NORTHVILLE, MI (March 13, 2024) – Tipping Point Theatre (TPT) concludes its 16th theatrical season with the Michigan premiere production of The Squirrels by Robert Askins, directed by TPT Producing Artistic Director Julia Glander. TPT’s productions of vibrant, culturally significant, captivating theatrical offerings rank among some of the best professional performances offered in the state of Michigan.

The Squirrels is a fast-paced, witty dark comedy for our times (by the playwright of the Tony Award® nominated play Hand to God). Sciurus, the patriarch of a family of gray squirrels, has collected enough nuts to last ten winters. When a group of starving fox squirrels begs him to share his hoard of food, animosity erupts into ferocious war. The Squirrels is a wild, rollercoaster ride about a family of squirrels (yes, squirrels) as they face the challenges of climate change and the changes amongst their scurry – no creature comes out unscathed! “Crazy? Of course. Crazy is what Askins does. Charming? Yes, that too, and thought-provoking…The Squirrels offers an amusing tale that challenges assumptions about good and evil, power and tribalism. This is an experience like no other” (San Diego Local News).

“We strive to offer not only new stories, but new ways to tell those stories,” states Glander. “The Squirrels is an opportunity to round out our season of vibrant, diverse, thought-provoking theatre. It is epic and Shakespearean in its scope – about love, family, loyalty, conspiracy, wealth inequality and ultimately war – all told in the squirrel world, and who isn’t curious about that?”
The Squirrels opens with three preview performances beginning on April 10, 2024, and runs through May 5, 2024. This production is intended for mature audiences.

In collaboration with the Northville Tree Champions, TPT will host a very special opening night pre-glow reception on Saturday, April 13th beginning at 5 p.m. in the lobby preceding the 6 p.m. performance. Beer, wine and charcuterie will be provided free of charge to all patrons with tickets to the April 13th performance.

THE SQUIRRELS CAST (In alphabetical order)

Amanda Buchalter – Squirrel Dave Davies – Sciurus Mateo Davis – Squirrel Brenda Lane – Mammalia Brian Sage – Sciuridae Kristin Shields – Rodentia
Meghan VanArsdalen – Chordata Jonathan West – Carolinensis

Julia Glander is the Artistic Director at Tipping Point Theatre and has decades of experience as an actor, director, producer and educator. Glander has acted Off-Broadway, and at many regional theaters across the country, including Asolo Repertory, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, George Street Playhouse, The Kennedy Center – from tiny New York City venues to the massive Hollywood Bowl. Los Angeles brought an opportunity to work as an associate producer for an ABC-TV kid’s special, Rhythm and Jam, as well as many national spots in commercials and voice-overs. As a young theater artist, she won the prestigious National Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Award at The Kennedy Center, and received her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Iowa. As a theater practitioner and adjunct lecturer, her work has taken her across the United States, Europe and Asia. Her Michigan acting credits include: Lady With All The Answers (Wilde Award) Tipping Point Theatre, Cabaret (Wilde Award) Jewish Ensemble Theatre, The Cake (Wilde Award) Shirley Valentine (Lansing and Pulsar Awards)
Williamston Theatre, Mary Stuart (Wilde Award Nomination) Meadow Brook Theatre. Directing credits include: It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, The Importance of Being Earnest, Ebenezer at Tipping point Theatre, Richard III at Performance Network, Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol at Williamston Theatre, among others.

Robert Askins was born in Cypress, Texas. His Tony Award®-winning, Obie Award-winning play Hand to God finished its run on London’s West End (Olivier-nominated for Best New Comedy) after it opened on Broadway in April, 2015, following two critically-acclaimed runs at Ensemble Studio Theatre and MCC Theater, where it was named a New York Times Critics’ Pick and called “the most entertaining show of 2014.” His newest play, Permission, made its world premiere off-Broadway in the spring of 2015 at MCC Theater. His play Fish Display was part of the 2012 Ojai Playwrights Conference and Permission was part of the 2014 conference. Askins has received two EST/Sloan grants, the Helen Merrill Emerging Playwrights Award, and an Arch and Bruce Brown Award for Playwriting. Askins is a I-73 and Youngblood alum and a graduate of Baylor University.

Tickets for The Squirrels are available for purchase by visiting www.tippingpointtheatre.com, or by calling the Ticket Office at 248.347.0003. Discounts for seniors (62 and over), military and students are also available at the Box Office window located inside Tipping Point Theatre at 361 East Cady Street, Northville, MI 48167, or by phone at 248.347.0003.

Discounts for groups of 10+ are available for purchase by calling the Ticket Office at 248.347.0003 or at the Ticket Office window.