In fall 2021, my parents shared the same TV viewing guilty pleasure as I, glued to each weekly episode of the 10-part FX cable network series “Impeachment: American Crime Story” based on attorney Jeffrey Toobin’s 1999 book “A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President.” It aired as a 10-episode series from September to November 2021 with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky as the series producer and Ryan Murphy directing.
Lewinsky, who turned 53 last month, was portrayed by Beanie Feldstein in the series opposite an all-star cast including Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp, Annaleigh Ashford as Paula Jones, Margo Martindale as literary agent Lucianne Goldberg, Edie Falco as Hillary Clinton, Clive Owen as Bill Clinton, Cobie Smulders as Ann Coulter, Rae Dawn Chong as Betty Currie, Blair Underwood as Vernon Jordan and Billy Eichner as Matt Drudge, among many more star supporting roles for a who’s who parade.
My recollection of the “behind the scenes” story is one of the many reasons I’m excited about Dunes Arts Theatre presenting a one-night reading of “When Monica Met Hillary,” a new play by writer Winter Miller in the spotlight for this special stage treatment at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24. Tickets are $10 by calling 219-879-7509 or at www.dunesarts.org.
Though the Dunes Summer Theatre, located at 288 Shady Oak Drive in Michigan City, was without electricity for most of last week, electricity has been restored, and they are ready to welcome back patrons.
“Have you ever wondered what these two women might have to say to each other is the question satisfied for audiences,” said Dunes Director Michael Lasswell.
“Love them or hate them, this play strives to tell all sides of the story and what happened after the headlines.”
The five-member female cast includes ABC Chicago Channel 7 broadcasting icon Janet Davies as Hillary Clinton, Danielle Bilderback as Monica Lewinsky, Jann Iaco as Monica’s Beverly Hills mother Marcia, and Lindsay Perrine as Hillary’s East-Wing intern Huma Abedin (who later married disgraced U.S. House Representative Anthony Weiner), and Kate Magon as Linda Tripp and others.
“Told in 13 gripping scenes, this short play takes place throughout the past 30 years from the 1995 White House scandal through presidential runs and right up to the work against the cyberbullying happening today,” Lasswell said.
“It’s a stage story that asks about the labels we put on others, and it gives all of the women portrayed a voice. Some have described this play as biting political theater and others as a suspense thriller or a twisted rom-com. It depends on who you talk to.”
The playwright Winter Miller, 53, is a journalist and formerly the assistant to Nicholas D. Kristof, a columnist for The New York Times, and now works as a reporter on The New York Times’s Metropolitan news desk.
The play had its world premiere in March 2022 at The Colony Theatre in Miami Beach.
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Helen Hayes who?
It’s Janet Davies who is now quickly becoming “the First Lady of Theatre,” at least for the Dunes Arts Foundation stage. Earlier this year, she starred in a new production of murder mystery “Deathtrap,” after she won rave reviews a year ago in 2025 as the frightening female lead in Stephen King’s “Misery.”
Dunes Summer Theatre in Michigan City, led by team talents Elise Kermani as managing director of the Dunes Arts Foundation and Steve Scott (a director emeritus from Chicago’s Goodman Theater) as Dunes Theatre Artistic Director in his role since fall 2021, is closing out the venue’s milestone 75th season with Monday’s stage reading.
The duo is now busy planning the theatre’s 75th Anniversary Gala themed as “Stardust 2101: The Next 75 Years” set for Oct. 24 in the Great Hall at Purdue University Northwest with tickets priced at $150.
“This year’s gala will feature dinner, open bar, auctions and entertainment,” Scott said.
“Our 2026 event is dedicated to raising funds for critical capital improvements to our theatre, with a focus on modernizing the interior and ensuring full ADA compliance and securing its long-term success and accessibility for generations to come.”
Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and radio show host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at [email protected].