Theatre showcases political comedy

​​An unconfident, awkward man who is terrible at public speaking is thrown into a new position as governor. His political consultant holds out hope for him and sees how his awful characteristics might actually appeal to the general public.

“What if the worst person you think could become governor is now governor?”

That’s how senior Mikennah Oleson describes the Augustana theatre department’s upcoming production of “The Outsider.”

The play written by Paul Slade Smith will be performed at the Edith Mortenson Center Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 25 through Sunday, Sept. 28. 

With a cast of several politicians, a TV reporter and cameraman, Smith’s play explores a satirical and hilarious commentary on modern politics.

Dan Workman, professor and chair of the theatre department and the production’s director, said that this is going to be the second play by Smith that he has directed.

“I think he has a very witty way of writing,” Dan Workman said. “It’s just a fun, nice voice in comedy.”

The design team for the play consisted of a multitude of students, including senior costume designer Claire Steffensen and senior scenic designer Kei Meister. 

Dan Workman met with the two students throughout the summer to collaborate on designs and concepts that they were wanting to achieve in the production.

The production consists of a cast of only seven students and takes place on a one-unit set.

Sophomore Satchel Workman, who plays Dave Riley in the production, believes that this production’s smaller cast allows for closer teamwork.

“ It’s so collaborative, and there’s so much connection between everybody, especially as you get closer and closer to the performances,” Satchel Workman said. “Everybody kind of starts to really get in sync.”

Dan Workman’s goal as the director is to create a supportive environment where everyone feels safe enough to take risks. He knows that every person there is working to reach for the highest quality.

“ Everybody works together, and it quickly becomes a cast and not a disparate group of classes,” Dan Workman said. “The one freshman in the cast was quickly embraced by everybody else.”

Oleson, who is well-versed in the theatre world at Augustana and is also ushering for this production, said that she is most excited to see the play in action.

“There’s just that excitement of being like, ‘Oh my gosh, my friends are gonna  be on stage and they’re gonna do great’,” Oleson said.

Satchel Workman said that his favorite aspect of the play is the governor Ned Newley’s character arc. Played by TJ Ashes, Newley starts off as a nervous and reserved guy, but throughout the show he starts to come out of his shell.

“ He has this beautiful moment in the second act where he really has a great connection with one of the other characters and is able to use that to reach much more widely than he ever had before,” Satchel Workman said.

The two productions that the theatre department are putting together this fall both revolve around politics, but they still stick to comedic roots.

“It’s an understatement to say right now our community and our country is political,  and Augie’s theatre season this year is nothing but political,” Oleson said.

However, despite Oleson’s belief in the inherently political nature of all art, she also said that it is important to acknowledge the fact that theatre is fun.

In a similar vein, Dan Workman noted that while “The Outsider” indeed focuses on political ideas, the play at its heart is a comedy.

“ It’s not an attack comedy,” Dan Workman said. “It’s kind of an innocuous comedy because it’s not politicized. It talks about image and polling and trying to predict what voters want.”

He encouraged students and faculty alike to come out and see the production.

“ It’s a break from homework, a break from life, a break from doing whatever,” Dan Workman said. “I think it’s a perfect place to come and bring friends and have a good time and talk with each other after the play.”