The comedic play aims to bring a laugh to anyone involved in the country's politics.
No matter which side of the coin you are on, like many Americans, you are likely over the pre-election day chaos. Thankfully, Act II Playhouse in Ambler is ready to help you laugh it off.
“The Outsider” is what the playhouse’s Director of Marketing Nick Cardillo, calls a “hilarious political farce ahead of Election Day.” With previews starting Oct. 8 and the full production opening on Friday, Oct. 11, “The Outsider” by Paul Slade Smith is aiming to bring a comic relief to this tense time of year.
“’The Outsider’ is set in an unnamed U.S. state, in the days leading up to an important gubernatorial election,” said Cardillo. “Ned Newly might be the worst candidate to ever run for political office.”
Despite his unlikeliness to fit, Newly might ironically be just what the state’s residents need.
“With impressively bad poll numbers and an overwhelming fear of public speaking, the last thing he wants to be in charge,” said Cardillo. “But Ned’s deficiencies might just make him the ideal political candidate when a team of professional pollsters get involved.”
The plot that ensues is one geared to up the giggles.
“It all results in a hilarious farce that skewers American politics and lifts up democracy,” said Cardillo.
Act II Playhouse’s Artistic Director Tony Braithwaite, who has served in his role since 2012, said it is a fitting topic given the country’s political climate.
“When I first read ‘The Outsider,’ I knew that it was the perfect show for the Playhouse,” said Braithwaite. “It is, of course, timely; but it is also incredibly funny, and manages to lampoon the American political system without taking any sides.”
All involved noted that the play is not one with a democrat or republican slant. The plot manages to remain neutral and is not intended to rile up those with different viewpoints or ideologies.
“The play was never intended to be a comedy about political parties,” said playwright Paul Slade Smith. “It is looking at larger ideas. We have lost sight of what our government and democracy and society are all about, so it is written to touch on the fundamentals wanted by most people.”
Cardillo said that the cast of the Act II production is “made up of some familiar faces,” including Peter Bisgaier (returning to the Playhouse after Neil Simon’s “The Prisoner of Second Avenue”), Sabrina Profitt (“Steel Magnolias,” “Tea For Three: Lady Bird, Pat, and Betty,” etc.), and Hannah Parke (“Zuzz the Alien” and “Rosie the Reindeer.”)
The other members of the cast include Liz Mattera, James Ofalt, Carl Smith, and John Zak are, who are all making their Act II Playhouse debut.
On the backside of that curtain are director Andrew Chown, who returns after a 2002 production of “The Drawer Boy.” Jackie Robinson serves as the production’s stage manager, with Jessica Selvaggi, as his assistant. James Leitner is the lighting designer, with Meghan Jones, the scenic designer, and Robin Shane, the costume designer. Alex Dakaglou is sound designer, Jen Burkhart is the props mater, Britt Plunkett the technical director and scenic builder, and Eliot Curtis is the scenic artist.
Tickets for upcoming showings of the play are available online here. The cost is $32 per person. You can also reserve tickets by calling 215-654-0200 or in-person at the box office, located at 56 E. Butler Ave., in Ambler. The theater’s box office is open Monday through Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m.
Discounted $15 tickets are available for students, and group discounts are available. Act II Playhouse is dedicated, Cardillo said, to “theatrical programming that is both accessible and entertaining.”
“Act II is committed to creating and producing original, classic, and contemporary plays, musicals, and cabarets (both comedic and musical) that reflect the highest artistic standards, and presenting them in our intimate venue that draws audience and performers into a unique, vibrant and dynamic interaction,” said Cardillo.
For more information on this, and more upcoming productions, visit https://act2.org/.
