Instructions for a Séance

Katie Bender
Presented in partnership with Texas Performing Arts

Katie Bender—Harry Houdini enthusiast, mom, struggling artist—says she’s been leaving her house after the kids go to sleep… sneaking into TPA’s rehearsal studio, stealing items from the prop shop and artifacts of Houdini’s from the Harry Ransom Center. She’s attempting to contact Houdini himself.  So far, she has failed. But for one week in April 2026 she’s inviting you to try it with her.

In this unique immersive theatre, DIY experience—created and performed by writer/artist Bender—the audience is invited to summon the spirit of escape artist Harry Houdini and maybe, in the process, break free from the traps in their own lives. Instructions for a Séance is a playful yet poignant exploration of motherhood, artistic ambition, and the urge to disappear. Inspired by the Houdini archives at the Ransom Center, Séance is a 70-minute theatrical gem: compact, gleaming, and utterly unforgettable.