Update: Kent Stage Shows Its Ghosts

The Kent Stage doesn’t hide its paranormal presence. In fact, the stage is actively marketed as “The Haunted Stage” and the venue claims almost all the employees and volunteers have had experiences over the past decade.

In that spirit (sorry), the venue is hosting its annual Progressive Ghost Hunt June 30 from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. in partnership with the Spiritual Insight Ghost Hunting Team of Ohio. The hunt includes an investigation of the Pufferbelly Restaurant. Tickets are $68.

“For the first several years we had a figure that appeared to be in a long dress,” co-owner Richele Charlton told Pollstar. “It would come from our projection booth, down the balcony, out the theatre into a lobby and then would dissipate. Many people saw that.

Although the theatre is fairly new, the building dates to the turn of the century and is named after a previous owner.

“We periodically will see a figure sitting in a seat,” Charlton added. “You’ll just blast into the theatre and see it. We also have a figure of a man, a shadow figure. People have seen it over the years. It just happened the other night. I had somebody here in the theatre area. They were turning the lights off and saw a figure. They thought it was somebody they were working with and followed it down a few seats. It went sideways and disappeared.

“We’re always feeling things. We’ve had cups flown across our bar area when it was really quiet. Suddenly one note will be playing on the piano when there’s nobody there.”

A number of artists have independently asked if the place is haunted, she added. Many get a funny feeling, or feel as if some is looking over their shoulder.

“Brandi Carlile came off the stage and said she felt someone was right behind her, breathing on her neck. She thought it was one of her guitar players messing around. And the guitar players said they felt like someone was behind them.”