From high school theaters with the spirits of past students to the eerie tales of haunted movie theaters, what better place to find ghosts whom been bitten by the acting bug than in California. In this article, you will encounter tales of ghosts and paranormal in locations, such as Pasadena and Sacramento.
Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena
At one time, the Pasadena Playhouse (also referred to as the State Landmark Theater) was known as the College of the Performing Arts, which was believed to house the friendly spirit of the founder, Gilmore Brown. Years after his passing (and when the college was still in existence), the elevator in the classroom tower building had a reputation of stopping without any direction on the same floor that Mr. Brown had an office. A handful of actors and technicians believe the spirit has watched over their performances. Others claim to have heard a ghostly male voice say ‘hello’ when a room has been empty.
Phoenix Theater , Petaluma
Once a movie theater, the former site suffered a fire where the building was burned down and later reborn as an opera house. The circumstances regarding the fire are mysterious, but what is more curious is that the opera house underwent the same fate , burning down, but this time , with people inside. No one knows the cause of the second fire. Today, the location serves as a gathering for young people and bands to play their music and the odd occurrences and sightings reported may have something to do with the past of the theater. For example, some claim to spot strange things out the corner of their eye, such as dark shadows or white figures. The bathroom is known as a place to hear weird sounds, while the basement is probably one of the eeriest sections of the theater to investigate.
The Fox Theatre – Redlands
With a long history of hauntings, the Fox Theatre is believed to serve as the stomping grounds for an assortment of presences with violet tendencies. Boarded up for a good 10 years, the theater recently underwent renovation. Once connected to an opera house when the city was first founded, the theater has plenty of access to colorful ghosts. The reopening of the Fox Theatre took place on the 4th of July, 2009, where it now stands as a live performance venue with a capacity between 400 (sitting) and 700 (standing).
Delta King River Boat , Sacramento
In the past, the theater and restaurant docked at Old Sacramento once served as an old paddle wheel boat. If you pay a visit to the theater, it is said that the ghost of the original captain can be found there. Some employees claim to have spotted his ghost sitting in the balcony during productions. Above the deck, footsteps have been detected. One time, a spilled glass of water that soaked the soundboard in the sound booth was blamed on the ghost.