May 8, 2025 by Hingham Public Schools, photos by Joshua Ross
The world is coming to an end at exactly 4:44PM today, and no one has had any time to prepare. 8 Minutes Left follows the residents of Charlesville, NJ as they navigate their final moments on this Earth – from a couple with a bunker in their backyard who can’t quite figure out how to get in, to two elderly frenemies who fight over their favorite park bench, to a mother observing her children on a playground as she wonders what their lives would have become, this thoughtful and keenly observed play manages to find the intimate humor of humans in crisis. (Synopsis courtesy of Stage Partners)
8 MINUTES LEFT features over 20 characters exploring how they have chosen to spend their life, and actively deciding how they will spend these last few minutes before the world ends. To further the intimacy of these scenes, this production is staged as black box theatre, on the stage of the HMS Auditorium. This theatrical arrangement bridges the usual divide between actor and audience, with both viewers and performers sharing space together – no audience member will be further than 15 feet from any given performer. Due to this stylistic choice, seating was very limited and sold out very quickly. The show is sure to tug the heartstrings of the audience, and allow them to ponder “How am I spending my time?”
View the Cast & Crew list here.