Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more.
—Williams Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act V, Scene 5
The world of the theatre is filled with mysticism, superstition, and spirits. As a theatre person, nearly every theatre I have worked in has this mysterious side, especially in the connection to the spirit world. In his Ghost Hunter’s Guide to New Orleans, author Jeff Dwyer contends that one can be almost certain that a theatre will be haunted.
There are few certainties in ghost hunting. But when it comes to haunted places, ships and theaters offer ghost hunters the greatest opportunities for encounters with the spirit world. Theaters often harbor the ghosts of actors, writers, musicians and directors because something about their creative natures ties them to the place where they experienced their greatest successes or failures. Stagehands and other production staff may haunt backstage areas where they worked and, perhaps suffered a fatal accident. They may also be tied to room where props are stored. The ghosts of patrons remain long after death because they love the theater or, more likely, they loved an actor who performed regularly at that location.
Much of the mysticism in theatre revolves around actors, especially in how they take on a character. Even the language of an actor bears parallels with the language of ghosts and spirits. Some actors will describe an experience akin to possession when they are inhabiting another’s body and lose themselves. Certainly, within the ritual of preparing for a show, there may be a ritual in applying makeup, getting into costume, and warming up. I’ve watched as some actors will walk the set, absorbing the energy of the world of the play, all of which resembles summoning. If the play utilizes masks, actors may put on the mask in a nearly religious manner. Onstage, the actors are in tune with the energy that surrounds them, including that from other actors, the set, the audience, the crew, and the audience. Once the actor has finished his hour of strutting and fretting upon the stage, these spirits are banished to the world of fiction. But, are they really? Perhaps some of these spirits linger in the theatre?
As for the directors, writers, musicians, technical crew members, and the backstage functionaries, many imbue their work with their own passion, thus leaving a little bit of themselves behind in their work. Even once these people pass on, they may return to the theatres to feed their passion in the afterlife.
The practice of leaving a ghost light onstage when the theatre is dark is wrapped up in superstition and practicality. Some will argue that the light assures the theatre’s spirits that the theatre is not abandoned and provides light for their own performances. In a way, this could be a sacrifice to the genius loci, or the spirit of a location. As for practicality, non-superstitious thespians will contend that a ghost light provides illumination to prevent injuries if someone enters the darkened space.
Theatres are often inherently dangerous places where actors, crew, and even some patrons can, and do, get injured. Indeed, there have been numerous accidents throughout history where deaths have occurred on or just off stage sometimes leaving spirits in limbo within the space. The haunting of the Wells Theatre in Norfolk, Virginia comes to mind. One of the spirits in this 1913 theatre may be that of a careless stagehand who became entangled in the hemp rope-operated fly system (a system that is still in use) and accidentally hung himself. Other deaths may be blamed on medical conditions that have claimed have claimed lives while people are at work.
As for lingering spirits of theatre patrons, a love for theatre or a particular space may be reason enough to return in the afterlife. Though it seems that most of the hauntings by members of the audience are residual in nature with phantom laughter and applause sometimes being heard.
Contributing to theatres’ haunted natures, some theatres occupy spaces that were not intended to be performance spaces. These repurposed buildings may already be haunted, and the spirits adapt to the new use of the location. Among the numerous examples of these types of theatres are the Baltimore Theatre Project in Maryland in an old building originally constructed for a men’s fraternal organization and the Hippodrome State Theatre in Gainesville, Florida, formerly a post office and courthouse.
Over the decade I have worked on this blog, I have covered a number of theatres and theatre spaces. In addition to places that have formerly served as theatres, I have added movie houses, larger structures that include a theatre, structures that are associated with theatres, and the Maryland home of the Booth family, which included some of America’s most famous and infamous actors in the 19th century.
Alabama
- Alabama Theatre, 1817 3rd Avenue, Birmingham
- Bama Theatre, 600 Greensboro Avenue, Tuscaloosa
- Langdale Auditorium, 6001 20th Avenue, Valley
- Lyric Theatre, 1800 3rd Avenue, Birmingham
- Mary G. Harden Center for Cultural Arts, 501 Broad Street, Gadsden
- Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center, 3320 Triana Boulevard, Huntsville
- Norton Auditorium, University of North Alabama, Florence
- Reynolds Hall, University of Montevallo, Montevallo
- University Chapel, Auburn University, Auburn

District of Columbia
- Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol Street, Southeast, Washington
- H Street Playhouse, 1365 H Street, Northeast, Washington
- Tivoli Theatre, 3333 14th Street, Northwest, Washington

Florida
- Athens Theatre—Sands Theatre Center, 124 North Flagler Avenue, DeLand
- Britton Cinema 8, 3938 South Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa
- Coconut Grove Playhouse, 3500 Main Highway, Miami
- Florida Theatre, 128 East Forsyth Street, Jacksonville
- Henegar Center for the Arts, 625 East New Haven Avenue, Melbourne
- James McCabe Theatre, 506 5th Street, Valrico
- Old Strand Theatre, 527 Duval Street, Key West
- Pensacola Cultural Center, 100 South Jefferson Street, Pensacola
- Richey Suncoast Theatre, 6237 Grand Boulevard, New Port Richey
- Saenger Theatre, 118 South Palafox Place, Pensacola
- Sunset Theatre, 117 South 2nd Street, Fort Pierce
- Venice Theatre, 149 Tampa Avenue, West, Venice

Georgia
- City Auditorium, 415 1st Street, Macon
- Classic Center, 300 North Thomas Street, Athens
- Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree Street, Northeast, Atlanta
- Morton Theatre, 199 West Washington Street, Athens
- Pearce Auditorium, Brenau University, Gainesville
- Springer Opera House, 103 10th Street, Columbus
- Wink Theatre, 121 West Crawford Street, Dalton

Kentucky
- Actors Theatre of Louisville, 316 West Main Street, Louisville
- The Carnegie, 1028 Scott Boulevard, Covington
- Louisville Palace Theatre, 625 South Fourth Street, Louisville
- Paramount Arts Center, 1300 Winchester Avenue, Ashland
- Roh’s Opera House, 122 East Pike Street, Cynthiana
- Van Meter Hall, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green

Louisiana
- Abbey Players Theatre, 200 South State Street, Abbeville
- Rice Theatre, 323 North Parkerson Avenue, Crowley
- Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium, 705 Elvis Presley Avenue, Shreveport

Maryland
- Alumni Hall, McDaniel College, Westminster
- Avalon Theatre, 40 East Dover Street, Easton
- Baltimore Theatre Project, 45 West Preston Street, Baltimore
- Maryland Theatre, 21 South Potomac Street, Hagerstown
- Old Opera House—Odd Fellows’ Hall, 140 East Main Street, Westminster
- Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney
- Patapsco Female Institute, 3655 Church Road, Ellicott City
- Tawes Fine Arts Building, University of Maryland, College Park
- Tudor Hall, 17 Tudor Lane, Bel Air
- Weinberg Center for the Arts, 20 West Patrick Street, Frederick

Mississippi
- Cinemark Movies 8, Mall at Barnes Crossing, 1001, Barnes Crossing Road, Tupelo
- Lyric Theatre, 201 North Broadway, Tupelo
- Princess Theatre, 217 Fifth Street South, Columbus
- Riley Center for the Performing Arts, 2206 Fifth Street, Meridian
- Temple Theatre, 2320 Eight Street, Meridian

North Carolina
- Aycock Auditorium, Campus of the University of North Carolina, Greensboro
- Benton Hall, 300 D Street, North Wilkesboro
- Carolina Theatre, 224-232 North Tryon Street, Charlotte
- Carolina Theatre, 310 South Greene Street, Greensboro
- Carolina Theatre, 222 1st Avenue, Northwest, Hickory
- Cary Arts Center, 100 Dry Avenue, Cary
- Cherokee Historical Association Offices, 564 Tsali Drive, Cherokee
- Frank Thompson Hall, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
- Mountainside Theatre, 688 Drama Drive, Cherokee
- Oconaluftee Indian Village, 778 Drama Road, Cherokee
- Paramount Theatre, 128 East Front Street, Burlington
- ‘Unto These Hills’ Cast Housing, Nottytom Trail Road, Cherokee

South Carolina
- Abbeville Opera House, 100 Court Square, Abbeville
- Colony Theatre, 315 West Main Street, Easley
- Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church Street, Charleston
- Longstreet Theatre, University of South Carolina, Columbia
- Old Main Building, Wofford College, Spartanburg
- Riviera Theatre, 225 King Street, Charleston
- Strand Theatre, 710 Front Street, Georgetown
- Urban Outfitters (formerly the Garden Theatre), 371 King Street

Tennessee
- Cocke County Memorial Building, 103 North Crosby Highway, Newport
- Orpheum Theatre, 203 South Main Street, Memphis
- Paramount Center for the Performing Arts, 518 State Street, Bristol

Virginia
- Cameo Theatre, 703 State Street, Bristol
- Ferguson Center for the Arts, Christopher Newport University, Newport News
- Hanover Tavern, 13181 Hanover Courthouse Road, Hanover Courthouse
- Kimball Theatre, 428 Duke of Gloucester Street, Williamsburg
- Wayside Theatre, 7853 Main Street, Middletown

West Virginia
- Apollo Theatre, 128 East Martin Street, Martinsburg
- Old Main, Marshall University, Huntington
- Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building, 200 South Kanawha Street, Beckley
