THE SQUIRRELS By Robert Askins to Have Maine Premiere at Mad Horse Theatre

Mad Horse Theatre will present the Maine premiere of The Squirrels by Robert Askins, directed by company member Jake Cote, running October 30 through November 23 at the Mad Horse Theatre.

Described as part Romeo and Juliet, part King Lear, and part Macbeth, The Squirrels is a darkly comic allegory exploring class divisions and greed—this time among a colony of squirrels. When Scurius, patriarch of a family of gray squirrels, refuses to share his vast stockpile of nuts with a starving group of fox squirrels, animosity erupts into an all-out war. Askins’ play offers a biting and satirical look at wealth inequality and survival, in which no creature emerges unscathed.

The cast features Mad Horse company members Lauren Stockless and Marie Stewart Harmon, alongside guest artists Andrew Sawyer, Sararose Willey, Nathan Lapointe, and Jared Mongeau.

Production staff includes Jake Cote (Director), Allison McCall (Production Manager), Ciara Neidlinger (Stage Manager), Juliet Tasker (ASM), Anya Criden-Clark (Costume Design), Florence Cooley (Lighting Design), Scott Leland (Sound Design), Adam Corriveau (Props Design), Stacey Koloski (Set Dressing), Joey Cote (Scenic Build Director), and Janice Gardner (Intimacy Coordinator).

Director Jake Cote notes, “The Squirrels is unlike any play I have ever worked on. Much like its titular namesake, it will bite. It’s also deeply and truly funny… Buckle up, patrons of the arts, because it is a powder keg, and the wick has already been lit.”

Robert Askins is best known for his Tony-nominated play Hand to God, winner of the Obie Award. His other works include Permission, Princes of Waco, and The Love Song of the Albanian Sous Chef. Askins’ plays have been developed at the Ojai Playwrights Conference and Ensemble Studio Theatre, where he is a long-time member.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

Dates: October 30 – November 23, 2025
Showtimes: Wednesday–Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Tickets: www.madhorse.com

Mad Horse Theatre’s Pay-What-You-Decide model ensures accessibility to all audiences. Reservations can be made online (service charge applies), and additional seats are available at the door starting 30 minutes before each show.