Our legendary October Performances have been gracing the halls of our historic homes for over two decades. Over this time, our staff, cast, and crew have been delighted to share Hawthorne’s stories with generations of visitors. We are disappointed to announce that we will not be able to give these programs the send-off we had hoped to in 2020.
Initially, we announced that 2020 would be the final year for this programming – we had hoped to offer a robust curtain call to these unique programs that two decades of visitors have grown to love. If you have visited our historic site and participated in a tour or performances, you know that our 1668 mansion is not set up for social distancing. These performances require a large cast, crew, and staff support to set the stage each evening. For it to make financial sense for our nonprofit, each performance needs to average 12 – 15 visitors. With safety as a top priority, we couldn’t move forward with planning these performances in good faith.
This decision was not taken lightly and we hope to host a cast and crew reunion in 2021 – giving us the chance to move forward with filming these performances for posterity and being able to share these stories, crafted by Anne Lucas, for years to come.
For the foreseeable future, visitors can join us at The Gables Friday – Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Soak in the beautiful gardens and architecture. Take the audio tour and learn about our many stories. Shop in our Museum Store. Our historic interiors may not be open in 2020, but there are plenty of ways to be a part of our American story.