"The Outsider" - by Paul Slade Smith - Gateway Players (Southbridge, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: The CAST of Paul Slade Smith's "THE OUTSIDER," now playing at Gateway Players in Southbridge, MA. until October 18, 2026. Photo Credit David Corkum)
Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMag Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
"Work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence."
- ("The Peter Principle") / Dr. Laurence J. Peter
Gateway Players
Presents Paul Slade Smith's
"THE OUTSIDER"
Written by Paul Slade Smith
Directed by Patrick Bracken
Produced by Edward Humphries
Cast Includes: Jordan Miller as “Dave Riley,” Billy Bolster as “Ned Newley,” Cassidy Shaw as “Louise Peakes,” Eric Hart as “Arthur Vance,” Eylssa Miller as “Paige Caldwell,” Nicole Rawdon as “Rachel Parsons,” Peter Amaral as “A.C. Peterson”
Additional Creative Team:
Stage Manager - Allen Adams; Stage Crew - Jonathan Martin; Set Building and Design - Cindy Keane, Kenz Carron; Lighting and Sound - Katie Walsh, Mari Cordero; Technical Assistance - David Corkum.
Performances:
October 9, 2026 through October 18, 2026
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
Performances to be held at Fellowship Hall of Elm Street Congregational Church, 61 Elm Street in Southbridge, MA. Entrance is on Park Street (around corner).
TICKETS:
Online credit card ticket sales are available at www.gatewayplayers.org
For more information call # 508-764-4531 or visit www.gatewayplayers.org
BUY TICKETS
This program is supported by a grant from the Southbridge Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)
Just in time before midterms, Gateway Players in Southbridge offers a delightfully funny look at the state of American politics in the comedy "THE OUTSIDER."
The two-act play, as ably directed for Gateway Players by Patrick Bracken, is an engaging comedy served by an adept cast.
Written by Paul Slade Smith, "THE OUTSIDER" - originally entitled “A Real Lulu” - made its stage debut in 2015 in Wisconsin, then premiering under its current title in New Jersey in 2018.
However, given the current state of affairs, the two-act about the “Peter Principle” helping incompetency rise to our nation’s top offices feels more relevant now than ever these days.
For those unfamiliar with the “Principle” - attributed to Dr. Laurence J. Peter - it basically theorizes a couple of ways of how the unqualified tend to rise to higher office in spite of their incompetence.
This can happen either when those who do well in one job get promoted UNTIL they wind up in a role they cannot do well or, the other way is when that person is a complete incompetent with the wrong (or no) skills required for the job…this applies especially in politics.
In an interview, Smith explained how he was inspired to write "THE OUTSIDER" after reading about a political campaign where the staff realized too late that their candidate was completely unqualified.
However, in the case of "THE OUTSIDER" the person who assumes the position of governor is NOT incompetent – in fact he is extremely competent -however is completely incapable of being a “politician.”
While political satire, Smith’s story also offers a glimpse of at least one earnest politician (unfortunately an example of a dying breed these days) who genuinely values public service.
(Photo: Billy Bolster as “Ned Newley" in a scene from Paul Slade Smith's "THE OUTSIDER," now playing at Gateway Players in Southbridge, MA. until October 18, 2026. Photo Credit David Corkum)
In Gateway Players' "THE OUTSIDER" we meet newly-elected Governor Ned Newley (Billy Bolster) who seems to have stumbled into the job as he had no aspirations to be governor, nor even a politician, as he is deathly afraid of speaking in public.
Bolster gives a compassionate portrayal of Newley as a kind, gentle and learned man, making sure the performance does deteriorate into caricature or stereotype.
Ned is smart and certainly qualified to do the work of the Governor's office, with one slight drawback - he becomes completely petrified while speaking before large groups of people, as in groups larger than two.
The only reason Ned has been elevated to the position is because his boss and previous governor had to resign amidst a scandal (unfortunately an example of a breed NOT yet dying).
As such, Ned’s poll numbers are impressively bad, as confirmed by professional pollster Paige Caldwell (Eylssa Miller).
Miller is thoroughly convincing as Paige, who is an intelligent, assured woman with a professional view of politics, viewing each campaign as a series of contests to be won at all costs.
Chief of Staff to new Governor Ned is Dave Riley (Jordan Miller), a clever political operative. Miller readily shows us Dave as a smart political operative with a stoic moral compass - but that same compass also makes him seem a bit naïve to others working in the political arena.
Dave contends with Ned's disastrous initial poll numbers which could lead to a recall vote based on the public’s no confidence.
Dave must also contend with a complete absence of staff and, until a new staff is hired, along comes temporary employee Louise Peakes (Cassidy Shaw) who arrives on the scene as the Governor’s new executive assistant.
Shaw gives an animated performance as perky Louise, who is friendly, eager and a complete bungler in every way.
(Photo: Billy Bolster as “Ned Newley,” Jordan Miller as “Dave Riley,” Eylssa Miller as “Paige Caldwell” and Eric Hart as “Arthur Vance” in a scene from Paul Slade Smith's "THE OUTSIDER," now playing at Gateway Players in Southbridge, MA. until October 18, 2026. Photo Credit David Corkum)
Also arriving to help Dave with Ned's public image and poll numbers is veteran political consultant Arthur Vance (Eric Hart).
Hart is outstanding as arrogant opportunist Vance, who cares less about the substance of a candidate and more about elevating the appeal that he feels voters require from a candidate.
Without knowing it herself, and through a disastrous set of circumstances, Louise becomes a political force, one who has that quality Vance feels Ned lacks.
Vance offers that it is Louise’s outgoingness – if not her coherency – that makes voters identify with her which will ultimately help Ned in the long run retain his position.
TV journalist Rachel Parsons (Nicole Rawdon) is on assignment at Ned’s office to conduct an interview, in effort to help Ned reassure his constituency that he is competent (enough) to serve as Governor.
Rawdon is quite pleasing as no-nonsense reporter Rachel, and the onstage chemistry in her scenes with Miller as Dave comes across as genuine.
Assisting Rachel is her TV cameraman A.C. Petersen (Peter Amaral) who at first doesn’t speak but later speaks volumes, especially to Ned, in some of the show’s best dialogue exchanges, delivered well between both Amaral and Bolster.
The single set for the Gateway Players' show is accommodating albeit with a larger than required couch causing the cast to have to occasionally work around the sheer size of it.
(Photo: The CAST of Paul Slade Smith's "THE OUTSIDER," now playing at Gateway Players in Southbridge, MA. until October 18, 2026. Photo Credit David Corkum)
Paul Slade Smith's "THE OUTSIDER" continues from Gateway Players in Southbridge until October 18th, 2026.
Coming up for the holiday season for Gateway Players will be “THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS OR THE STORY OF ERNESTINA SCROOGE” from December 4th through December 6th, 2026.
For tickets and information, contact Gateway Players at # 508-764-4531 or visit www.gatewayplayers.org.
BUY TICKETS
Approximately two hours with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
Paul Slade Smith's "THE OUTSIDER" is a popular political satire play about an unlikely candidate, Ned Newley, who becomes governor after a scandal, despite his crippling fear of public speaking and lack of political instinct, becoming a symbol for voters seeking an anti-establishment figure.
The comedy skewers modern American politics, exploring themes of democracy, public perception, and the absurdity of the electoral process through witty dialogue and farcical situations.
It's known for being a hilarious, timely, and non-partisan look at the political landscape.
ABOUT GATEWAY PLAYERS THEATRE OF SOUTHBRIDGE
GATEWAY PLAYERS THEATRE, INC. is an all-volunteer community theater providing quality live theatre performances and workshops to Southbridge, Sturbridge, and Charlton, Massachusetts and surrounding areas. GATEWAY PLAYERS THEATRE, INC. started in 1975, when a group of interested community members decided that Southbridge needed a theater group to bring live productions to the area. First using local schools and borrowed rehearsal and storage space, GATEWAY then moved into its current home in 1978, when Ruth Wells (of the American Optical Company Wells family) donated her home on Main Street as a cultural center in Southbridge. GATEWAY PLAYERS THEATRE offers a full season of productions, usually performed at Elm Street Congregational Church, 61 Elm Street, Southbridge, MA. as well as workshops for youths and adults. Auditions are open to all, and new members are always welcome.
P.O. Box # 171
Southbridge, MA. 01550
# 508-764-4531
