“The P.G. Plays,” as they are being billed in their Moscow premiere, are far from PG rated.
Many will find the true title, “The Pussy Grabber Plays” offensive and vulgar, and most people would agree. The play purposefully echoes the words of the President Donald Trump, who bragged in a 2005 interview that when he met beautiful women he felt entitled to “grab them by the pussy.”
When you’re famous, people will let you get away with anything, he told interviewer Billy Bush at the time.
Dozens of women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct or assault, with little result. “The Pussy Grabber Plays” features eight short acts based on the experiences of seven women who accused Trump during the 2016 election. Tuesday, April 23, a group of University of Idaho seniors majoring in theater performance will present the play as their capstone project at the Best Western Plus University Inn in Moscow.
“We thought that in the modern era we’re living in, and the issues we’re facing in our culture, this would be really relevant,” said Katy Sokol, one of the seniors organizing the production, which stars students alongside community members.
The play was developed by an award-winning, all-woman team who worked with the accusers. It premiered earlier this year in New York City, then became available royalty-free with the stipulation that proceeds be donated to an organization supporting women. Proceeds from the Moscow production will go to the University of Idaho Women’s Center.
While the play is based on real-life experiences, it’s not straight nonfiction. Rage, trauma and protest are wrapped in satire, comedy and, in one instance, a musical.
In “Sat Nam,” Sokol plays Karena Virginia, the 10th woman to accuse Trump of sexual misconduct during the election. In the play, she discusses her experience with Trump with her mother, who wants her to keep the tale to herself. She tells her daughter she is being overemotional.
“I think the mom symbolizes the integrated sexism we’re experiencing right now with sexual assault,” Sokol said. “The mother, as a female, should understand more than anyone. It’s a very important dynamic, I think.”
In another act, senior Tylee Lydon plays a composite character based on women who have worked for Trump over the years.
“It shows a lot of covering up and not believing (the women who come forward), which is something I feel is really interesting — the idea of there being women out there who chose to support the men over other women. I’ve been trying to understand where these women are coming from,” Lydon said.
Former People magazine writer Natasha Stoynoff came forward in 2016 with a story about how Trump attacked her during a 2005 interview for the magazine. She worked with playwrights to tell her story in a comedic fashion.
It’s about finally coming forward and then discovering that people don’t believe you, said UI’s Kelsey Chapman, who plays the role. “It’s very interesting, because it’s something not funny at all. It’s explicit; there’s a lot of cursing. I think because it’s comedic, it adds to the skin-crawly nature of it. … It’s an uncomfortable song to sing.”
The act “Miss USA” is a mini musical set in a bar where former pageant contestants discuss their experiences with Trump and the possibility he will be elected president (Trump owned the Miss Universe Organization, which includes Miss USA, for nearly 20 years until 2015). One of the women, Miss Maine, is a lesbian and details how her pageant experience has affected her personal life.
UI senior Kyle Nye plays the character in drag. Nye is a drag queen in real life who goes by the stage name Faye, a French word for fairy that was used as a gay slur for men in the 1950s.
The students wanted to bring more diversity to the play, said Nye. “They all thought it would be an interesting, eye-opening experience for people to see me in the role.”
The play includes a trigger warning for explicit descriptions of sexual assault and is recommended for ages 18 and older, because of the content. A bar will be available for those ages 21 and older. Admission is by donation.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: “The P.G. Plays”
WHEN: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 23
WHERE: Best Western Plus University Inn, 1516 Pullman Road, Moscow
COST: By donation. Proceeds go to the University of Idaho Women’s Center.
