The Colonial Theatre Laconia is a grand monument to days gone by. Located in Laconia, New Hampshire, the dazzling Venetian style theatre was built in 1914 and was originally owned by Benjamin Piscopo, an Italian immigrant who envisioned a grand, state of the art theatre. And that’s exactly what the Colonial was. In its heyday, the Colonial hosted live performances, film, opera, and was home to the stars of vaudeville for decades. When the invention of the television came around, vaudeville and live theatre began a steady decline, and in 1945 the Colonial Theatre traded their live stage shows for the movies. The theatre was purchased in 1984 by Steve Levin and Ira Gavin, who attempted to return the Colonial to its former glory by once again opening its stages to live performances. But the theatre continued to fall into disrepair. In 1992 the community rallied to save the historic venue, and a non-profit bought the Colonial with the hopes of restoring and renovating it. They raised 2.5 million dollars for the task, and after years of work, the Colonial Theatre reopened in 2021.
The Ghosts of the Colonial
As the stories go, many of the actors and actresses who used to frequent the Colonial Theatre never left. Employees and guests have shared many stories over the years of unsettled spirits who are still in residence here. People claim to hear the stair creaking while nobody is around, and then they hear the heavy thumping of footsteps. Disembodied voices are a common occurrence. Full bodied apparitions have even been spotted in the theatre.
The Spirit of the Balcony
Many people refer to an uneasy feeling here, especially in the balcony and backstage area. There is said to be the spirit of a man who inhabits the balcony area frequently. Rumor has it this ghost is malicious and angry, but the music from an acoustic guitar is known to calm him.
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