The Rhode Center for the Arts has been said to be haunted, and indeed, there have been a number of experiences by people who have seen many unexplained things. We have collected some of the stories here for you.
Friendly Ghosts
One member volunteered to paint the set for a show and spent several nights alone in the theater, working until past midnight.
She says that the first time she was there alone, she made a half-joking announcement, asking the ghosts not to bother her when she was there by herself. She told them she would be too afraid to stay if they did something to scare her, and the set wouldn't get painted in time for the show. Aside from an occasional creepy feeling, nothing unusual happened. However, she was standing on-stage before the show, telling a friend of hers what she had told the "ghosts", when she and her friend both heard a very loud crash just on the other side of the flat next to where they were standing. They both said that it sounded about as loud as a couple of empty paint cans being dropped about 10 feet away. There was no one backstage at the time, and when they went to investigate, they could find nothing out of place that would have made such a noise, nor was there anyone backstage at the time. The most interesting thing was that two other people who were standing on-stage at the same time said they didn't hear anything, although they were less than 10 feet away in the other direction.
Two crew members were sitting on the stage and everyone else was upstairs or backstage. Suddenly a shelf and props on the stage wall fell off.
A man was seen sitting at a desk on stage in the west auditorium, the man and the desk then dissapeared.
Often, items put down one place get moved without anyone else around. Most times this happens, the person says they feel the ghost are just having fun with them.
A member has seen a female spirit while standing backstage when she was very little.
Another crew member told that he was standing backstage and felt and heard a person walk behind him, without anyone being there.
During Laura, A volunteer was working backstage. He was falling asleep back there. Suddenly, with no one else around, he heard a female voice say "Are you tired?"
During Three Angels, one of the actors was using the east dressing rooms alone. While changing clothes, he heard a female and saw her. I caught him when he came running down the stairs white as the ghost he had just seen and heard. He is a muscular construction worker and not easily intimidated.
A Lakeside member was in the theater alone before rehearsal one night during Don't Dress for Dinner and was walking by the concession stand. She was thinking a yes/no question to herself about the show when she heard a very clear female tell her "Yes". The same person said that she often comes in alone during shows and hears footsteps in the balconies, when she looks, she sees a white light moving across. She's also seen that at the back of the east auditorium.
Two crew members were sitting on the stage and everyone else was upstairs or backstage. Suddenly a shelf and props on the stage wall fell off.
Just Make Them Feel Welcome
Carol, founding member of LSP shares a couple of personal experiences with strange "encounters":
I was in the play, The Foreigner and was waiting backstage for my cue to go on. There was a broom leaning up against the side of the set and all at once it fell over. I thought the set had probably just been jostled so I went to pick up the broom and stand it up again. But the closer I got to it, the icier chill the air became. I thought there must be a breeze coming from somewhere so I decided to check. I walked a couple of feet away from the broom in all directions and the temperature was normal but as I got close to the broom, there was that icy chill again. So I just said: "I hope you're enjoying the show!" (I always think you should humor ghosts!)
Another time I was working in the concession area in the lobby during intermission and after we cleaned up I went back in to see that second half of the show. I sat toward the back in Row S and I went in a couple of seats past the aisle. I was watching the show and I heard the seat next to me go down as if someone was sitting there. (The seats have the cushion springs in them that squeak when someone sits down). I nonchalantly looked over because I didn't see anyone sitting there and the seat was, indeed, empty. But a short time later, I felt a pat or tap on my arm. It wasn't a frightening sensation — just a little reminder that they were there. The ghosts enjoy a good show just as much as our audience members do!
Once while ushering and handing out programs, we had a patron who was having a rather disturbing time getting a comfortable seat. He was sitting in the very last row of seats that are bolted to the concrete wall but he kept feeling something tapping him between the shoulder blades. He turned to his wife and told her to "knock it off". She told him she wasn't doing a thing. But the poking persisted and he told her again to "Stop it!" "What," she replied. "I'm not doing anything!" So the patron moved up into the next row and he wasn't troubled again. Obviously, he was in someone's way!
The Ghost Seat
Many people involved in the theater say that a ghost sometimes sits in one of the seats toward the back of the theater during rehearsals. Though few have seen the ghost, one member of the group had an interesting experience. She said that she was sitting near the back of the theater, watching a rehearsal, when a young man (whom she didn't recognize) walked up to her and said, "Hey, you're sitting in the ghost's seat, you know." She replied that she didn't know, and they chatted briefly. When she asked several other members later who he was, describing him in detail, not only did no one know who he was, but no one else had seen him that day. She says that this was a couple of years ago, and she has never seen the man again.
The Locked Door
During a performance of The Odd Couple, a few of the cast members tried to open the big black door leading into the west theater and it wouldn't open. All five of them pulled to no avail. Eventually they gave up. One of them returned alone 5 minutes later and, out of curiosity, tried it again: it opened with the slightest touch.
After a performance of The Dining Room, a member was setting the stage and happened to look in a mirror onstage and saw someone pass behind them but when they turned around no one was there.
During a show a mic was used and it emmitted a soft whispering voice, even though the mic was turned off and unplugged.
Post Mortem Hauntings
Someone who was working stage crew during Post-Mortem, tells the story of the ghostly piano music. There was no tape cued up, yet loud, distinct piano music was coming from the speakers. The people in the booth and the folks backstage kept asking each other where the music was coming from - and there never was a logical explanation. Also, during that play's run, another stage crew memeber had a much more personal encounter; during a show, he walked from backstage into the west auditorium. As he approached the staircase, he saw and felt a presence, he described it as a cold, black cloud that passed through him as he descended the stairs. That show seemed to really stir up the resident spirits.
One scene in the play takes place during a seance, and during this scene one night, the audience, cast, and crew members heard the sounds of people laughing and talking, and the fainter sound of piano music. There was no such sound cue in the production (nor, as far as anyone knows, in any other production). Fortunately, the show was being videotaped, and the sounds are audible on the tape. This story has been related by several different people who were either in the play or attended that night. Also, the house manager says that he was in the lobby during the performance, and verifies that there was no one talking in the lobby.
Pretty Ladies
A mother and her young daughter came back stage after a performance to speak to one of the actors. While the adults were chatting, the little girl said, "Look at all the pretty ladies!" The little girl was gazing around and watching several people that no one else could see. When questioned, the little girl said the ladies were wearing beautiful, long dresses.
Running Man
The first hand story of a Lakeside Volunteer
"I never really believed I'd ever see a ghost, although I've always half-hoped so.
Certainly, I've had my share of strange experiences (as most people have), but until last night, I'd never seen anything that I could call a ghost or a ghostly figure. One night last week, I was at the theater late, vacuuming cobwebs and plaster dust from underneath one of the exit lights (we had just changed the bulb, and there was dust everywhere). There are black drapes under the light, hiding the alcove in front of the emergency exit, and, as they are very lightweight, they tend to billow at the slightest breeze. As I was vacuuming, I noticed the drapes blowing back and forth quite freely. Although I knew it was probably the breeze from the vacuum exhaust, it was still a little spooky, and I turned to mention it to my friend, who was helping me finish up the cleaning. He had apparently left the auditorium, though. But there appeared to be someone else there.
"As I turned, I caught a glimpse of movement toward the back of the auditorium (I was standing next to the stage). I focused on the area, and saw a man hurrying down the row of seats, as though headed toward the exit at the back of the room. He was in the third row from the back, was moving at pretty good pace, and was touching the back of each seat to his left as he passed it, the way you might do when moving down a narrow row of seats. He had medium brown hair and a blue jacket or shirt on. I'm afraid I can't be more specific than that, as I could see right through him, which made the details seem less distinct. I could see the row of seats on the other side of him through his body. I watched him pass in front of 5 or 6 seats, then, all of a sudden, I didn't see him anymore. He disappeared just before he would've reached the center isle of the auditorium. I thought to myself, "Well, now, I guess I've seen a ghost." I was frightened, but felt more of a shock than any sense that I was in danger. In fact, it wasn't until my friend asked me later how I knew that he was leaving the auditorium (he disappeared before reaching the aisle, so I can't be sure which way he would've turned) that it occurred to me that he could've turned left and heading down the aisle toward me. I just felt like he was leaving, probably because he seemed to be hurrying a bit. He was running, not as if the theater were on fire or something; it was more like you'd move if it were intermission and you wanted to be the first one at the concession stand.
"I stood there for a minute or so, kind of shocked, then realized the vacuum was still running. I turned it off and yelled for my friend. When I told him about it, he didn't seem particularly nonplused, as he's been a member of the group for many years, and has heard a few strange things himself."
Sometimes Not So Friendly
"Occasionally, I have a very strong sense that they do not want me there", says a member of the crew, "Usually, there is a disruptive noise that gets my attention and then a bad feeling about staying too long. I then tell them "OK", that I will be leaving; and I waste no time in doing so. Those are the only times I feel uncomfortable around them. These times it always seems to be more than one. At least once that happened in the basement, while I was in the large furniture room. That time it was so strong, I had to leave immediately.