Hickory – Following a sold-out second weekend, Hickory Community Theatre (HCT) is excited to announce the third and final weekend of performances for The Squirrels by Robert Askins, continuing its run in the intimate Firemen’s Kitchen. Directed by HCT Artistic Director Eric Seale, this darkly comic exploration of power, survival, and social dynamics takes a witty, satirical look at the world through the eyes of—you guessed it—squirrels.

“This show is filled with puns that are actually funny, which services the script a great deal to balance out the dark humor.” said Kelsey Kott, Education Director of Hickory Community Theatre. “The cast’s commitment to playing rodents is also a great source of comedy. The only thing I did more than laugh while watching this show was gasp; it is shocking in both story and the execution of the storytelling.”

Askins’ play offers a wild, imaginative twist on the typical class struggle, set in a society of foraging squirrels preparing for winter. With inventive costumes and clever use of HCT’s intimate black-box space, the production brings audiences face-to-face with the absurdities—and often harsh realities—of survival in a fractured world.

Performances are on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and 2:30 pm on Sundays, October 25 through November 2. There is an additional performance on Thursday, October 31 at 7:30. Admission is $18 for adults and $12 for students and youth 18 and under. For tickets visit hickorytheatre.org or call 828-328-2283. Seating is limited so get tickets ahead of time.

The Squirrels is rated R for adult language and mammalian violence and contains nuts.

The Squirrels is produced by Diane’s Shelter. The 76th season at HCT is sponsored by A Cleaner World, Protection Products, Inc., Shurtape Technologies, and LifeRootz. The Hickory Community Theatre is a funded affiliate of Arts Culture Catawba and receives sustaining support funding from the North Carolina Arts Council, a Division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, a state agency.

PHOTO: Reed Williams as Sciuridae, Nathan Alghrim as Carolinensis, and Cleve Williams as Sciurus in The Squirrels. Photo by Ken Burns.