AUDITIONS: POTUS

AUDITIONS: POTUS or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive

Produced by the Costa Mesa Playhouse in Collaboration with the Long Beach Playhouse

Playing in the Long Beach Playhouse’s Studio Theater

By Selina Fillinger

Directed by Kathy Paladino

AUDITION DATES:  March 2 – 4, 2026

• Monday, March 2, 2026 – 7pm – 9pm: Open Call
• Tuesday,  March 3, 2026 – 7pm – 9pm: Open Call
• Wednesday,  March 4, 2026 – 7pm – 10pm: Callbacks – By invitation only.

(Auditioners only need to come to one night of open call auditions.  We are only seeing in-person auditioners during audition times – no video submissions.)

PERFORMANCE DATES:  April 24 – May 23, 2026

AUDITION NOTICE:

TITLE: POTUS or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive

PRODUCER:  The Costa Mesa Playhouse in collaboration with The Long Beach Playhouse.

AUTHOR: Selina Fillinger

DIRECTOR: Kathy Paladino

RUN:  April 24th – May 23rd

Fridays & Saturdays 8pm, Sundays at 2pm. Special performances on Thursday and Sunday nights may be added for private parties and special events.

This is a volunteer community theater production.  Non-Equity.  There is no pay.

AUDITION DATES:

Open Call: Prepare a monologue in the style of the play (Comical Farce)

Dates: Monday, March 2 and Tuesday, March 3, 2026

(Auditioners only need to come to one night of Open Call Auditions.)

Times: 7pm – 9pm

Location: Long Beach Playhouse  

Callbacks: By Invitation Only.

Date: Wednesday, March 4th

Times: 7pm – 10pm

REHEARSALS:

First Read-Through: March 7th,  Noon – 4pm

Regular Rehearsal: Monday – Thursday, 7pm – 10:00pm. Some Saturdays, 10am – 1pm.

(Please see beginning rehearsal schedule BELOW for specific dates and times.)

Location: Long Beach Playhouse

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

Bring headshot and resume. 

Prepare a monologue in the style of the show (Comical Farce)

Sides for cold readings will be provided at the auditions.

SHORT SYNOPSIS:  

One four-letter word is about to rock 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. When the 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. A broad, zany, old-school comedy that earned three 2022 Tony nominations.

CASTING THE FOLLOWING ROLES:

Note: roles are open to all ethnicities.

HARRIET: (F, 40+) His Chief of Staff. Steel-Nerved. Composed. Seemingly Loyal to a fault. Always in control. Until she’s not

JEAN: (F, 30-60) His Press Secretary. Hanging on by a thread. Master spinner. Constantly amazed at how much can go wrong. Easily baited or pulled off target. In other words, also a mom.

STEPHANIE: (F, 25-60) His Secretary. Struggling to stand amongst the giants. Easily intimidated, but resilient. Book-smart, not people-smart. Completely uninhibited and primal in the right circumstances.

DUSTY: (F, 20-40) His dalliance. Farm Girl. Also, in STEM. Also, a Cheerleader. A little ditzy, but that plays into her immense charm & confidence. Open-minded on plenty of fronts, and ready to play ball (and with balls)

BERNADETTE: (F, 35-55) His Lesbian, incarcerated sister. Straight out of Prison. Black Sheep. Narcotic Saleswoman (and great at it). Got a guy for everything. Vengeful against the system she was born into.

CHRIS: (F, 25-45): A journalist and nursing mother of twins. Hard-Earned Senior Reporter. Crafty. Observant and quick to act. Under-utilized and written off as a new mom

MARGARET: (F, 40-60) His Wife. Calculated. Fighting against the intimidation her accomplishments bring. Elegance masking a level of simmering rage at all times.

BEGINNING REHEARSAL SCHEDULE: