Commerce Pundit
The following is a Halloween-countdown article written for 4Seating, a luxury home theater seating company:
Imagine sitting in an empty theater as you wait for your movie or play to start. You’ve got a bag of buttery popcorn in your lap and a cold, fizzy drink in your cup-holder. The muffled silence presses on your eardrums, but you do your best to ignore the creeping feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach before realizing…you’re not alone. Is it a trick of the light? Or did a vaporous specter just take a seat three rows in front of you?
Join us for a virtual road trip across the United States as we visit 13 haunted theaters all over the country.
Belasco Theater, NY
Our first stop on this haunted road trip is the Belasco Theater in New York. Completed in 1907, the theater is said to be haunted by its owner and namesake David Belasco. Rumor has it that he’s not the only ghost that inhabits the theater. In fact, witnesses report sightings of a “blue lady” in addition to doors that open and close seemingly on their own and footsteps that echo in an otherwise empty theater.
The Lincoln Theater, IL
Moving right along, we’re headed to Illinois to visit the spook-tacular Lincoln Theater. Its resident ghosts include a veteran, an actress, and a stagehand. Allegedly, the theater is plagued by mysterious cold spots, the sound of footsteps, and apparitions.
The Tampa, FL
We’re off to sunnier climes in Florida where you’ll find The Tampa, a haunted theater that dates back to 1926. But not even the warm Florida weather will be enough to ward off the chill when you’re visited by the ghost of Fink Finley as he continues to pace the balcony.
The Granbury Opera House, TX
Our next stop is the Granbury Opera House in Texas. This theater dates back to 1886 and is said to be haunted by the ghost of a man who enjoys quoting Shakespeare. Is this spectral figure that of schoolteacher and thespian John St. Helens…or was that simply an alias for John Wilkes Booth? Mystery and conspiracy entwine in this ghostly tale, but you could always drop by for a visit after dark and ask him yourself.
Cincinnati Music Hall, OH
The Cincinnati Music Hall in Ohio was built over land full of human remains. Predictably, this disturbed more than one spirit, and the Music Hall is now extremely haunted. And if building on top of human remains wasn’t quite enough to guarantee a haunting, the tragic steamboat explosion in 1838 probably sealed the deal. Over 150 passengers died, and their charred bodies rained down from the sky in pieces. Those pieces were collected and buried in what is now the Horticultural Hall. Unexplained phenomena continue to this day.
Orpheum Theater, TN
In Memphis, we find the 1928 Orpheum Theater. This particular theater is haunted by a playful spirit fondly known as Mary. The circumstances of her death are not entirely clear, but she has been seen sitting in her favorite seat (C5), opening and closing doors, and running down the theater aisles. Some witnesses also report hearing a child’s voice singing.
The New Amsterdam Theater, NY
Built in 1903, the New Amsterdam Theater is one of the oldest operating theaters on Broadway. Perhaps its most famous phantom is that of Olive Thomas, one of the Ziegfried’s Follies chorus girls. Whether her death was an accident or a suicide is up for speculation, but the fact remains that she haunts the theater and tends to appear to men.
Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, WI
Next up is the thoroughly haunted Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts in Wisconsin. There are several entities reportedly haunting the place. They enjoy turning lights on and off, playing the piano, and fidgeting with the theater seats. One ghost may even have been captured in a photograph. Far from hiding it, the theater embraces its spooky history and recently hosted ParaNomiCon.
Mount Baker Theater, WA
Onwards to Washington state where Mount Baker Theater boasts several ghosts, including Judy. Judy’s house was bulldozed to make room for the theater back in 1927, and now she spends her days as a friendly presence puttering around the theater. The spirit of a leopard is also said to reside in the theater and has been linked to a circus that came through Bellingham in 1930.
Egyptian Theater, UT
There has been at least one reported death at the Egyptian Theater in Utah, and that was apparently enough to kick off a good old-fashioned haunting. Ghostly footsteps and moving objects are among some of the observations made over the years. Review the evidence for yourself…if you dare.
Bagdad Theater, OR
Opened in 1927, the Bagdad Theater in Oregon is home to a host of ghosts. Most of them seem to be former employees who are overly concerned with how the theater is operated today. There have been reports of both male and female entities, though no official investigations appear to have taken place.
W.E. Scott Theater, TX
The W.E. Scott Theater opened in 1954, but its relative newness doesn’t make it any less haunted than some of the older theaters listed here. Heartbreak and grief can drive people to do desperate things, and this is exactly what led a theater stagehand to commit suicide in the prop room. Reported manifestations include the sound of laughter, objects moving of their own accord, and cold spots. Official investigations have yielded EVP recordings that point to the theater’s continued haunting.
The Roseland Theater, OR
We wrap up our tour with the Roseland Theater in Portland, OR where murder most foul is believed to be the cause of its current haunted state. During its stint as a nightclub, the Roseland was owned by Larry Hurwitz, and while a body was never recovered, Hurwitz pled no contest to the murder of the club’s publicist Tim Moreau. Many suspect that Moreau now haunts the theater in search of his corpse.