Panic in the Capitol: ‘The Outsider’ Is Political Chaos, Perfectly Timed
I saw Farmington Players’ production of Paul Slade Smith’s The Outsider on opening night, and it hit like the exact kind of theatrical reset I didn’t realize I needed. It lands in that sweet spot that feels rarer every year: a comedy that’s genuinely funny, paced like a smart sitcom, and still interested in the question beneath the jokes. What do we actually want from the people who lead us, and why do we keep rewarding the skills that have the least to do with real service?
[Warning: Spoilers from The Outsider are below!]
A little background, because the Barn has real history
Before I get into the show itself, I need to talk about Farmington Players for a minute. Farmington Players has been around since 1953, beginning as an offshoot of the American Association of University Women. Their early productions were staged in borrowed community spaces before they settled into what would become their home. And yes, I love this detail: in the early days, they staged productions downstairs on a dirt floor. The Barn has obviously evolved, and today it’s a modern, intimate, wheelchair-accessible theatre space, but it still carries the energy of people building something with their own hands and refusing to let it disappear.
Why The Outsider still works
The Outsider begins with a premise that’s funny because it feels possible. Ned Newley becomes the accidental governor, despite being terrified of public speaking and having poll numbers that are impressively terrible. The political world around him looks at him like he’s a crisis with legs. But then a consultant sees an angle: what if Ned’s awkwardness and honesty are not liabilities but assets? What if voters are so sick of polished insiders that the most appealing leader is the guy who visibly does not want the spotlight?
From there, the play becomes a high-speed workplace comedy about spin, optics, coaching, image control, and the kind of frantic damage-control energy that makes you wonder how anything ever gets governed at all. But it’s not a smug satire. It doesn’t just point and laugh at “politics.” It points and laughs at the machinery, then quietly asks whether a decent person can survive inside it.
Opening night performance highlights of this Farmington Players’ production
This is one of those ensemble comedies where everything depends on the group vibe. The script can be great on paper, but if people aren’t really listening to each other, if the timing gets mushy, or if the reactions feel flat, the whole thing can start to drag. That wasn’t the case here. Opening night felt locked in. The cast had that “we’ve got you” rhythm, and once the audience warmed up, it just kept building.
Dave Durham as Ned felt real. Like a person who is genuinely stressed out, overwhelmed, and an average guy who is stumbling into decency without trying, which makes him both funny and easy to root for. His chief of staff, Dave, played by Kyle Phillips, brings just the right amount of aggravation as someone who wants everything to go without a hitch. He’s the kind of character that cares about how things look a bit more than what’s actually true. Phillips played him like a real person- someone you’ve met before, which makes you unsure whose team you want to be on.
Jenna Kellie Pittman’s Paige was the engine. Paige keeps things moving, keeps scenes from getting too heavy, and always feels like she’s already on step three while everyone else is still stuck on step one. Pittman brought that quick, sharp energy that makes the show feel fast without feeling frantic.
Michael Gingerella’s Arthur had that “power in the room” weight. You could feel that he thought the room should obey him, and when that gets challenged, it creates this really satisfying pressure that the comedy feeds off of. Alongside Tara Makar (Crimes of the Heart) as Rachel, who was basically the only grown-up in the room, in the best way. Rachel is the person who actually knows how to do the job while everyone else is panicking about optics and headlines. Makar played her like someone who has seen this whole circus before and is absolutely not impressed by it anymore, which made her even funnier.
And then you’ve got A.C. and Lulu, who add totally different flavors. Amanda Draft’s A.C. is sharp and direct, the kind of character who doesn’t try to be funny; she’s funny because she’s blunt. Lulu, on the other hand, is the wildcard, and Elizabeth Tumminello brought that unpredictable energy that keeps the show from feeling like it’s only living in “political workplace” mode. In a satire like this, you need at least one person the machine can’t quite manage, and Lulu is that person.
The verdict on Farmington Players’ The Outsider
Here’s what I’ll say plainly. The Outsider is a smart pick when you want a night of theatre that feels fun, current, and oddly comforting, even as it points out how ridiculous our systems can be. It made me laugh, it made me think, and it left me with that rare afterglow that comes from a comedy that isn’t empty calories. Farmington Players proves again why community theatre matters.
If you’re debating whether to go, let me make it easy: go. Bring a friend who loves political satire and a friend who swears they hate politics. This show has enough bite for the cynics and enough heart for the hopeful. And if you end up laughing harder than you expected, trust me, you won’t be the only one.
Know Before You Go
Venue: Farmington Players Barn Theatre in Farmington Hills.
Run time: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Recommended age: 13 and up.
Dates: February 13 through February 28.
Typical schedule: Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM, select Sundays at 2:00 PM, and a Thursday performance at 8:00 PM on February 26.
Accessibility: The Barn Theatre is handicap-accessible.
Tickets: Tickets are sold through the Farmington Players’ box office and online
Have you seen The Outsider? What was your favorite moment? Let us know @bsb.insider on all major social media platforms. And keep an eye on the Farmington Players as they announce their upcoming season!
Exclusive Interview: Tara Makar of Farmington Players’ The Outsider
