When the US President unwittingly spins a PR nightmare into a global crisis, the seven brilliant and beleaguered women he relies upon most risk life, liberty and the pursuit of sanity to keep the commander-in-chief out of trouble. This is the plot behind POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, an all-female feminist satire that looks at sex and politics and women working in the confines of the patriarchy.

“I proposed this play a year ago as a comedy option in our season, and it gained student interest as well,” said Tricia Rodley, the show’s director and an instructor in the Theatre Arts department. "POTUS uniquely challenges our expectations about women in a political sphere and about women in comedy. Currently, I think it offers a much-needed dose of perspective and laughter.”

The playwright behind the all-female feminist satire

Written by Selina Fillinger, the all-female ensemble piece premiered on Broadway with a star-studded cast that earned three 2022 Tony nominations. Fillinger was 28 at the time, making her one of the youngest playwrights to be produced on Broadway. POTUS was the third most produced play of 2023.

“There are no secondary characters here, but a tight, fiercely funny ensemble of women who have devoted their lives and sacrificed their sanity to the political upkeep and personal maintenance of their figurehead boss, the President of these United States,” said a review in Variety.

Fillinger, who grew up in Eugene and attended South Eugene High School, wrote the play after noticing that abusive men making headlines always seemed to have a woman by their sides. She said she wondered about women and their struggle to follow the rules of the patriarchy, no matter how ridiculous or toxic.

“The ensemble of actors is both fierce and hilarious, and they are doing amazing work with our fight director, Kevin Inouye, on many unexpected shenanigans,” Rodley said. “The stage management and design teams are also incredibly talented, hardworking students.”

The students behind the all-female feminist satire

The cast includes senior classics major Zayne Clayton as Margaret (the First Lady); fourth-year theatre major Monse Quesada as Harriet (chief of staff); theatre and linguistics double major Aaralyn Reed as Jean (press secretary); second-year education foundations major Sydney Baker as Stephanie (presidential secretary); first-year psychology major Ocean Demmin-Ferneau as Dusty (president’s mistress) and the show's dance choreographer; second-year cinema studies and comparative literature double major Bleu Jones as Bernadette (the president’s sister); and third-year education and ethnic studies major Kelly Finch as Chris (a journalist).

Students on the production team include stage manager Maddi Gray; assistant stage managers Kayla Kunz and Astro Rocket Random; Annika McNair is costume designer with Sarah Smith as assistant costume designer; Holden Fershée is lighting designer; Myra Schra is co-scenic designer; Oliver Twitchell is properties designer; Story Arney is sound designer; and Karlie Guilliot is dramaturg. 

Tickets and a special all-female post-show panel

The play, produced by University Theatre, runs in Hope Theatre on the UO campus Feb. 7, 8, 14, 15, 16*, 20, 21, 22 and 23* (evenings at 7:30 pm; *matinees Feb. 16 and 23 at 2 p.m.). Tickets are available through the University Theatre box office.

After the show on Feb. 22, from 9:30 to 10:30 p.m., several politically minded women active in the local community are participating in a special panel, The Long Game for Women in Politics. Panelists include Oregon State Representative Lisa Fragala, Lane County Commissioner Laurie Trieger, Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson, Eugene City Councilors Lyndsie Leech and Jennifer Yeh, Springfield City Councilor Kori Rodley, former Eugene City councilor Claire Syrett, and Dawn Lesley, who campaigned for the Lane County Board of Commissioners in 2014 and 2022 elections.