“The Circumference Of A Squirrel” at Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey

An inner-tube, a bagel, a donut, a lifesaver, a holiday wreath, a tire-swing, a cycle of abuse, a halo of hatred: circles, both real and figurative, whirl out of control in this darkly comic play. At the center of them all sits an enigmatic squirrel. Orbiting that squirrel is Chester, a self-described rodentophobe who spins this outlandishly funny and somewhat bruising tale of growing up with a father who developed a rabid hatred for squirrels- a hatred that eventually infected every aspect of his life. Pursued by memories of his intolerant father and the legacy of bigotry, Chester is pulled into the black hole at the center of his own life where he encounters the mistakes, the fears, the guilt and the humanity that make him whole again.