Instructions for a Séance is a play that fuses memoir and live magic to explore ambition, motherhood, and the craving to break free. Taking the shape of a homespun séance, one woman will dare to summon the spirit of Harry Houdini—and maybe wrestle with the chaos of her own life along the way.

Part DIY magic show, part cheeky historical re-enactment, Instructions for a Séance is equal parts hilarious, haunting, and heartbreakingly honest as it asks the audience: what do you want to escape?

Written and performed by Katie Bender.

“A funny…haunted exploration of ambition, legacy, and familial responsibility.”
— The Austin Chronicle

“A sharp and compact spectacle. At the end of a remarkable evening full of ghosts and magic, the most astonishing trick may be the strength of the human connection between Katie and her audience.”

-Kirk Lynn. Playwright, co-artistic director of the world renowned Rude Mechs