When it comes to making light of the current political climate — year after year, from the left to the right, locally and nationally — no one in Philadelphia does it better (or more often) than Jennifer Childs.
As co-founding Producing Artistic Director of 1812 Productions, her team’s annual comic revue showcase, ‘This is the Week That Is‘, runs its ‘Election Special’ on time to compete with debates and campaign stops in its usual ‘Daily Show’-meets-‘Carol Burnett Show’ fashion. This month, however, Childs – an independent director away from 1812 – also takes the poli-sci wheel for playwright Selina Fillinger’s farcical ‘POTUS Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive‘ at the Arden Theatre.
Metro Philadelphia caught up with Childs in-between juggling directing duties for both October productions.
So, if anyone wants political comic theater in Philadelphia this autumn, they have to go through you. Without handing you a role that you may not want, what does it mean to be a political provocateur?
Thank you. I’ll take that title. I’ve been doing political humor in theater forever – this is 1812’s 19th season. And while ‘This is the Week That Is’ and ‘POTUS’ are two pieces that talk to each other, they are each very different. They ask different things of their audiences. ‘POTUS’ is very much a play with a narrative that is not about any one particular presidency, and is more of an amalgamation of all our leaders. ‘This is the Week’ is always talking about what’s happening right now. It is interesting, though, to be working on both, simultaneously, at this time. There’s a refrain in ‘POTUS’ because it’s an all-female character cast, “Why aren’t YOU president?” And that’s the eternal question, isn’t it? For both of these shows, things have changed… they feel different now that Kamala Harris is at the top of the ticket as opposed to Joe Biden
Do you feel you are as committed to politics and activism personally as you are professionally?
I am. And I feel as if everyone is an activist in their own way. I don’t do door-to-door canvasing, but my husband (Philadelphia actor Scott Greer) canvases and works the polls. We tag-team; we support causes and are vocal in our support of causes.
You have your own theater company and direct your own plays. How does it work when you direct for another local company. Does the Arden’s Terrence Nolen phone and say, “Jen, I have this play you might like to do?”
I really like the challenge of working for other theater companies. Often the pieces that I direct for other companies are those that I wouldn’t have the chance to do at 1812; for one, because of the size of the production, or because we at 1812 would not have gotten the rights. ‘POTUS’ is definitely the style of comedy that would have suited 1812. Whenever there is, say, a Broadway show where many companies are going after its rights – they’re not going to give it to smaller company. They’ll give it to a larger company because it stands the chance of making more money. One of the reasons that 1812 began to create its own work is that we didn’t have access to those bigger shows. Also, having been a student of comedy and having directed comedy for such a long time, now – some 27-plus years – there is value that I bring which may be unique. I know how to cast it, how to do ‘POTUS’ justice, and how to make it sing.
What can you say about ‘POTUS’ casting with all of these dynamic women working as one? And what can you say about playwright Selina Fillinger’s point of view?
It’s certainly an ensemble cast without feeling as if one person is taking the lead. That goes beyond whether they are funny and can do the script, but can each of them work well with the group. The ‘POTUS’ cast are all rockstars. And I love how ballsy Fillinger is – she starts ‘POTUS’ with a very divisive curse word. There’s no ‘all-of-a-sudden’ thing where she gets offensive. It’s right up front.
1812’s ‘This is the Week That Is’ — I had the privilege of watching your casts’ rehearsal and group writing process. How has that changed throughout the last ten years?
People need community and a sense of abandon at these, and we capture the emotion of the moment… Our process hasn’t changed, but every new cast member that we take on takes ownership of the writing process. When 1812 started this revue, I was much more of a head writer. Now, it has become much more shared, different communities. This show is really created by all of us around the table: everyone from creatives to our stage manager, lighting director to anyone who stops by and has a joke they can share. That’s how we get the vibe of ‘This is the Week That Is’ – what it feels like to be alive right now.
‘This is the Week That Is, Election Special’ is on stage now through Nov. 3, at Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Place. For information and tickets, visit 1812productions.org.
‘POTUS Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive’ is on stage now through Oct. 13, at the Arden Theatre, 40 N. 2nd Street. For information and tickets, visit ardentheatre.org
