Hydrangeas, I think, need a little sun. Mine comes back every year in the shade, but never strongly. I've amended the soil, but no luck so far.

Another idea is to take some digital pics of the space at various times of day and taking it to a quality local nursery. I've received lots of great -- and free! -- specific advice that way.

Quince shrubs - Cameo and Jet Trail get just a few hrs
boxwood and hollies
Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Pieris, Clethra,
Small trees - Witchhazels, small magnolias like Jane do fine with just a little sun, Spirea - which come in colors
Ribes species, Euonymous - variegated the low growing type is a nice evergreen creeping shrub that will survive in almost total shade. Corylus contorta once established doesn't need full sun. Leucoethoe fontanesia - takes low light and is evergreen through the winter. Viburnum rhytidiphyllum is an evergreen viburnum that becomes a small tree if not pruned - white flowers 2 x a yr turning to sprays of red berries the birds love - have one that never sees a direct ray of sun

Mayappples
Hakonechloa species - there are many
Carex species - my absolute favorite is Evergold
Old time species Mums like Clara Curtis will do fine in part shade as long as they are well drained
Astilbes
Ferns: Japanese Painted Ferns, Sensitive, Lady, Ostrich, the evergreen Christmas fern, etc
Solomons Seals - many kinds
Shasta Daisy - many kinds - Becky does fine in part shade
Daylilies - a zillion colors
species tulips - the little short ones, same for daffodils like Rip Van Winkle and Tete a Tete, many small early spring bulbs can store enough energy before the overhead canopy gets too thick - like chionodoxa, crocus etc
There is a zone 5 hardy calla lily that takes part sun
Columbine
Forget Me Not - do better in half sun but they will live
as long as they aren't wet
Doronicum
Ramps
Lily of the Valley
All the Tricyrtis - toad lilies - wonderful in the fall
Chelone 'Hot Lips'
Aconitum esp the heirloom species
Japanese anenomes-Pamina, Andrea Atkinson, Honorine Jobert
various sedums - if kept pinched Autumn Joy, Frosty Morn etc will grow well
All the gorgeous pulmonarias - Reginald Kay is my favorite followed by Majeste
Brunnera - just need a little morning sun
Asters actually bloom fine in part shade - like a moister environment than other daisy looking plants. I have Honeysong Pink which is a very large aster that gets maybe 2-3 hrs in the late morning - its enormous
Polyanthus Primroses
Anthriscus sylvestris 'Ravenswing' - dark purple foliage
Early peonies that bloom before canopy leaves are fully out
Sweet Woodruff
Japanese Iris - like it wet or dry, sunk down or elevated and will spread into a nice clump
If they can get just a few hrs sun a day- Butterfly bushes will just not be as dense but puts out lots of flowers

Lamiums - watch so they don't spread too aggressively
Gingers - European and the native American ginger
Virginia Bluebells
Itea Virginiana - a small native shrub
Fothergilla major - another native - needs a few hrs a day
If you have high canopy that is more like bright indirect light you can grow hydrangeas.
Taxus - yew shrubs

There is a mail order place called Old House Bulbs that is knowledgeable about bulbs in shade. Also Plant Delights - many others.

I wanted to add Fuchsia.

Also, if you look up Mail Order Hosta's, you can find some absolutely stunning ones that are not boring in the shade at all.

Also, Limelight and Jack Frost have stunning leaves.

Annual, impatiens, they add alot of color.

Sorry if some of these were already mentioned.

What part of Indiana are you in? There are tow nurseries near me with outsanding shade garden areas. It is sort of like being a kid in a candy shop when you go there. If you are close enough to the Indianapolis area, maybe you could take a look.