Private Theater

History:

The owner of this Texas theatre prefers to keep his name, witnesses, and the location private, as well as any video footage for the web C.P.S. TV show.  However, we were granted full permission to use all pictures and EVPs that were captured during the investigation.  We want to thank everyone for their wonderful hospitality and asking C.P.S. to come back for another investigation!

Top

Testimony: 

Two witnesses were interviewed, though according to them several others have also witnessed the phenomenon.  Both gave us permission to use their testimony. 

• Objects being moved to different locations

• The sound of voices talking when theatre is empty

• Lights turning on and off when not plugged in

• Various equipment turning on and off

• Some feel uncomfortable inside theatre

Top

11.06.06 - Initial Walk-Through (included theatre and basement with two witnesses)

• 5:15 PM: Heard noises in rafters.  Bart was able to snap (2) photos before his digital camera died and refused to turn back on.  The batteries were new.

• 5:19 PM: One witnesses pointed out that they just heard the scampering of feet on the stage.

• 5:23 PM: The thermostat in theatre jumped from 64 degrees to 71.

• 5:28 PM: When leaving the theatre both Bart and a witness both saw “something” shoot across the stage at the same time.  It was lightning fast whatever it was.

• 9:25 PM: Back at home Bart checked to see if his camera would turn back on.  It did.  One of the photos revealed (2) orbs.

Top

11.11.06 - The Investigation

The investigation took place between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM.  Most of the activity reported by witnesses seemed to take place during the day, so we thought that this would be a good time.  Plus, this was the only time we could actually secure the location.  EMF baseline tests were done for the first hour in the theatre and the basement.

*The day before the investigation a guest speaker was preparing his presentation in the theatre when the lights chose to dim on their own.  The speaker reported this activity.

Top

Findings:

The Basement

• During baseline tests in the basement we found it odd that a row of old theatre seats were giving off a nice-sized reading of a 3.5 on our EMF detectors.  And we all have (3) different kinds of meters to make sure it isn’t just one meter.  Also, an old theatre prop (a life-sized coffin) gave off a 2.5 EMF reading.  How much could I pay Jimmy to get in that coffin ran through my mind.  Investigators say that a reading from 2-7 might mean you have some “spirit” activity.  This prompted us to send Jimmy to go back for a solo mission later.  Sadly, my digital camera was still acting up from before from back when we did the initial walk-thru (it didn’t return to normal until days later) and kept shutting off, therefore I didn’t get any pictures in the basement.  Still kicking myself.  My camera finally started to work right when yet another new set of batteries decided to work in back up in the theatre minutes later. 

• When Jimmy went back into the basement by himself he did another reading of the row of theatre seats.  Nothing.  Zilch.  Strange, huh?  Then his video camera suddenly decided to lock up and the shudder refused to open.  The shudder finally decided to open when our full investigation was over.  Go figure.

The Theatre

• Far stage right isle gave off a low reading on Jimmy’s EMF when it didn’t when we did baseline tests.  But nothing to write home about.

• We all heard some “popping” or “tapping” type noises while on the stage for a short period of time, but we could not find the source.

• The EVP captured (2) “ghostly wails” the last 28 minutes of our investigation.  This took place when we were doing our controlled response session.  We didn’t hear anything when we were sitting there, but it appeared on the tape in the midst of dead silence.  The voice sounded “younger” and female.

• During the last 20 minutes of the investigation back up in the theatre Bart got the feeling that he was being watched during some controlled call/response questioning.  He felt uneasy.  He alerted Wheels and Jimmy.  Bart decided to snap some random digital pictures.  During this time frame all (4) pics revealed numerous orbs of all sizes and colors.  Most were white, but some were quite large that you could see the texture and color of blue or greenish-blue.  Bart had never seen a picture like this.

• Wheels let us know we were running out of tape and we needed to save some for the wrap-up, so we stopped tape towards the end of the investigation.  Wouldn’t you know it?  The last ten minutes of the investigation Bart’s EMF spiked twice as he walked up the middle stage left isle.  This isle didn’t give us any readings during baseline tests.  As soon as he went to check the reading it stopped.  He managed to snap off (2) pics and orbs were in frame.  Even though the main camera was off, the EVP picked this up.  We have the recording for you to hear.  Then, middle stage left isle of the theatre began to get quite cold.  I checked to see if I could see the breath coming out, but it was dark and my hands were full.  You can hear this on my EVP recorder.  Wheels and Jimmy both agreed that it was colder.  We checked the thermostat in the theatre and it said it was off.  Nothing seemed to be blowing out of the vents.  This happened the last eight minutes of the investigation.

*Note: On 11/17/06 witness returned to theatre to take pictures for an upcoming event and her camera shut down on its own.

Top

Gear Used:

• E.L.F. Zone Magnetic Field Detector

• Ghost Meter

• Gauss Meter

• Olympus VN 1000 voice recorder

• Canon ZR 500 camera

• Canon Powershot A70 Digital Camera

• Canon XL1 TV cam

• two-way radios

• flashlights with red filter lenses.

Top

Miscellaneous Information:  

• Total Pictures Taken: (37) this included the walk-thru

• Number of positive photos showing activity: (7)

• EVPs: (1)

Click Here to view and hear evidence from this investigation

Top

Consensus:

Questions about lighting in theatre.  Bart thought he’d ask an expert:

Bart’s father has been in the entertainment lighting industry for well over three decades from owning his own lighting company, being a technical director for presidential events, and designing moving to architectural lighting.  With credits including lighting the Statue of Liberty Centennial Anniversary, Live-Aid, numerous Miss Americas, Presidential debates, countless Broadway shows, Spoletto Festivals, MTV, Kiss, Shania Twain, Judas Priest, Run DMC, Erasure, Martha Stewart, and many more that would take too long to write.  What I’m tryin’ to say is that he knows his stuff.

Question: “Can a light strip that is run through a dimmer rack ‘ignite’ or’ light up’ when the dimmer rack is turned off?

Answer: “Yes, if there is a short.  Two things…the slider pot should be on the 0 or bottom of the row of buttons.  Second, the dimmer rack should have two circuit breakers.  One is secondary like a 20 amp size and the other is to power up the rack.  So check the breaker box to the rack is off.  Then see if the other breaker is off and the slider pot or dimmer handle is on the bottom and off as well and not on the ‘B’ or ‘C’ level.  Some questions for you: Is this an electronic dimmer?  Auto transformer?  How many dimmers are in the rack?  Who made it?  Who built it?  How many sliders are there in a row?  Year installed?  Size?  2K?  5 K?  Where is the main circuit breaker?”  He could go on and on.  Sounds like Japanese to me.

We were waiting for the lights to come on and off on their own during our investigation.  My father was standing by via phone to help us solve this dilemma if need be.  Sadly, the lights did not come on and off on their own while we were in there.  One question that still needs to be answered is what energy source is causing the strip of lights to resort to its back up amp?  Or, if the lights dim by themselves, then just what is causing that?  Or – how can only part of the light strip choose to come on.  No explanations here.

Since Bart is a believer, he’s convinced the theatre is haunted based on the pictures, EVP, and good readings down in the basement.  But what ever it is – it isn’t anything that would cause harm or distress.  Based on the lights coming on, voices, and other testimony, he’s led to believe that “it” or “they” just want to make their presence known.  Which leads him to believe it is an intelligent haunting.  He also bases this on the fact that during the controlled call/response questioning was when the activity picked up with the positive photos and cold spots.  The EVP sounded like a female cry that was “younger.”  Based on the history of the location this made some sense.  As for why they are crying is a good question.  After going back through records no tragedies were listed that happened directly.  But then again the oldest records we could get a hold of were from 1967.  A current employee thought that someone had told her that there was once a fire, but this information could not be confirmed.

As for Wheels and Jimmy – although there were some strange occurrences with the camera, the EMF readings in the basement, and the orbs in the pictures, unless a ghost comes out and says something right to their face – this theatre is just a theatre. 

Top

carrolltonparanormalsociety.com
Email: carrolltonparanormalsociety@gmail.com