Saturday Ghost Light Superstition
After everyone, including the cast and
crew leave the theater, all the lights in the building are turned off except
one. This is the single “ghost light” left burning onstage.
When did this practice start? In the
book Historical Dictionary of American Theater: Beginnings , author
James Fisher states that the ghost light “comes
from the days of gas-lit theatres and refers to dimly lit gaslights used to
relieve pressure on gas valves”. There is another story that says that a
burglar broke into a darkened theater, fell down and broke his leg, and sued
the theater. Thus there is a practical reason for the light. In a pitch-black
theater, if the orchestra pit is down and someone wanders in – well, you can
imagine the consequences. Therefore the ghost light serves a purpose:
preventing a tragic accident, not to mention avoiding the possibility of a
lawsuit.
But the most fascinating and pervasive
legend is that this light is left on for the ghost or ghosts that haunt the
theater. And all theaters have their resident ghosts, right? Ghosts of departed
actors, musicians, technical workers, dancers – you name it. Depending on who
tells it, the light either allows the ghosts to play in the theater when
everyone else is gone, or keeps them away all together.
From the Big
Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Superstition #108:
“The ghost light is a
single light left burning onstage after everyone has left the theater.”
Link of the Day:
Quote of the Day:
“The muses
are ghosts, and sometimes they come uninvited.”
― Stephen King, Bag of Bones
― Stephen King, Bag of Bones
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