They will be performing as part of the Kansas City Fringe Festival, in July. This version of the production is a slightly shorter version (to fit the Fringe requirements) and there have been some re-writes from when it was performed in Luxembourg in September 2017.
Written and performed by Actors Rep Artistic Director Erik Abbott, the play was originally commissioned by Théâtre d’Esch and developed by Abbott and former Théâtre d’Esch Director Charles Muller as a piece for the Ville de Esch-sur-Alzette’s ‘Nuit de la Culture’ in May, 2017, where short segments were performed.
Actors Rep debuted the re-imagined and substantially revised full version in September at the Théâtre National du Luxembourg, with direction by Actors Rep Associate Artistic Director Christine Probst.
Abbott portrays several Trump supporters from a Coal Miner to a member of Congress. The characters, some of whose monologues are loosely based on published interviews with real voters, present a variety of voices and viewpoints—alternately sympathetic, funny, perhaps frightening—and reveal a complex emotional and cultural tapestry examining the Trump effect in a compelling, theatrical way.
The Fringe version is a little shorter and, according to Probst (who again directs), "reflects where the Trump Presidency is now and how the character viewpoints have evolved with it. Or not." Abbott added "We’ve tightened and simplified the staging to fit the demands of festival production—which has actually heightened the play’s theatricality."
Inspired by the headlines, #WTF Happened? On the Phenomenon of Trump is a dramatic exploration the curious phenomenon of the Donald Trump Presidency — how the brash billionaire developer and reality television personality blustered his way to the Presidency. It considers how his controversial term in office has affected the lives and views his supporters, questioning whether this is a new and profound movement in the body politic or just another way to increase the value of the Trump brand.
Tickets cost €20 (€10 for students) from email: ActorsRep.tickets@gmail.com or tel: 356339