Theatre Ghost
Chaz Evans, Yorkshire, UK
June 2009
I'm a writing, directing and performance student, and a couple of weeks ago I was directing and starring in a production of the Vagina Monologues. It was 2 days before we were due to go on, and I went upstairs to the theatre tech box to turn on all the lighting while the rest of my cast milled around on the stage area below.
I switched on all the dimmers and waited for the sound board to warm up, and as I was just a little bit stressed and anticipating a long rehearsal decided to take a couple of moment to myself. I didn't turn on the tech box lights as the house lights were on in the theatre and so there was enough light coming through the window for me to see by.
The tech box is quite a large space with a window that looks down on the theatre below that can be opened or closed, and in front of which is the lighting and sound desk. The stairs come up on the right and there is a door to an office on the left. It's air conditioned and as it was a really warm day I welcomed the cool air. I sat on the floor with my back to the window (through which I could hear everyone downstairs) and tried to relax. Now as I've mentioned the stairs are on the right, and in full view of where I was sitting, also the door to the stairs at the bottom is quite heavy so I would have heard it open, there is no other way into the tech box. All of which is very important when you consider what happened next.
As I was sitting there something passed behind me, between me and the window, creating a shadow as it moved between me and the light from the theatre below. It was only momentary, and I don't remember feeling afraid or any change in temperature. I looked around of course, knowing full well I was alone, and obviously I didn't see anything.
Now they do say theatre's attracts ghosts, but I can honestly say I don't know what it was, other than for a moment it was certainly there.