Hillsboro Artists' Regional Theatre Presents The World Premiere Of THE "AMAZING" SEANCE SISTERS!

Hillsboro Artists' Regional Theatre will present the world premiere of THE "AMAZING" SÉANCE SISTERS! Written by April Aasheim, bestselling author of "The Daughters of Dark Root" novel series. Directed by Artistic Director Harrison Butler.

The Year: 1862. The Place: Indiana.

Sassy, adventurous Jayne lives with her sweet but reclusive sister Olivia. Left to fend for themselves after the men in their town join the Union Army to fight in the Civil War, the sisters must navigate a world engulfed in conflict and death. In a time when there are few opportunities for women to have independence, they devise a plan to profit from the pervasive sense of loss-by opening a mediumship business. But will they summon more than just ghosts?

Inspired by Real Events

Witness the magic and mystery as the sisters explore the supernatural while addressing themes of love, sisterhood, and survival. This play delves into the Victorian era's fascination with the afterlife, featuring séances, mesmerizing magician tricks, and a journey through history that highlights women's struggles for autonomy.

Development and Creative Process

This new work was developed over the past year with the HART creative team. April Aasheim had the vision for the story and brought her idea to Artistic Director Harrison Butler, who immediately saw its potential. A first draft of the script quickly began to take shape. Aasheim remarks on what sparked her inspiration, "The Amazing Séance Sisters" was inspired by my great-grandmother's Civil War memoir and my research on the spiritualist movement. Her memoir highlighted the struggles women faced when men went to war, while my research revealed how some turned to mediumship to survive. This fascinating intersection of history and the paranormal felt like a story that needed to be told." Once Aasheim produced a working draft, Butler began workshopping the scenes with local actors while assembling a superstar creative team, including longtime HART set builder and current HART Board President William Crawford who was inspired by the story and the process. "It's nice to see quality and creativity back at this level in a new work here at HART, and we are going to do everything in our power to put on a great show."

Opening Night Celebration

The world premiere, 30th Anniversary Production Season opening night will kick off on September 7, 2024, starting at 5:30 p.m. Join us for an unforgettable evening featuring food and drink, celebrity guests, a red carpet arrival of the cast, and a champagne toast immediately following the performance. Meet the HART board of directors who is excited to see HART living up to its potential. This is the first production in a stunning 30 year anniversary season. Harrison Butler, HART's Artistic Director, is proud to be showcasing new works at HART once again. "After our Page to Stage competition ended, new works took a back seat at HART. It's exciting to return to showcasing original works by local artists." He continues, "We're making a bold statement by bringing in this brand-new play, developed right here in Hillsboro at HART."

HART Theatre, 185 SE Washington St, Hillsboro, OR 97123, Hillsboro, Oregon
Phone: (503) 693-7815. Running September 7th through the 22nd, 2024. Tickets are available at hart-theatre.org.

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