HART Theater unveils 'The Amazing Séance Sisters' for 30th anniversary

Lifting the curtains for its 30th anniversary, Hillsboro Artists’ Regional Theatre presents an original gothic tale filled with humor, horror and history.

“The Amazing Séance Sisters” opens for its world premiere 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, at the HART Theater, located at 185 S.E. Washington St.

Set in 1862 Indiana, the story follows a sassy, adventurous Jayne and her sweet yet reclusive sister Olivia. After the men in their town leave to fight for the Union Army in the Civil War, the sisters are left to fend for themselves — and must navigate a world engulfed in conflict and death.

Constricted by the gender norms of the time, the siblings devise a plan to profit from the pervasive death: opening a mediumship.

As they delve into séances and the mysteries of the supernatural, the sisters’ journey becomes a poignant exploration of love, sisterhood and the struggle for autonomy. The play not only unravels the era's deep fascination with spiritualism but also highlights the profound challenges women faced during a time marked by war and loss.

Written by April Aasheim, bestselling author of “The Daughters of Dark Root” novel series, the production was developed over the past year with the HART team.

"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,” Aasheim said in a release. “This fascinating intersection of history and the paranormal felt like a story that needed to be told."

Helping bring the vision to life, Artistic Director Harrison Butler took on the project, assembling a team of local actors with creative visionaries to bring the idea under the spotlight.

"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," Butler remarked. "We're making a bold statement by bringing in this brand-new play, developed right here in Hillsboro at HART.”

Grand opening night will feature food and drinks, celebrity guests, a red carpet arrival of the cast and a champagne toast following the performance.

The play kicks off HART’s 30-year anniversary season, marking decades of performances and creativity taking place in Hillsboro.

To snag a seat for opening night or the other performance dates, visit hart-theatre.org .