Happy Halloween from Playbill. In celebration of the spooky season, we gathered together some of Broadway's best to share the real-life ghost stories of Broadway's theatres.
John Rapson is no stranger to the supernatural. The Sweeney Todd actor is a massive fan of the macabre, and the creator of his own one actor play, The Hollow, an adaptation of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. In honor of Halloween season, Rapson visited Playbill Studios to share the story of Olive Thomas, the tragic showgirl who still haunts her former theatrical home to this day.
Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre is currently home to a musical notably featuring a magic carpet. But behind the scenes, there is more than magic at play. Over the years, several different accounts of hauntings have been shared. Sometimes, it’s no more than the odd unaccountable noise. Other times, it's phantom knocking sounds against walls and doors. Actors and crew have witnessed cabinets and doors opening on their own, isolated cold spots in the room, colored mist, and even floating orbs in photographs. Though rare, some have even claimed to see a full human figure, sometimes shrouded in a pale white fog.
The most frequently mentioned ghost at the New Amsterdam Theatre is Olive Thomas, who used to be a performer herself. Hear more about her tragic story in the video above. And check back on Playbill.com for more stories about the ghosts of Broadway.
Annaleigh Ashford and Josh Groban in Sweeney Todd
Ruthie Ann Miles in Sweeney Todd
Jordan Fisher and Maria Bilbao in Sweeney Todd
Gaten Matarazzo, Annaleigh Ashford, Alicia Kaori, DeLaney Westfall, and Kristie Dale Sanders in Sweeney Todd
Nicholas Christopher and cast in Sweeney Todd
Jamie Jackson and John Rapson in Sweeney Todd
Annaleigh Ashford in Sweeney Todd
Josh Groban in Sweeney Todd
Gaten Matarazzo, Annaleigh Ashford, Josh Groban, Nathan Salstone, and cast of Sweeney Todd
Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford in Sweeney Todd
Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford, and cast of Sweeney Todd
