – for it seems he can’t do much – will Catalina, the town vagrant, be the one who steps up? “Tumacho” considers hope in the face of evil, the community struggle to act, and demon cuisine, all in a deadpan ode to comedies of yore. Directed by Jake Cote.

To connect with Mad Horse Theatre Company visit our website (www.madhorse.com) or Facebook (Mad Horse Theatre Company), follow us on Instagram and Twitter @madhorsetheatre, or send an email to madhorseboxoffice@gmail.com. The Mad Horse Theatre is located at 24 Mosher St., South Portland.

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