First Look: Haunting New Play "The Hired Man" from Theatre Pro Rata

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The play directed by Jennie Ward is running through October 10th.

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Theatre Pro Rata has opened The Hired Man, by Minneapolis playwright Heather Meyer, directed by Jennie Ward. The production is running at the Crane Theater, bringing to the stage a haunting new work that blends classical tragedy, magical realism, and the stark beauty of the contemporary American West. Check out the photos!

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The Hired Man is set on a Wyoming cattle ranch where buried truths emerge and generations of silence give way to revelation. The play explores family, identity, inheritance, and the devastating consequences of secrets left unspoken, and Meyer creates a story that is both epic in scope and deeply human.

The Hired Man marks a homecoming for Heather Meyer, whose artistic history is closely intertwined with Theatre Pro Rata. Meyer appeared in multiple productions with the company and in 2021 Theatre Pro Rata produced her acclaimed adaptation of The Convent of Pleasure. The company also participated in the early workshop development of The Hired Man nearly a decade ago, making this the culmination of a long artistic relationship.

Directed by Jennie Ward, the production embraces the play's sweeping emotional landscape while remaining grounded in the intimate relationships at its core. Set against the vast openness of the American West, The Hired Man examines how place shapes identity, how history echoes across generations, and how love and loss become intertwined with the land itself.

Performance will run Thursday, Sept 24 through Saturday, Oct 10, 2026.

Performance Schedule is as follows: Fri, Sept 25, 2026, 7:30PM - OPENING PERFORMANCE Sat, Sept 26, 2206, 7:30PM Mon, Sept 28, 2026, 7:30PM - PAY WHAT YOU CAN Fri, Oct 2, 2026, 7:30PM Sat, Oct 3, 2026 7:30PM Sun, Oct 4, 2026, 2:00PM - MATINEE Mon, Oct 5, 2026, 7:30PM - PAY WHAT YOU CAN Fri, Oct 9, 2026, 7:30PM Sat Oct 10, 2026 7:30PM - CLOSING PERFORMANCE. Tickets can be purchased at the event wesbite.

Photo Credit: Alex Wohlhueter

Wini Froelich, Jessica Winingham

Andy Chambers, Jessica Winingham, Wini Froelich

Andy Chambers

Jenny Ramierez, Bee Davis, Andy Chambers

Bee Davis, Jessica Winingham, Phi Hamens Nelson

Andy Chambers, Phi Hamens Nelson

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/minneapolis/article/Photos-First-Look-At-THE-HIRED-MAN-At-Theatre-Pro-Rata-20260926)._