Production Program

Written by Selina Fillinger

Directed by Piper N. Davis

Produced with permission from Concord Theatricals

From The Producing Artistic Director

One of my favorite things about my job as Artistic Director is developing new seasons.  We have a great team of dedicated artists on our play reading committee who read dozens of plays every year to help me pare the list down to a manageable level.  I can’t possibly thank them enough for their hard work.  But ultimately, both the pressure and privilege of finalizing each season rests with me.

We try to come up with better seasons every year…which keeps getting harder.  But here we are…our 2024-25 season is ready to launch and it’s one of the most exciting slates of plays we’ve ever put together.  Each one will be brand new to the Greater Cincinnati area…fresh, new, powerful and provocative!

Last year’s season was focused on Identity…this year’s scripts all play on the theme of chaos!  From the chaos of dark minds, to the changes that alter our lives irrevocably, to the outrageous (and farcical) inner workings of the White House, this season offers drama, mystery, comedy and pathos.  You won’t want to miss a single show! I am honored by the hard work and artistry of the wonderful people who choose to share their talents and passion with us at Falcon Theatre.  And I’m thrilled have this wonderful season to offer these artists and you, our amazing and supportive audience.  Now, please sit back, relax and enjoy…our 2024-2025 season.

Sincerely,
Ted Weil
Producing Artistic Director

CAST
(in order of their emotional closeness to POTUS…closest to furthest):

Harriet (his Chief of Staff) — Sherry McCamley
Jean (his Press Secretary) — Elizabeth Durham
Stephanie (his Personal Secretary) — Samantha Joy Luhn
Dusty (his Dalliance) — Anna Hazard
Bernadette (his Sister) — Clair LaNicca
Chris (a White House Reporter) — Bryanna Bentley
Margaret (his Wife) — Brandi La’Sherrill

PRODUCTION TEAM

Production Stage Manager — Katie Ruwe
Scenic Design — Ted Weil
Lighting Design — Ted Weil
Sound Design — Piper N. Davis, Ted Weil
Costume Design — Rachel Scardina
Props Design — Riley Caldwell
Lighting & Sound Execution — Katie Ruwe
Movement Coordinator — Claire LaNicca
Intimacy Coach — Amanda Marasch
Fight Choreographer — Ted Weil
Set Construction — Ted Weil, Clint Ibele
Graphic Design — Steve Luhn
Lobby Display — Samantha Joy Luhn
Dramaturg — Julie Carpenter
Marketing — Kara Ann Scullin
Social Media Marketing — Rachel Mock
House Staff Coordination — Clint Ibele
Photography — Claudia Herschner
Box Office — Kathleen Luhn, Clint Ibele

Falcon thanks these organizations for their support:

Special Thanks

Carla Walker 
Julia P. Valentine
Simone Lightfoot
Highlands High School Theater Department
Wooden Cask Brewery
Beards & Bellies Barbecue

Visit our Friends at Know!

Cast Biographies

Claire LaNicca (Bernadette): Claire is thrilled to be returning to the Falcon stage in this hilarious and poignant comedy. Claire is a graduate of Indiana University, where she received her BA in Theater and Drama, as well as Xavier University, where she received her Masters in Education. Some of Claire’s most recent on-stage credits include: Proof with MCP (Claire) and MLT (Catherine), and Well with Falcon (Various).  Claire has been teaching high school theater for 10 years and is currently the theater Director at Highlands High School in Fort Thomas. She would like to thank her husband for his constant support, as well as her friends and family who are always her biggest cheerleaders.

Elizabeth Durham (Jean): This is Elizabeth’s second show with Falcon Theatre. Most recently, she played Julianna Smithton in The Other Place. Favorite roles include Sonya in Uncle Vanya, Gertrude in Hamlet, Emma in Betrayal, Emily Brontë in Brontë, Lavinia in Titus Andronicus, Hecuba in The Trojan Women, Mae in the feature film Mae Waits, and Alyssa “with a Y” in University of Louisville’s Online Freshman Orientation Modules. Performance highlights include performing at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. She’d like to thank everyone at Falcon and this badass cast. She’d like to dedicate this show to Max, who wants to be a mom when he grows up.

Samantha Joy Luhn (Stephanie): Samantha is elated to be returning to Falcon’s stage in this timely and riotous show, playing a role that is unimaginably fun, as part of a cast of talented hilarious women, under the brilliant direction of Piper Davis! Sam has been seen at Falcon in past productions as Catherine in Two Point Oh, Fran in Home, I’m Darling, Emma in Betrayal and Lisa in Well. Samantha has also performed with Cincinnati Landmark Productions as Gretchen in Boeing Boeing, and at the 2022 (Banned from Heaven, Barred from Hell) & 2023 (To Spite One’s Face) Cincy Fringe Festivals. Most recently, she wrote, produced and performed her own critically acclaimed Fringe play, Meet Me at the Bathtub: The short life and tumultuous times of Charlotte Corday. Samantha began her acting career in Portland, Oregon, in various productions with the Working Theatre Collective and with the Imago Theatre in the role of Sanae for the English world premier of Yukio Mishima’s The Black Lizard. She holds a B.F.A. in Theatre Performance from Northern Illinois University. Sam lives in Covington with her dog-daughter, Nellie Bly. She is grateful to her family for endless encouragement, and thankful for Ted, who makes every day brighter.

Bryana Bentley (Chris): Bryana is excited to be back on the Falcon stage. Her last performance with Falcon was last spring in Flyin West playing the role of Sophie. Recently gracing the Equity stage at the Human Race theatre in Dayton, Ohio in the production Angry Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous by Pearl Cleage playing the role of Pete.  She is best known for her roles in Blues For an Alabama Sky playing the role of Angel. She has played various roles such as A Song for Coretta playing Keisha, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest  playing Nurse Ratched, Titania in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Nights Dream, she’s been in musicals such as Ain’t Misbehavin as Charlaine,  Rocky Horror Show playing the role of Janet and many more. She is looking forward to continuing her career professionally in theatre, film and television.

Anna Hazard (Dusty): Anna is delighted to be back on the Falcon stage with this group of women, bringing a story to life that isn’t quite real, but holds a mirror up for us to take a good look at ourselves. Just like you, these women are much more than you expect. Absolutely unparalleled. She hopes that you’ll find inspiration from each character, learn something new about yourself, and have meaningful conversations about your evening here. She’s been seen most recently in The Tempest with SouthBank Shakes as Ariel, Bloody Mary at Cincy Fringe as Julie, The Other Place at Falcon as The Woman, and Wait Until Dark at the Covedale as Susan, and is looking forward to what comes next. Anna wouldn’t be here without the love and support of Nancy, Dave, and D’Waughn; it is a gift to do life and have significant conversations with people you love.

Brandi La’Sherrill (Margaret): Brandi is thrilled about her debut performance with the Falcom Theater. Her most recent roles include Zoe in Fiona, The Musical at Ensemble Theater and Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emersons Bar and Grill at The Carnegie. Brandi is also the visionary behind Artifacts Storytelling Experiences (ASÉ), where she crafts educational and immersive storytelling encounters. ASÉ is set to showcase Fannie Lou Hamer: We the People on October 13th, kicking off a tour from October to November. For more information visit brandilasherrill.com

Sherry McCamley (Harriet): Sherry is thrilled to be playing the Chief of Staff in this very timely and hilarious play! Sherry is a singer/songwriter/actor/pianist/director/teacher who is a fixture in the local theatre and music scene. She has directed, musical directed, and performed in dozens of productions. Some of her favorite acting roles include Mrs. Bates in Emma (Playhouse in the Park), Rita in Cowgirls (Ensemble Theatre), Jeanette in The Full Monty (the Carnegie) and her bucket list role, Mama Rose in the Covedale’s production of Gypsy.  Sherry wrote a show with Cathy Springfield dealing with mental health issues called She’s Crazy: Mental Health & Other Myths, and she, Cathy and daughter Erin have been performing the show in theaters, colleges, and for various mental health facilities and conventions throughout Ohio and Kentucky. Sherry has sung and played piano in cabaret shows in NYC, CA, PA, and all over the Cincinnati area. She has a CD of original tunes called Changing My Point of View available on Apple Music and CDBaby.com. Many thanks to Piper for giving her this opportunity!

Production Team Biographies

Piper N. Davis (Director): Piper is delighted to be a part of this production at Falcon, working with this talented cast and team, at this exciting time! An Emmy Award-winning actress, director, cultural director, and singer, Piper has performed and toured across the United States.  She has had several stage and screen roles and loves doing voice-over work. Some of her directorial and performance credits include The Other Place; Flyin’ WestOrigin StorySchool Girls: Or, The African Mean Girls; Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner; Ben ButlerKill. Move. Paradise.Harry and the ThiefBareCaroline, or Change; In the Blood and Open the Sky. Piper is the Diversity and Inclusion Director for Falcon Theater, on the WCPO 9 Community Advisory Board, a member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Multicultural Awareness Council (MAC) and works at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Proud to be from Cincinnati, she cherishes the opportunity to work and play in a city rich with artists, storytellers, and creators. Piper is grateful for her gifts and sends much love to Lydia J. Davis (Mommie), her family, friends, and her beloved doggy, Izzy (Grizabella). VOTE!

Katie Ruwe (Stage Manager): Katie is pleased to be joining this production of POTUS. Born and raised in Cincinnati and a graduate of NKU, she has worked throughout the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region. At The Falcon Theatre, she has also managed The Other Place, Breaking the Code, Vincent, Lifespan of a Fact, Silent Sky, Ben Butler, The Agitators, and Yankee Tavern. She has also stage managed with Queen City Opera on productions of Cenerentotla, Iolanta, Der Freischütz, Die Valkyrie, and the world premiere of Tchaikovsky’s Undina Eco-Opera. She has also managed Spinning Into Butter with American Legacy Theater, 100 Days with the KNOW Theater of Cincinnati, Steel Magnolias with The Story Collective, as well as several Fringe Festival shows with many different and wonderful creative minds. She would like to thank her partner for his outstanding support and the staff at Falcon for their continued trust in her. She sincerely hopes you enjoy this show as much as she has enjoyed working on it!

Selina Fillinger (Playwright):  Selina Fillinger is an award-winning, internationally produced writer and performer. Her feminist farce, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, garnered three Tony nominations and made Fillinger, at 28, one of the youngest female playwrights ever produced on Broadway. Other plays include Baby, Under the Sill, The Collapse, Something Clean, Faceless, and The Armor Plays: Cinched/Strapped. Her work has been developed at Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Williamstown Theatre, Old Globe Theatre, and Alley Theatre, among others. She is currently commissioned at Roundabout and South Coast Repertory. She has developed TV with AMC, Freeform, Hunting Lane, and Hulu, and a feature with Chernin/Netflix. She wrote for the third season of Apple TV’s The Morning Show. Fillinger was named to the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Hollywood/Entertainment

Falcon Theatre Management Board

Piper N. Davis – Diversity & Inclusion Director
Clint Ibele – Falcon Takes Flight Director, Volunteer Coordinator
Tom Lawry – Management/Operations Consultant
Samantha Joy Luhn – Company Coordinator
Ted J. Weil – Producing Artistic Director

Patrons for our 2024-25 Season

ANGEL:
Doug & Carol Burks

BENEFACTOR:
Lynn Krabacher, CPA
Don Leonard

PLAYWRIGHT:
Robert & Patricia Clary
Greg Schaper
Michael & Susan Whitehead

DIRECTOR:
Robert Arlinghaus & Christina Kelley
Steve Bolia & Rob Dorgan

PRODUCER
Joe Gorman
Kathie & Mary Morbitzer

ACTOR:
Myndi Gardt
Alex Prezeau
Mary A. Stewart

Your Support Makes It All Possible!

Falcon has been creating quality theater for our audiences since 1989 and we remain committed to our vision to lead our community through artistic expression and inclusive creativity.  Like all arts organizations, we can’t do it without you.  Your tax-deductible donation helps us continue to produce affordable theatre while offsetting the cost of creating professional productions. The generosity of patrons continues to allow Falcon Theatre the opportunity to expand its horizons, reaching new audiences, new markets and a new generation of theatre minds.  Your gift goes a long way in helping us grow, thrive and continue this success.
Click Here to visit our Patron Information page.

Falcon is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and your donations are tax-deductible. Please consult your tax advisor for more information.

Patron Levels:

  • Angel   $5000+   (Includes 2 five-show Flex Passes)
  • Benefactor   $1000+   (Includes 1 five-show Flex Passes)
  • Playwright    $500+
  • Director    $250+ 
  • Producer    $100+
  • Designer    $50+
  • Stage Manager    $25+
  • Actor    Up to $25

Flex Passes

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