VACATION IDEAS
10 Theaters with Frequent Ghost Sightings
It's one thing to sit in the audience and enjoy a spooky play or movie. It's another to stumble upon a legendary ghost in an empty hall (even if it is Judy Garland). Not for the squeamish, these terror-ific theaters will make your skin crawl.
What's playing now: The theater is preparing for a new chapter of live performances and is currently available for parties and other events. Take a peek at losangelestheatre.com/downtownpalace.html
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
London
Standing on a spot that's been occupied by three previous theaters since 1663, the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (known as "Drury Lane" to Londoners), should be one of the likeliest spots for a spook. Sure enough, one of London's most famous ghosts, the "man in gray," is regularly reported here, wearing riding boots, a powdered wig, and tricorn hat. The story goes that the apparition is the spirit of the fellow whose skeletal remains were found in a walled-up passageway here in the late 19th century. Kind of makes you wonder what else might be lurking in the walls, no? On a much more positive note, the Drury Lane is where Rodgers and Hammerstein's golden-age musicals had their London premieres, including Oklahoma!, South Pacific, and The King and I.
What's playing now: Shrek the Musical is currently banishing the cobwebs at the Drury Lane. For tickets, visit reallyuseful.com/theatres/theatre-royal-drury-lane.
Orpheum Theatre
Memphis, Tenn.
Sure, most of the seats at Memphis's Orpheum are good ones. But you might want to steer clear of C-5. That's where "Mary," a see-through apparition, has been seen enjoying rehearsals and performances at this former vaudeville venue. Built as the Grand Opera House at the corner of Main and Beale streets in 1890, the theater joined the "Orpheum circuit" in 1907 but burned in 1923. The new Orpheum was built on the site of the Grand, at twice the size. It was converted into a movie theater in the 1940s, then began hosting touring productions and concerts in the '70s. In 1984, a refurbished Orpheum reopened and has seen productions as big as The Phantom of the Opera nad Les Miserables and acts as intimate as Jerry Seinfeld and Tony Bennet.
What's playing now: The Orpheum now plays host to opera, ballet, and touring productions that will include Cedric the Entertainer, a production of The Velveteen Rabbit, and Blue Man Group in the coming weeks. To learn more, visit orpheum-memphis.com.
St. James Theatre
Wellington, New Zealand
It's curious that the "haunted theater" phenomenon is found mostly in European and Euro-centric cities, and even in New Zealand, thousands of miles from the lights of Broadway and the West End, a theater teems with alleged paranormal activity. The St. James Theater was built in 1913 and was initially a venue for silent movies. Throughout the 20th century, the theater was home to film, live theater (ranging in quality from Shakespeare to minstrel shows), and other entertainments. But perhaps no single theater has such a wide array of freaky sightings. "Yuri," a Russian acrobat who supposedly fell to his death during a performance, is often credited for the theaters lights turning on and off. The "wailing woman" was, the story goes, an actress who was booed off the stage and consequently did herself in; she is now blamed not only for mysterious cries heard in the space but also for a series of calamities that have befallen actresses at the St. James, including falls, sprains, and performance-endangering head colds. Another legend has it that during World War II, a boys choir sang its last concert at the St. James before departing New Zealand on a ship that was never seen again. The boys' ghostly singing is now heard by stagehands and others.
What's playing now: The St. James offers a variety of theater, music, and dance. In November, Agatha Christie's theatrical thriller The Mousetrap will run from the 15th to the 24th. For more information and tickets, visit ticketek.co.nz.
Adelphi Theatre
London
The present-day Adelphi is a relative kid among London playhouses, built in 1930, but theaters have stood on this site since the early 19th century, and the place has a paranormal pedigree to match its age. The ghost of actor William Terriss, who was stabbed to death at the stage door in 1897, is said to haunt the Adelphi. According to legend, Terriss's understudy had a dream the night before the actor's murder in which Terriss lay bleeding on his dressing room floor. The theater was home to Noel Coward's Words and Music in 1932 and hosted the London premiere of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music in 1975.
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