A piano mysteriously plays on its own. Footsteps are heard on an empty stage. Actors claim someone is tugging on their costumes. These are just some of the strange occurrences that have been attributed to a mischevious ghost at Kalamazoo’s Civic Auditorium.
The theater was built in 1929 and has continued operating since then. Volunteers have been performing plays for the community through the depression and during World War II. It is one of the premier civic theaters in the country.
Nobody knows exactly who the ghost is that haunts the theater, but unexplained incidents have been blamed on the lonely spirit. In the ’70s the ghost was given the name of Thelma Mertz by members of a summer youth program. The story goes that she donated items to the theater to be used in a stage production. After she died her spirit was transferred to the items and she now resides in the theater.
I am not sure if the theater is truly haunted but with any production, bad luck and mistakes can happen during a performance. Having a friendly ghost to blame it on is not a bad thing.
Interestingly, Thelma has her own Facebook profile.
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