The Ghosts of the Indiana Repertory Theatre

• The Indiana Theatre building that houses the IRT was designed by the architectural firm Rubush and Hunter and opened in 1927 as a movie palace and vaudeville venue.
• The building features elaborate Spanish Baroque architecture, with ornate plasterwork, a grand lobby, and a ceiling designed to look like a starlit Spanish courtyard.
• The theatre was nearly demolished in the 1970s but was saved by preservationists and converted into the home of the Indiana Repertory Theatre.
• Actors and staff have reported paranormal activity since the IRT moved into the building in 1980, including sightings of a mysterious woman in white.
• The theatre superstition of the "ghost light" - a single light left burning on stage when the theatre is empty - is strictly observed at the IRT, supposedly to appease the resident spirits.

The building that houses the Indiana Repertory Theatre was originally constructed in 1927 as the Indiana Theatre, one of the grandest movie palaces in the Midwest. Designed in the Spanish Baroque style, it was meant to transport audiences to an exotic world of fantasy and romance before the first frame of film ever flickered on the screen.

No expense was spared in the theatre's construction. The architects created an interior meant to evoke a moonlit Spanish courtyard, complete with a ceiling painted to resemble a night sky filled with twinkling stars (actually small electric lights). Elaborate plasterwork covered the walls, depicting scenes of Spanish colonial life. The grand lobby featured marble columns, ornate chandeliers, and sweeping staircases that made every visitor feel like royalty.

The Indiana Theatre was an immediate sensation. Indianapolis residents flocked to see the latest films in surroundings that rivaled anything Hollywood could produce. The theatre hosted premiers, special events, and eventually live performances as the movie palace era gave way to new forms of entertainment.

But like many downtown theatres, the Indiana fell on hard times in the mid-20th century. Audiences fled to suburban multiplexes, and the grand old building began to decay. By the 1970s, demolition seemed inevitable.

The theatre was saved by a coalition of preservationists and arts supporters who saw potential in the aging structure. The building was purchased and extensively renovated, and in 1980, the Indiana Repertory Theatre moved in, giving the historic space new life as a venue for professional theatre.

But those who worked in the renovated building soon discovered they were not alone. The ghosts of the Indiana Theatre's past had not departed with the old movie projectors.

The most frequently reported ghost at the Indiana Repertory Theatre is a mysterious woman dressed entirely in white. She has been seen throughout the building - in the lobby, in the upper balcony, backstage, and occasionally on the stage itself.

Descriptions of this apparition are remarkably consistent. She appears as a young woman in a flowing white gown, her hair dark and arranged in a style that suggests the 1920s or 1930s. Her face is beautiful but sad, with an expression of longing or loss. She moves gracefully through the theatre, sometimes seeming to glide rather than walk.

The Woman in White has been seen by actors, stagehands, audience members, and administrative staff over the decades since the IRT moved into the building. She appears most often during performances, as if drawn by the energy of a live audience. Some actors have reported seeing her watching from the wings during their scenes, her pale figure just visible in the darkness backstage.

Who is this mysterious spirit? Several theories have been proposed. Some believe she may be an actress who performed at the Indiana Theatre during its early days and died tragically young. Others suggest she could be a patron who loved the theatre so much in life that she cannot bear to leave it in death.

The most romantic theory connects her to a story from the theatre's vaudeville days - that of a young performer who fell in love with a man who abandoned her, leading her to take her own life in one of the dressing rooms. No historical evidence supports this story, but it persists in theatre lore.

Whatever her identity, the Woman in White is generally considered a benign presence. She has never been associated with any harmful or frightening activity - only quiet observation and that eternal expression of sadness.

While the Woman in White is the IRT's most famous ghost, she is not its only spectral resident. A male ghost, often called "the Gentleman," is frequently seen in the upper balcony of the main theatre.

This spirit appears as an older man in formal evening wear - a tuxedo or dark suit with a white shirt. He sits alone in the upper balcony, seemingly watching performances below. Unlike the Woman in White, who moves through the building, the Gentleman is almost always seen in the same location, as if he has a permanent seat.

Those who have encountered the Gentleman describe a sense of dignity and propriety emanating from his presence. He seems to be a cultured individual, genuinely interested in the performances taking place on stage. Some witnesses have reported seeing him applaud silently at the end of scenes, though his hands make no sound.

The Gentleman becomes visible most often during evening performances, appearing in his balcony seat sometime during the first act and remaining through curtain call. Ushers have learned to check his usual location before seating patrons in that area, as guests have complained of feeling uncomfortable sitting near the empty seat he occupies.

Who was the Gentleman in life? Some speculate he may have been a wealthy patron of the arts who attended countless performances at the Indiana Theatre during its heyday. Others believe he could be one of the businessmen who financed the theatre's construction in 1927, still keeping watch over his investment nearly a century later.

Regardless of his identity, the Gentleman seems content with his eternal seat in the balcony, watching performance after performance in a theatre that has become his home.

The actors who perform at the Indiana Repertory Theatre are among the most talented in the region, but they share their stage with performers of another kind. Ghostly actors have been seen and heard throughout the building, apparently still practicing their craft from beyond the grave.

The most common reports involve voices heard rehearsing lines in empty areas of the theatre. Actors arriving early for rehearsal have heard scenes being performed in the main theatre, only to find it completely empty. The voices sound clear and professional, with proper projection and diction, but stop abruptly when anyone enters the space.

Some performers have reported more direct encounters. During one memorable incident, an actress preparing for her entrance in the wings felt someone standing directly behind her. Assuming it was a fellow cast member, she turned to whisper a greeting - and found herself face to face with a man in Victorian-era costume who immediately vanished. No one in the production was wearing Victorian clothing.

Another actor reported seeing a woman in 1940s attire standing on stage during a technical rehearsal. The woman appeared to be practicing a monologue, her hands gesturing expressively. When the actor asked the stage manager who she was, he looked toward the stage and saw nothing. The woman had vanished.

These phantom performers seem to be residual hauntings - spiritual echoes of past performances that replay in the building. The emotional energy generated by live performance is believed by paranormal researchers to be particularly conducive to such phenomena. The IRT, with its nearly century-long history of performances, may have accumulated enough of this energy to support multiple spectral replays.

Like many theatres, the Indiana Repertory Theatre observes the tradition of the ghost light - a single bare bulb left burning on stage when the theatre is empty. This tradition has various practical explanations (safety for anyone entering a dark theatre, preventing complete darkness from damaging stage equipment), but its name speaks to a deeper theatrical superstition.

According to theatre folklore, the ghost light is left burning to appease the spirits that inhabit every theatre. Without a light to guide them, these ghosts might grow restless and cause mischief - or worse. By providing illumination, theatres keep their resident spirits calm and content.

At the IRT, the ghost light is more than superstition - it's taken very seriously. Staff members tell stories of nights when the ghost light was accidentally left off, only for equipment to malfunction mysteriously the next day. Sets have fallen, lights have failed, and props have gone missing on days following a night without the ghost light.

Some employees claim to have seen figures moving in the glow of the ghost light when the theatre should be empty. Security guards making late-night rounds have reported seeing someone standing on stage near the light, only to find no one there upon closer investigation. Whether these figures are the Woman in White, the Gentleman, the phantom performers, or other spirits entirely is unknown.

The ghost light at the IRT burns every night without exception. Whatever the practical reasons for its existence, no one who works at the theatre is willing to risk leaving their spectral colleagues in the dark.

While the public areas of the Indiana Repertory Theatre are actively haunted, some of the most intense paranormal activity occurs in the backstage areas where audiences never venture.

The dressing rooms, in particular, are hotspots for ghostly encounters. Actors have reported mirrors showing reflections that don't match reality - seeing figures behind them that aren't there, or watching their own reflections continue moving after they've stopped. Costume items have been found rearranged after being carefully laid out. Makeup has disappeared and reappeared in different locations.

One dressing room has developed a reputation as especially haunted. Actors assigned to this room report feeling watched constantly, even when completely alone. Some have heard a woman humming or singing softly, the melody old-fashioned and unfamiliar. Others have felt invisible hands adjusting their hair or costumes, as if an unseen dresser is helping them prepare for their performance.

The fly system - the mechanism of ropes and pulleys used to raise and lower scenery - has also been the source of unexplained phenomena. Stage hands have reported seeing the ropes move on their own, as if being operated by invisible hands. Equipment has been found adjusted from its previous position with no explanation. On more than one occasion, scenery has lowered or raised unexpectedly during performances, requiring quick thinking from the crew to cover the mistakes.

Some believe these backstage hauntings may be the work of former stagehands and technicians who continue to work the theatre in death. Their dedication to their craft apparently extends beyond the grave, though their invisible assistance isn't always helpful.

While the Indiana Theatre was built for entertainment and joy, its long history has not been without tragedy. Understanding these darker chapters helps explain why the building may be haunted.

During the Great Depression, the theatre struggled to stay open as Indianapolis residents had little money for entertainment. Staff were laid off, maintenance was neglected, and desperation set in. At least one employee is said to have taken his own life in the building during this period, unable to cope with the loss of his job and livelihood.

The theatre also served as an impromptu shelter during severe weather events over the years. Indianapolis has been struck by tornadoes and floods, and the grand theatre building offered refuge for those caught downtown during such emergencies. Not everyone who sought shelter survived, and some believe these victims may have left spiritual imprints on the building.

During World War II, the Indiana Theatre hosted USO shows and bond drives, serving as a gathering place for a community in crisis. Many young men attended their last movie or live show at the Indiana Theatre before shipping overseas, never to return. Their emotional energy - the hope, the fear, the farewells - may have soaked into the building's very walls.

The renovation period in the late 1970s also saw its share of accidents and injuries, as workers struggled to restore the deteriorating structure. While no deaths were recorded during this period, the physical trauma to the building itself may have stirred dormant spiritual activity.

All of these events, layered upon nearly a century of performances charged with emotional energy, have created a building ripe for paranormal activity.

The ghosts of the Indiana Repertory Theatre seem to be particularly active during productions, as if they're drawn to the energy of live performance. Numerous strange incidents have been reported during rehearsals and shows over the years.

During one production of A Christmas Carol, multiple cast members reported seeing an additional figure on stage during the party scene at Fezziwig's warehouse. This figure, dressed in period-appropriate costume, danced and celebrated with the actors but could not be identified as any member of the cast or crew. When the scene ended and actors began to exit, the mysterious dancer simply vanished.

Another incident occurred during a production of a Tennessee Williams play. An actress performing a monologue felt someone place a hand on her shoulder during her scene - a bit of blocking that hadn't been rehearsed. She continued with her performance, assuming a fellow actor had improvised, but learned afterward that no one had been anywhere near her during the moment.

Perhaps most dramatically, an entire audience witnessed an unexplained event during a performance in the early 2000s. A chandelier that had been stable for decades began swinging wildly during the second act, though there was no draft or vibration to explain the movement. The swinging continued for nearly a minute before stopping as suddenly as it began. The production continued, but the incident became a topic of discussion among theatre patrons for years afterward.

Some actors have come to consider the theatre's ghosts as good luck, believing their presence during performances blesses the production. Others find the constant sense of being watched by unseen eyes unsettling, no matter how benign the spirits seem to be.

The Indiana Repertory Theatre is located at 140 West Washington Street in downtown Indianapolis. The IRT presents a full season of professional theatrical productions, from classic plays to contemporary works and annual favorites like A Christmas Carol.

Tickets for performances are available through the IRT box office and website. The theatre offers multiple performance spaces, including the main stage in the original Indiana Theatre auditorium and smaller, more intimate venues elsewhere in the building.

The historic building is worth visiting even for those not attending a performance. The lobby and public areas showcase the magnificent Spanish Baroque architecture that made the Indiana Theatre famous, including the starlit ceiling and elaborate plasterwork.

The IRT occasionally offers building tours and special events that allow visitors to explore areas not normally accessible to the public. These events sometimes include discussion of the theatre's haunted history and may offer the best opportunity for paranormal experiences.

Those attending evening performances should keep an eye on the upper balcony - you may just glimpse the Gentleman in his eternal seat, watching the show alongside you. And if you feel someone standing behind you in the lobby or sense eyes watching from the wings, don't be alarmed. The ghosts of the Indiana Repertory Theatre have been enjoying performances here for nearly a century, and they're not about to stop now.