POTUS, Or Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive
By Selina Fillinger
Directed by Kate Cherry
A riotous comedy about the women in charge of the man in charge of the free world.
September 25-28, 2024
Greene theater
All performances open to the public
“POTUS” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
Run Time: TBA
Content Advisory: This play includes INSERT CONTENT/SENSORY ADVISORY HERE.
Sensory Advisory: TBA
POTUS
Creative Team
Scenic Design
Lindsey Wettstein
Costume Design
Alexa Peterson
Lighting Design
Eri Lackey
Sound Design
Matt Dandino
Props Lead
Ryan Bates
STAGE MANAGER
Alex Lewis
PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
Esther Chilson
Fight Director
Ryan Winkles
Intimacy Director
Kayleigh Kane
Dramaturg
Sam Evans
A note from the
Director, Kate Cherry
Coming Soon
A note from the
Dramaturg, Sam Evans
Coming Soon
Meet the
Cast
Harriet — ELLA HAGG
Jean — LULU ROYCE
Stephanie — GRACE LENORE ROGERS
Dusty — SYDNEY SIMENAUER
Bernadette — SYDNEY SCHILLER
Chris — AISHA AKOREDE
Margaret –– SKY FORTES
Understudies
Harriet –– GRACE OSIER
Jean –– JOSIE DRING
Stephanie –– JULIET SIMON
Dusty –– J.J. MOORE
Bernadette — LENA SCHMITT
Chris — ASHLEY MONET LONG
Margaret — AIMÉE COLEMAN
Meet the
Artistic and Production Staff
Assistant Director — LARA BRINKMAN
Observing Director –– EMMA AHLIN
Assistant Scenic Designer — ZOE C. MILLS
Paint Charge — JOE KEENER
Assistant Costume Designer — MARIA RENEE HERMAN
Wardrobe Supervisor — HEIDI KEITHAHN
Assistant Wardrobe Supervisor — DAVID SCHELL
Assistant Lighting Designer — LILLY HOURIN
Production Electrician — RYAN TSE
Lead Electrician — KELLY FURMAN
Production Sound Engineer — SKYLER D’AMORE
Assistant Production Sound Engineer — CAT MAYORAL
Assistant Production Sound Engineer –– BASIL IACAMPO
Assistant Props Lead — LUIS MENA
Assistant Stage Manager — NONA FERNEY
2nd Assistant Stage Manager — SYDNEY WILLIAMS
Production Assistant — MADDIE WRIGHT
Associate Production Supervisor — NATHAN HERNANDEZ
Assistant Production Supervisor — HALEY DEMELLO
Company Manager — LUCY PAGE
Assistant Company Manager — SHAE MUCHLER
Assistant Company Manager — ANNA BIGELOW
Run Crew
Coming soon
Cast Bios
AISHA AKOREDE (she/her) — Chris
BFA’ 26 Theatre & Performance. Emerson Stage credits: A Doll’s House (Nora). Emerson College credits: Em Shakes’ Lord of The Flies (Percival); Jelly’s Last Jam (Ensemble); RareWorks’ HOOKMAN (Jess); Mercutio Troupe’s In The Waiting Room (The Woman). Emerson Film credits: Conversation in a Coffee Shop (Mary); MUSINGS (Eve); Dead Air (Daughter/ Alma). Thank you to all of the working single mothers out there, you guys are amazing! Thank you Mummy, Seki, and Abdullahi. And Najat my love, this is for you.
AIMÉE COLEMAN — U/S Margaret
BFA ‘26 Musical Theatre. Emerson Stage Debut! Emerson College credits: Musical Theatre Society’s Chicago (Annie, Velma U/S), Jake Tolentino’s Antony and Cleopatra (Cleopatra), Musical Theatre Against the Grain’s The Wild Party (Nadine), Cabaret of Color (soloist). Regional credits: Reagle Music Theatre’s: An American in Paris (Ensemble), All Shook Up (Ensemble, Lorraine U/S), The Little Mermaid (Andrina, Ariel 2nd cover), Pippin (Ensemble). Thank you to her friends and family for their love and support!
JOSIE DRING (she/her) — U/S Jean
BFA ’26 Acting. Emerson Stage Debut! Emerson College credits: MTS’s Chicago the Musical (Liz, Dance Captain); MTS’s 13 the Musical (Kendra); and MTS’s Ride the Cyclone (Assistant Stage Manager). This is Josie’s first EmStage production and she has enjoyed every moment! She loves her Emerson ACAfam and thanks her mom for all the behind-the-scenes support <3
SKY FORTES (she/her) — Margaret
Bio coming soon!
ELLA HAGG (she/her) — Harriet
BFA ’25 Theatre & Performance. Emerson Stage credits: A Doll’s House (Mrs. Linde), Little Women (U/S Amy). Emerson College credits: EmShakes’ Humble Boy (Mercy Lott) and Metamorphosis (Mrs. Samsa); and Alex Serino’s Gruesome Playground Injuries (Kayleen).
ASHLEY MONET LONG (she/her) — U/S Chris
BFA ’26 Theatre & Performance. Ashley is excited to make her Emerson Stage debut as U/S Chris. She would like to thank her family, friends, and the Jimmy’s Travelling All-Stars for all the great times and support!
J.J. MOORE (they/them) — U/S Dusty
BFA ‘26 Acting. Emerson Stage credits: A Dolls House (female understudy). Emerson College credits: BlueJay Theater Collective’s “Significant Other” (Director), MTAG’s Hot Damn (reasonable citizen), EmShakes’s Metamorphosis (Lodger 2). Other credits: Co-Artistic Director and Co-founder of BlueJay Theater Collective. Thanks to their family, friends, and POTUS cast and crew.
GRACE OSIER (she/her) — U/S Harriet
BFA ’26 Musical Theatre. Emerson Stage credits: Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Ensemble and U/S Sonya), Bonnets: How Ladies of Good Breeding Are Induced to Murder (Claire/Mistress Stone U/S). Emerson College credits: MTAG’s Hot Dam (Gayorg), Mercutio Troupe’s Romeo & Juliet (Assistant Costume Designer), Emerson Dance Company. Regional credits: Gypsy (Louise), Shrek: The Musical (Fiona). Thank you to this cast and crew, my wonderful parents, Hannah, Juliet, and my lovely friends! Vote vote vote! @graceosier https://vote.gov/
GRACE LENORE ROGERS (she/they) — Stephanie
BFA ‘25 Theatre Education & Performance. Emerson Stage credits: Little Women (Beth March U/S), Old Jake’s Skirts (Storyteller) Emerson College credits: Mercutio Troupe’s Romeo & Juliet (Romeo), Emshakes Theatre Co’s Death of a Salesman (Linda/Biff/Happy) Musical Theatre Society’s Tavern Song (Saoirse) Regional credits: Wheelock Family Theatre’s Go, Dog Go! (Red Dog) To this glorious, fierce, & formidable cast & crew, thank you. @gracelenore
LULU ROYCE (she/her) — Jean
BFA ’26 Acting. Emerson Stage credits: A Doll’s House (Anne-Marie & U/S Nora) Emerson College credits: Hot Dam! (Brody the Boyscout Kaplan), EFA Cabaret, and The Summer I Turned Pretty Workshop (Mrs. Evans). Lulu directed Fun Home (MTAG), as well as Dog Sees God through BlueJay Theater Collective, a theater organization for which she is the Co-Artistic Director. She would like to thank her fellow cast members for being so wonderful, Her beautiful Mom, Her super awesome Dad for flying all the way here to see her cuss people out onstage, Sara, Sasha (thank you for the headshot and friendship), her other sweet lovely friends, and Kate Cherry for the opportunity to be a part of this fabulous production.
SYDNEY SCHILLER (she/her) — Bernadette
BFA ‘25 Theatre & Performance. Emerson Stage Debut! Emerson College credits: Third Bird (Franklin/Shirley) Other credits: Derbyn Comedy (President)– Thank you so much to my friends and family for their love and continued support, to Kate Cherry and Kenny Ransom for their guidance, support, and inspiring me to bet on myself; My amazing understudy Lena Schmitt, and to the entire cast and crew of POTUS for making this experience so special!
LENA SCHMITT (she/her) — U/S Bernadette
BFA ‘25 Theatre. Emerson Stage Debut! Emerson Stage credits: Bonnets (Assistant Director), Little Women (Assistant Lead Electrician), Paris (Assistant Director). Emerson College credits: emShakes’ Death of a Salesman (Props Lead), Lord of the Flies (Director), and Cornflower Blue (Props Lead); Kidding Around’s Barry and the Bear (Assistant Director); Musical Theatre Society’s Urinetown (Wardrobe Supervisor). Huge thanks for Kate and Zack for humoring me when I said I wanted to audition. And as always, thank you to my family and friends whom I could not have done this without.
SYDNEY SIMENAUER (she/her) — Dusty
BFA ’26 Acting. Emerson Stage credits: Bat Boy (Meredith and Maggie/Ron/Clem U/S) Emerson College credits: Falsettos (Trina) and Chicago (Mary Sunshine) for MTS; Hot Dam (Ms. Garheim) for MTAG; Not My Fault (Ms. Hayes) for RareWorks. Other credits: Bat Boy Workshop with Laurence O’Keefe (Ensemble); Heathers (Assistant Costume Designer) and The Summer I Turned Pretty (Livie) for MTS. Thank you to all my friends and family for continuing to support me and coming to this production! I am so lucky to have so many people in my life that not only care about what I do but fly from across the country to be here for me, I am truly so grateful. Please enjoy this crazy amazing show – and lastly thank you to Dyl for being my person, I love you <3
JULIET SIMON (she/her) — U/S Stephanie
BFA ’26 Musical Theatre. Emerson Stage credits: Bat Boy (US Shelley, Ruthie/Ned), The Impracticality of Modern Day Mastodons (US Inga/Delores). Emerson College credits: MTAG’s Fun Home (Medium Alison), A Chorus Line (Bebe), and The Wild Party (Reno). Mercutio Troupe’s Our Dear Dead Drug Lord (Zoom). Regional credits: Ragtime: Symphonic Concert (Ensemble) at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Our Dear Dead Drug Lord (Zoom) at Crave Theatre Company. Thank you to this incredible team, and to Zeke and Grace! @juliet.simon
Creative Team Bios
KATE CHERRY (she/her) — Director
Bio coming soon!
LINDSEY WETTSTEIN (she/they) — Scenic Designer
BFA ’26 Theatre Design & Technology. Emerson Stage credits: Mary, Sweet Mary (Asst. Scenic Designer), Bat Boy The Musical (Asst. Scenic Designer). Thanks to mom, dad, and all my professors for all the support.
ALEXA PETERSON-ISMAIL (she/they) — Costume Designer
BFA ’26 Theatre Design & Technology. Emerson Stage credits: The Spitfire Grill (Wardrobe Crew), Secret in the Wings (Assistant Costume Designer), Little Women (Assistant Costume Designer), Bat Boy: The Musical (Assistant Wardrobe Supervisor), Mastodons (Wardrobe Supervisor). Emerson College credits: Wrinkle in Time (Assistant Costume Designer) for Kidding Around; Dog Sees God (Costume Designer, Stitcher) for BlueJay Theater Collective. Other credits: Hazbin (Film) as Superhero Costume Designer and Stitcher for Kathan. Thanks to Michelle Obama.
ERI LACKEY (she/they) — Lighting Designer
BFA ’26 Theatre Design & Technology. Emerson Stage credits: The Loyals (Assistant Lighting Designer), Bonnets (Assistant Sound Designer), A Doll’s House (Lead Electrician), Second Star to the Right (Sound Designer), Great Comet of 1812 (A2). Emerson College credits: The Sympathy Play (Sound Designer), Dogfight (Lighting Designer), Pass Over (Sound Designer), The 43rd EVVY Awards (Assistant Lead Electrician). Other credits: College Light Opera Company’s 2024 Season (Props Lead). Thank you to my friends for helping to teach me everything I know and encouraging me to continue making art.
MATT DANDINO (he/him) — Sound Designer
BFA ’26 Theatre Design & Technology. Emerson Stage credits: Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Assistant Lighting Designer), 16 Winters (Sound Designer), The Impracticality of Modern-Day Mastodons (Lead Electrician), Bat Boy: The Musical (Lead Electrician), Little Women (Assistant Sound Designer), Cabaret (Assistant Lead Electrician), Mary, Sweet Mary (Assistant Sound Designer), Paris (Assistant Lead Electrician). Emerson College credits: The 43rd EVVY Awards (Lead Electrician) The 42nd EVVY Awards (Assistant Lead Electrician), RepFest (Assistant Lighting Designer), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Assistant Lighting Designer)
RYAN BATES (he/him) — Props Lead
Bio coming soon!
ALEX ELISHEVAH LEWIS (they/them) — Stage Manager
BFA ’24 Stage & Production Management. Emerson Stage credits: Second Star to the Right (1st ASM); The Impracticality of Modern Day Mastodons (Assoc. pSupe); Old Jake’s Skirts (2nd ASM); NewFest Short Works ’22 (Asst. pSupe); This Girl Laughs… (PA). Emerson College credits: I Am Platyboy (Fight Choreographer); More Useful In Retail (Producer). Regional credits: Interlochen Center for the Arts (Stage Manager); Main Street Theatre’s Junie B. Jones (Stage Management Intern). Thank you to my friends & family for all your love & support.
ESTHER CHILSON (she/her) — Production Supervisor
BFA ’24 Stage & Production Management. Emerson Stage credits: 16 Winters (SM), Bonnets (Assoc. pSupe), Cabaret (2nd ASM), Secret In the Wings (Asst. pSupe), The Late Wedding (PA). Emerson College credits: The EVVY Awards (Aesthetics Executive Producer), MTAG’s A Chorus Line (SM), KA’s Seussical (1st ASM), RareWork’s sub (1st ASM). Other credits: Contemporary American Theater Festival’s Tornado Tastes Like Aluminum Sting (ASM) and The Overview Effect (PA), Berkshire Theatre Group’s BROKEN code BIRD switching (PA), Songs for a New World (PA). So much love for my pSupe team, friends, family, and Basil. <3
RYAN WINKLES (he/him) –– Fight Director
Ryan Winkles is an actor/choreographer/teacher. Regionally, his work as a fight choreographer includes New York City Center: Encores!, Long Island Lyric Opera, Barrington Stage Company, Weston Playhouse, Shakespeare & Company, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, and the Boston University Opera Institute. Ryan is a proud member of SAG and Actors’ Equity.
KAYLEIGH KANE (she/her) –– Intimacy Director
Kayleigh Kane is a Boston-based intimacy professional and multi-disciplinary artist working in theater and film around New England, New York, and beyond. Select Intimacy Direction credits include “Becoming a Man” (American Repertory Theater), “The Band’s Visit” (Huntington Theatre Company), “Angels in America Pt. 2: Perestroika” (Central Square Theater/BEDLAM), “Summer Stock” (Goodspeed Musicals), “Torch Song” (Moonbox Productions), “Rent” (Umbrella Stage Company), and “The Moors” (Entropy Theatre). Kayleigh also works frequently with improv theaters and experimental ensembles, implementing intimacy tools and safety protocols for consent-based improvised contact and physical play, and provides intimacy support and education to higher education institutions around New England. She holds a certification in Intimacy Direction from IDC. Learn more at kayleighkane.com.
SAM EVANS (she/they) — Dramaturg
MA ’25 Theatre Education. Emerson Stage credits: A Doll’s House (Dramaturg). Emerson College credits: TEGA’s If You Love Me For Me (Playwright, Director).
Meet the
Emerson Stage Staff
Staff
Artistic Director — Kate Cherry
General Manager — David Colfer
Production Manager — Timothey Sullivan
Technical Director — Kristin Knutson
Head Carpenter — Connor Thompson
Scenic Area Advisor –– Luciana Stecconi
Scenic Painter — Joe Keener
Props Director — Ryan Bates
Assistant Properties Manager — Lauren Corcuera
Costume Area Advisor –– Tristan Raines
Costume Shop Supervisor — Richelle Devereaux-Murray
Assistant Costume Shop Supervisor — Becky Pieroth
Draper/Cutter — Laurie Bramhall
Lighting Area Advisor –– Jason Lyons
Electrics Advisor — Nicole Cerra
Advisors FOR THIS PRODUCTION
Stage and Production Management — Debra A. Acquavella
Scenic Design & Props — Ryan Bates
Costume Design — Chloe Moore
HMU Design –– Rachel Paula-Shefult
Costume Production –– Richelle Devereaux-Murray
Lighting Design — Anshu Bathia
Electrics — Nicole Cerra
Sound Design — Aubrey Dube
Fight & Intimacy — Ted Hewlett
Dramaturgy — Marissa Friedman
Vocal Coach — Indira Salinas
Student Staff
Emerson Stage Office Assistants — Kayla Copping, Alayna Domboski, Karli Fisher, Carly Mentis, JJ Moore, Liliana Ravins
Production Management Assistants — Esther Chilson, Oliver Worner
Videographers — Vincent Chen, Ethan West
Scenic Technicians — Kieran Graeff, Ari Flaherty, Davis Kranchalk, Yuyuan “Echo” Lu, Oscar McQuilkin, Harley Novy
Scenic Artists/Painters — Rayan Afif, Nel Blinman, Lily Hourin, Elodie Lambert, Elizabeth Nunnery, Leo Servetar, David Staats, Charlize Tabrizi
Paint Shop Assistant — Maggie Stewart
Prop Shop Assistant — Amaya Gonzalez-Mollmann, Ava Scanlon
Stitchers — Zee Cowan, Amanda Jacobson, Heidi Keithahn, Alexa Peterson-Ismail, David Schell, Ava-Sofia Settoon, Anna Ten Eyck, Nina Turovsky, Jade Wein
Laundry Assistants — Angelina Parillo
Stock Attendants — Sierra Bivins, Isabella Fortebuono, Ashleigh Jones
Crafts — Wei Zhao
Light Lab Inventory Assistant — Eli Goldberg