Vanessa Williams is back, & a funny thing happens at the White House
Vanessa Williams is heading back to Broadway.
The former Miss America will take on the role of first lady of the United States in a new comedy this spring.
“POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive” by Selina Fillinger is a female-centric farce about a White House public relations scandal and the circle of women —including Williams as his wife — who rally ‘round the president.
“A derogatory comment, a summit gone awry, an anal abscess — it’s a bad day at the White House,” the logline for the show reads.
Williams, 58, has described the play as “a raucously wild comedy” with “some kick-ass girl power.” The Bronxborn entertainer’s previous Broadway shows include “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Into the Woods” and “The Trip to Bountiful.”
Directed by five-time Tony winner Susan Stroman, “POTUS” marks Fillinger’s Broadway debut. The 28-year-old
Los Angeles-based playwright’s previous work “Something Clean” had its world premiere at Roundabout Underground, and she was the 2019 recipient of the Laurents/Hatcher Foundation Award.
“I hope the show offers joy, folly, and the strength to keep fighting at a time when the world needs all three,” she said in a statement.
Stroman, who helmed hit Broadway productions of “The Producers,” “Show Boat” and “Oklahoma,” said “Selina’s wickedly funny satire questions how complicit we really are in the woes of the world — and what would happen if we simply stood back instead of continuing to empower the leaders who got us to where we are in the first place.”
Rounding out the all-female cast are Broadway newcomers Rachel Dratch of “Saturday Night Live,” Julianne Hough and comedian Suzy Nakamura, along with Tony winner Julie White (“The Little Dog Laughed”), recent Tony nominee Lilli Cooper (for “Tootsie”) and Lea DeLaria of “Orange is the New Black.”
“POTUS begins performances at the Shubert Theatre on April 14 and is scheduled for a limited engagement through Aug. 14.