Squatters and owners will face off this weekend as Arena Dinner Theatre celebrates a milestone by presenting the world premiere of a story by local playwright Nancy Carlson Dodd.

The idea for the city native’s latest comedy came to her when she read a newspaper story about people who found squatters living in their house. It took the owners a lot of time and money to get them out.

Carlson Dodd thought it sounded like a good idea for a play, and she started working on it around 2019. The writer did lots of research about the rights of squatters historically in different territories and states that now make up the U.S. For example, she found that in Indiana, squatters can claim possession of a property after 10 years if certain legal requirements are met. In Michigan, it takes 15 years.

C

See Full Page