Mirror Stage Presents U.S. Premiere Of THE SQUIRREL PLAYS

Mirror Stage will present its first fully-staged production in more than 10 years, the U.S. premiere of The Squirrel Plays by award-winning playwright Mia McCullough. A deeply dark comedy about choice(s) and consequences, The Squirrel Plays is a cycle of three short one-act plays: Infestation, Compensation, and Eradication.

Tom and Sarah finally find the suburban house of their dreams with probably the nicest garden on the market. Everything is blissful, until an unwanted squirrel gets trapped in the attic, interrupting their lives and causing a rift in their marriage. Once an exterminator, the neighborhood association, and animal control all get involved, violence and turmoil unsettle the entire subdivision.

"Since I wrote the three Squirrel Plays many years apart, they were very much inspired by different things," said Playwright Mia McCullough. "When I was pregnant with my son, I got a sonogram and remember thinking he was about the size of a squirrel. When we got a squirrel trapped in our attic, it occurred to me that this situation was not unlike an unwanted pregnancy: stressful, life and death, and impossible to ignore. Because abortion is so hard to discuss and write about, I decided to grapple with the issue via this metaphor. Later, when the Affordable Care Act was being debated in Congress and Black Lives Matter rose to prominence, I broadened the scope of the piece, brought in more characters, and expanded the Squirrel metaphor. When Roe vs. Wade was knocked down just last summer and so many states were thrown into abortion crisis, Suzanne and I knew it was time for these plays."

According to Managing Artistic Director Suzanne M. Cohen, "An important part of Mirror Stage's mission is to use the power of storytelling to encourage more thoughtful reflection on today's issues, and this is the sixth script of Mia's we have presented. One of my favorite things about Mia's writing is her ability to explore what can be very divisive contemporary social issues using humor, warmth, and intelligence, without losing sight of the very human complexities. It's a very challenging balance to strike, and she brings a real depth and heart to reflecting the multitude of perspectives, making complicated issues not only accessible, but also entertaining. We were originally planning to present a different script of Mia's but the current battle over reproductive rights, as well as continuing gun violence and police brutality made this cycle of plays even more timely and relevant today."

The Squirrel Plays cast features Kiki Abba as Wife (WET, Arlington, Everything You Touch; The Gregory Awards nominee for Everything You Touch ); Angie Bolton as Realtor, Exterminator, and Animal Control (Mirror Stage, Bee-Luther-Hatcher, Knock Me a Kiss, The Penelopiad); Caitlin Frances Branston as Neighbor #3 (Sound Theatre Company and Pratidhwani, Indian Ink; Macha Theater Works, Smoke & Dust); Emily Hoffman (Albatross Theatre, Pontypool); and Serin Ngai (SIS Productions, Sex in Seattle). The role of Man is to be announced.

Directed by Suzanne M. Cohen (Mirror Stage, The Knee Desires the Dirt, Far East, Abstract Expression, Odin's Horse), The Squirrel Plays showcases set design by Craig B. Wollam (Mirror Stage, Seattle Opera, Seattle Rep); prop design by Jessamyn Bateman-Iino (ArtsWest, Reboot Theatre); lighting design by Savannah Van Leuvan (Cornish College of the Arts, Debatable Productions, Harlequin Productions); costume design by Julia Logan Trimarco (Green Stage, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Silk Road Arts Project); and sound design by Andi Villegas (ArtsWest, Macha Theatre Works, Washington Ensemble Theatre).

Infestation premiered in 2007 in Chicago's RhinoFest as The Play About the Squirrel. Infestation and Compensation were presented at The Wandsworth Fringe Festival in London and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland in 2018. Infestation was published in the Applause Theatre and Cinema Books publication of The Best American Short Plays 2018-2019.

Mirror Stage takes pride in offering affordable and accessible productions. Its Radical Hospitality Pricing Model offers 20 free tickets plus 10 Pay-What-You-Can ($1 minimum) tickets to every performance. Tickets are also available at "Choose Your Price" of $15, $30, or $45, with general seating for all. The Squirrel Plays contains adult themes and language, and is recommended for ages 13+. Tickets available online now at MirrorStage.org/tickets.

The Squirrel Plays will be on stage April 27-May 20, 2023 at 12th Avenue Arts located at 1620 12th Ave, Seattle with free post-play discussions following every Sunday matinee performance (Sunday matinee performances require masks). For more information and to request interviews with Playwright Mia McCullough, Director Suzanne M. Cohen, cast or design team members, please contact Jacquelyn Rardin at jacquer@mirrorstage.org.

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