Incarnate

by Nissa Nordland Morgan

Relinquish your past and cultivate yourself anew. Join the Oasis; a garden nestled in a secluded nook of Northern Minnesota. At this heaven on Earth, our Herald, Marigold, will plant the seed of your personal truth, and Caretaker Dan will till the soil of your soul until you reach fruition. It is the season of the harvest, and today’s a most momentous day! Our community’s hearts will beat as one. Come home, to...

Relinquish your past and cultivate yourself anew. Join the Oasis; a garden nestled in a secluded nook of Northern Minnesota. At this heaven on Earth, our Herald, Marigold, will plant the seed of your personal truth, and Caretaker Dan will till the soil of your soul until you reach fruition. It is the season of the harvest, and today’s a most momentous day! Our community’s hearts will beat as one. Come home, to the Oasis.

Incarnate is an immersive experience. Upon entry into the performance space, the audience is welcomed to The Oasis' for The Day of the Reaping ceremony. They are provided a program for participation in prayer, song and ritual. The action of the play is in real time. I felt the best way to give the audience a cult experience and to encounter the threat of mob mentality, was to make them members of a cult immediately. This makes everyone culpability for the blood shed that is coming.

What ceremony is complete without music? There are two original worship songs; music and lyrics written by Keith Hovis. "When I Die" is written as a ukulele and vocal duet; "In the Oasis" is a power ballad written for voice and guitar. Chords and demos are available.

​Suggested Age 16+

Reviews from 2019 Production:
"You won't know how at first , but you can be damn sure this is going to end in blood. The scariest part, though, is that it is apparent that the adherents of Caretaker Dan are going to continue to spin his gospel of surrender and sacrifice to even worse ends in the future." - Minnesota Playlist review of "Incarnate", Derek Lee Miller.

"Incarnate is an immersive experience, placing the audience in the congregation of a nature-based religious organization. If you're thinking it sounds like a cult, you're right. Of course, things are not as peaceful and loving as they seem, though there's still some shock value to the denouement....this was one of the most visceral experiences at the Festival." - Minnesota Theatre Love review of "Incarnate"

"Fans of Midsommar will want to check out Incarnate, which feels like a harvest-themed companion piece to Ari Aster’s new movie. It’s set in a cultish religious community that favors agricultural metaphors; you know it’s going to be good as soon as the priceless Lauren Anderson steps forth, spreads her arms, and joyfully cries, “Swing the sickle!” - City Page review of "Incarnate", Jay Gabler

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Incarnate

Recommended by

  • Daniel Prillaman: Incarnate by Nissa Nordland Morgan
    “

    As someone who’s fallen into interactive acting, mayhap I'm biased, but O to be in an audience for this! It’s really not an audience piece. Nordland Morgan pulls us into the gathered congregation, and we’re along for the ride of a fully immersive cult ceremony, complete with all the layers possible of manipulation & language. Shall we find fruition? That’s up to how open we are to the word of the Lord and Caretaker Dan. If you’re looking for some horror that can only be theatre, you’ve found it.

    As someone who’s fallen into interactive acting, mayhap I'm biased, but O to be in an audience for this! It’s really not an audience piece. Nordland Morgan pulls us into the gathered congregation, and we’re along for the ride of a fully immersive cult ceremony, complete with all the layers possible of manipulation & language. Shall we find fruition? That’s up to how open we are to the word of the Lord and Caretaker Dan. If you’re looking for some horror that can only be theatre, you’ve found it.

    ”
  • Aly Kantor: Incarnate by Nissa Nordland Morgan
    “

    For those who know anything about cults or cult psychology, this immersive horror play will raise your hackles from the jump. I can't imagine how heightened the experience would feel in performance, with all those bodies present for this horror show! There is so much happening between the lines, and I'm sure the music and choral humming could only add to the ominous atmosphere. Though you could theoretically predict the bloody climax, there is so much else to look at and take in that it still catches you by surprise! Eerie, specific, and so much fun!

    For those who know anything about cults or cult psychology, this immersive horror play will raise your hackles from the jump. I can't imagine how heightened the experience would feel in performance, with all those bodies present for this horror show! There is so much happening between the lines, and I'm sure the music and choral humming could only add to the ominous atmosphere. Though you could theoretically predict the bloody climax, there is so much else to look at and take in that it still catches you by surprise! Eerie, specific, and so much fun!

    ”
  • Heather Meyer: Incarnate by Nissa Nordland Morgan
    “

    I saw this play at its premiere at the Twin Cities Horrorfest in 2019 and was enraptured! An immersive and surprising piece that makes the audience not just complicit but active in the horror on stage. Haunting music and audience participation create an experience a little too familiar and absolutely singular. A must for a spooky fall production slot!

    I saw this play at its premiere at the Twin Cities Horrorfest in 2019 and was enraptured! An immersive and surprising piece that makes the audience not just complicit but active in the horror on stage. Haunting music and audience participation create an experience a little too familiar and absolutely singular. A must for a spooky fall production slot!

    ”

Character Information

The cast is written for 10, but the play is immersive so you can have a larger cast for chorus lines and ritual participation.
  • Caretaker Dan
    The Incarnate or The Caretaker or the Sustainer of Life or He Who Tills the Soil
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Marigold
    The Herald or She Who Plants the Seed
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Nellie
    She Who Waters the Soil
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Sven
    The Cultivated
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Liz
    The Cultivated
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Peter
    The Cultivated
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Violet
    The Cultivated
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Chuck
    The Cultivated
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Lilly
    The Cultivated
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Rose
    The Volunteer or She Who is Blooming
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary

Production History

  • University, Staged Reading at Augsburg University , 2022
  • Professional, Special When Lit at Twin Cities Horror Festival , 2019