Hidden Treasure Productions

  The last eighteen months have been quite the rollercoaster. In January of 2020, our non-profit theatre company, Hidden Treasure Productions was created.   Our plan was to produce original plays, perform them locally, then  take them abroad.   We were barely on our feet as a company when Covid19 hit.   Even though the future was murky, we decided to take a step into the unknown and see where it led us.   We started with holding auditions and rehearsals entirely on Zoom for Shadows of the Mind , an original play by Kanaan Hesseling.   Then in the fall, as local health restrictions started easing up, we were able to have in-person rehearsals, which led to two local performances before everything shut down again. Fast forward to today.    Our region is opening up again and we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.   As restrictions ease once again, we are becoming more mindful of how important it is to tend to our mental health, in addition to our physical health. T

My first impression as an online viewer, I was struck with the overall professionalism of the production. The character development and the Christian world view was clear. I was aware that the play was a dark subject, but I was not prepared for how it would affect me, in highlighting today’s prevalent mental health issues. The sets were simple, and yet well-appointed. The changing of the different sets and scenes seemed to flow, although the time between scene changes was a bit slow. The lighting was good and cues seemed to be on point. Overall, the sound was good, but there were times when it was hard to hear certain actors. The actors should check their mics before their entrance, as well as be aware of any heavy breathing, or extra sounds that could be picked up, as it can be distracting to the audience. The Characters From the first scene, the actors were believable and well-prepared. I found myself involved in the banter of the real-estate couple and the chit-chat of the

  By Valerie Herrera   I was recently privileged to direct an original play called Shadows of the Mind , written by Kanaan Hesseling.   At the time it was written, Covid19 did not exist, which makes the timeliness of what is addressed in this play (depression, anxiety, suicide) so remarkable.   The isolation that we collectively experienced in the past year has taken a toll on everyone. But for those that struggle with mental illness, it was like plugging in an amplifier.   Everything was multiplied times ten. To make matters worse, mental health resources and treatment options became less accessible due to pandemic restrictions and an overburdened health care system. In my lifetime, I have suffered from varying degrees of depression and anxiety.   Many years ago, I found myself at the lowest point in my life, isolated from family and friends and full of self-condemnation.   In a moment of utter hopelessness and despair, I decided that the world was better off without me, and

                                                                                Kanaan Hesseling     … And you might be wondering if I have it. Well, the answer is “Yes.” I have chronic depression, paired with a hefty dose of constant anxiety, a sprinkle of PTSD, and a slew of other mental illnesses. I have had these for most of my life, and some of them I could have had my whole life. I’ve always been a little anxious, nervous, and easily spooked. My mom always told me that as a toddler I’d hide behind her, pulling her long skirts around me to avoid new people. I have lived in the knowledge that I had these nervous disorders for the last 12 years or so, after going to a therapist in my sophomore year of high school. He helped me to understand the why and what of these things. The therapy helped me break through my arrested development, that held me emotionally from the age of around 6. Every day I wake up and have these issues. For me, Depression comes and goes like an oce

                                                 By: Pastor Don Dennison   Let me begin this blog with a couple of stories from my life. I grew up, living part of my childhood, under a bridge in the ghetto. I really had little to no support in my family unit. My “family” became a gang called the Blue Jackets, when I was about 9 years old. When I was 11 or 12 years old, I was already done with life, so one day I got on top of a ledge on a freeway bridge, getting ready to jump onto the freeway! I was so depressed , that I thought suicide was the only way out. I stood on the ledge of the bridge for a few minutes, trying to build up the nerve to jump. All of a sudden, a car drove by and I heard some guy yell out, “JUMP!” That shocked me into getting down from the ledge. At that same moment, an inner voice told me NOT to jump. You must realize that in those days of 1958-59, there were no mental health resources (that I knew of) for poor welfare kids, like me. I was so young, that I

  Shadows of the Mind   is an original play by Kanaan Hesseling that explores the physical manifestation of the inner thoughts of a depressed, anxiety-ridden teenager named Charlie.  As Charlie strives to keep her head above water, she hides the depths of her struggle in dealing with her friend, Kevin’s suicide.   Her support structure is undeniable, a mother and father who love her but differ on how to help their daughter, a friend who exudes positivity and unconditional love and Kevin’s mother, a comforting partner in the grief process.  But as the shadows in her mind intensify, Charlie comes to a crossroad.  Will the outside influences in her life prevail or will the shadows win?    Go to website to watch all the video: Last Performance | Hidden Treasure Productions

                                                                 11/30/20 Blog of Shadows of the Mind Performances by Kitty Inouye Our play, Shadows of the Mind, was most unusual. It was written long before Covid-19 hit, yet it was extremely relevant for the time. Some people were affected by the content, that they wanted other people to come watch it, as well. Being relevant to our current pandemic environment was incredibly important. For me, being one of the actors was both an honor and a privilege. Although it was challenging to convey the emotions of a grieving mother, it was not foreign to me. I appreciated the direction of Valerie Herrera who encouraged those raw feelings to emerge. Here are some different perspectives as well. From one of our actors and board members, Beverly Dennison; My experience as an actor playing a Shadow was stretching for me, as I have never played an evil entity before! It really put me in touch with the dark and manipulative side of those voices