An Evening with the Spirits

At the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth century, supposed spirit phenomena occurred more frequently, and many organizations developed long-term studies of the paranormal. A new word was introduced into the English language to describe the movement—Spiritualism. It is again the beginning of a new century, and once again the spirits have become restless and you have the opportunity to participate in what may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

On evenings—when conditions are right—guests gather with the hope of being united with those who have gone before us. As the clock tolls the hour, they step into the séance room, and in a very real sense—step back in time about one hundred years. Before their eyes and inside their minds, medium Andrew Pinard will recreate an authentic spirit séance.

Over the course of the performance, the sitters learn the curious history of an inn, its destruction in 1897 and the gruesome details surrounding the death of a young woman—Lillian Sinclair—who perished at the hands of her husband.

This is an historical recreation of an authentic spirit séance. This painstakingly researched and highly unique theatrical piece recaptures the sensations of an actual attempt to communicate with those who “have passed beyond.” Participants feel and witness “manifestations” as they were perceived by sitters in the late 1800’s and again in the early 1920’s.

An Evening with the Spirits is unique in that the audience is not merely passively witnessing a performance, but they are actively involved in the performance, resulting in an exclusive experience that can only occur once for those fortunate few who serve as the “sitters.”

At no time are any claims made of any actual spiritual occurrences, and any statements made within the context of the performance are delivered in character. At the same time, however, we do not deny the possibility that such phenomena may exist. The purpose of the performance is not to alter or refute anyone’s belief system, but rather to recapture and perhaps enhance the sense of wonder that we all are capable of experiencing.

An Evening with the Spirits had its premiere performance in April of 1997 at the Candlelite Inn in Bradford, NH and has been performed since that time for resorts and private audiences including a performance for the Society of American Magicians in Boston, MA and a premiere theater performance at the West End Studio Theatre in Portsmouth, NH in January 2004.