Steven L Hofmann

Simon came to his mother’s home in a gated community, expecting refuge from an increasingly divided and hostile society outside. When the arrival of Kit, a stranger claiming to be an ally, exposes his mother’s dangerous secret, Simon’s illusion of sanctuary is shattered. Now threatened by forces both inside and outside the gates, is there anyone Simon and his mother can trust as they try to find a way back to safety?

Honoring his recently-departed best friend, Bernard's (aka Bear), final request—to scatter his ashes at a heretofore unknown campground—is already distressing for a grieving Nick Truett. But it only gets worse when Nick discovers Bear has been leading a secret life two weeks every year at the campground, including a cottage left to him by Bear (much to the displeasure of the displaced "widow"), and that he's expected to scatter Bear's ashes during the campground's annual midsummer fairy circle and orgy that weekend. The fantastical campground—with its rather libidinous, nature-loving campers and forest populated by a band of self-styled woodland fairies—hides a surprise behind every tree for Nick. Is it possible this is all part of Bear's grand plan for him, even from beyond the grave?

Originally inspired by, but only loosely appropriates, Shakespeare's comedy, with a smattering of references to other works by the Bard thrown in for good measure. The play employs a cast of eleven males (cis and trans inclusive) to tell an ultimately life-affirming story about loss and the life that follows.