Storyteller Sandra R. Hansen Through her delightful one woman plays Sandra R. Hansen has delighted audiences not just in Michigan but across the country as well as in India. Her first person narratives are often taken directly from diaries and journals. In Sandra's first play, "Kate's Pants," Sandra takes off eleven layers of clothes to become Amelia Bloomer, Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and Mrs. Sydney Savory Buckman to show how the culture and laws kept women from accomplishing their goals and from being able to vote. Yet despite the limitations imposed upon these women they emerge as decisive, extraordinary women who were unstoppable in the face of adversity.
	Sandra R. Hansen Civil War Women

In "Civil War Women," Sandra took excerpts from five women's diaries and biographies to show the war through women's eyes and words. Harriet Tubman, Emma Edmonds, Sarah Morgan, Dr. Esther Hill Hawks, and Linda Brent are each portrayed with strength, dignity, and sensitivity. This emotionally charged program brings audiences into the thoughts and feelings that were shared by women who lived and breathed one hundred and forty five years ago.

 

Sandra firmly believes that women's history gives girls strong female role models that they can be proud of and that boys gain new respect for women through women's history. To this end she has created numerous projects. Sandra now has five plays, a slide show, theater costume workshops, commissioned works, residencies, courses, and study guides. In 2004 she created a project called Unstoppable Women to make sure that every student in her town of Holland, Michigan became inspired about famous women in history. The project has spread across four counties. Sandra has also organized an artists' retreat called Creatathon so that artists from all different disciplines could come together to create art and network in a beautiful rural setting. Her most recent project involves bringing students and artists to India in a work and culture exchange. In Sandra's spare time she enjoys acrylic painting, and traveling. She has now created painting series on India, Michigan, and historical women.

 

Programs include
"Kate's Pants," "Civil War Women," "Miss Fuller's Letter," "Chewing Gum Junk Shop," "Michigan Magic," "Mujeres Magnificas"

 

Contact Sandra at shansen@wmol.com or 616 396-5772.

 

More information about Sandra's plays can be found at http://www.wmol.com/whalive