Rhode Center For The Arts
Colorful ghostly ladies and phantom thespians may haunt this southern Wisconsin performance venue
This location was formerly referred to as:
Rhode Opera House, Gateway Theater, and Lake Theater
Paranormal Claims at
Rhode Center for the Arts
- A lavender-scented apparition has been seen around the ladies’ room
- Phantom piano music has been heard in the lobby
- Unexplained eerie feelings are reported in certain areas
- A gray apparition is seen around the theater spaces
- Ghostly sounds have been heard on stage during performances
- Objects back stage are said to be moved by unseen forces
The Rhode: An Opera House for the Ages
Theaters are no strangers to paranormal mysteries. Whether it’s phantoms haunting the dressing room or apparitions appearing in the audience, it seems many ghosts like spending their nights out at the theater. Some venues are just as well-known for their colorful phantom personalities as they are for their performances and events.
One of these exceptionally spooky stages is the Rhode Center for the Arts in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Three theaters have stood on the Rhode Center’s property over the years. But does three theaters mean three times the ghosts?
Phantom figures and paranormal performers purportedly roam through the Rhode Center’s aisles and corridors. And if you ever see a show at the Rhode for yourself, you might even spot a spirit on stage.
Timeline of Rhode Center For The Arts's History
Swipe or use timeline points to see Rhode Center For The Arts through the years
1891
In the early 1890s, Kenosha, Wisconsin, was a quickly growing lakeside community. With new growth came new community needs and business opportunities. One local businessman, Peter Rhode, saw a chance to capitalize on entertainment. In 1891, Rhode opened a grand new venue: Rhode Opera House. The theater was a swift success with Kenosha locals. Rhode’s Opera House made Kenosha a regular stop for popular performers and musicians of the 1890s.
1896
Despite the early success of Peter Rhode’s new opera house, tragedy soon came to the theater’s doorstep. In 1896, just five years after opening, a fire gutted the Rhode Opera House. But, Peter Rhode resolved to rebuild and keep his success story alive. A brand new opera house went up on the site quickly, and the Rhode Opera House reopened the very same year it burned. For almost thirty more years, the Rhode Opera House would remain a fixture of stage performances in southeastern Wisconsin.
1924
Over the early 1900s, live stage performances began falling out of popularity. By 1924, movie theaters were taking the place of old opera houses. That meant changes needed to come to the Rhode Opera House. Saxe Brothers Theaters purchased the aging theater that year. The new owners swiftly set about demolishing it. In 1927, Saxe Brothers opened a new theater on the opera house’s site. This venue, called Gateway Theater, focused on showing new movies.
1984
For its first few decades, Gateway Theater was a grand success. The movie house proved to be a big advancement for its time. Where the old opera house brought big-name acts to Kenosha, the Gateway started bringing big new films to the community. But over time, more modern theaters peeled business away. Ownership and name changes came in the 1960s, but business continued to decline. Finally, in 1984, the movie theater closed its doors for good.
1989
Though the old Kenosha theater went dark, it wouldn’t be empty for long. In 1989, local theater troupe Lakeside Players purchased the theater. The company brought back the old name, Rhode Opera House, and refurbished the building to allow for live theater once more. Though the name changed in the early 2000s to Rhode Center for the Arts, the Lakeside Players’ mission has remained the same: live theater. And maybe, when people stop into the Rhode for a show, they’ll also spot a few on-stage ghosts.
Is the Rhode Center Haunted?
One of the most popular ghost stories of the Rhode Center for the Arts is also one of the theater’s most dubious.
In recent years, tales of a lovely-smelling spirit have spilled out of the theater. Known as the ‘Lavender Lady,’ this unknown woman’s ghost has long been associated with the women’s restroom and its attached lounge.
The lounge off the ladies’ restroom is filled with long mirrors. One of the most common claims there is that the Lavender Lady’s translucent form can be spotted appearing in these mirrors. And even if folks don’t see her, they might smell her.
The Lavender Lady’s name comes from the scent of lavender perfume that reportedly wafts along with her.
Lavender Lady: Lore or More?
Despite the popularity of the Lavender Lady story at the Rhode Center, most staff today chalk it up to a tall-tale. In all likelihood, the Lavender Lady was conjured up as part of tongue-in-cheek ghost tours held in the early 2000s.
However, that doesn’t mean you won’t spot mysterious ladies around the Rhode.
Meet the Gray Lady Ghost
A more modern ghost story at the Rhode tells of a different lady spirit. Called the Gray Lady, this mysterious woman’s figure is regularly seen drifting through the theater spaces.
Most often, she can be spotted from the stage, moving from one side of a theater balcony to the other. For many people, that is all she will do. But if the Gray Lady ever encounters someone she doesn’t like, she may produce some additional activity, including eerie, unwelcoming feelings.
The Theater’s Paranormal Pianist
While the ghostly ladies at the Rhode Center seem to shy away from the stage, other spirits don’t.
One ghost at the Rhode is known for its paranormal piano music. While there are often pianos spread throughout the theater for performances or as donated decor, nobody can ever find the source of the ghostly piano tunes. Similarly, no one has positively identified the phantom piano player either. But, the piano tunes are still often heard through the theater today.
Post-Mortem Paranormal
In one well-known Rhode Center ghost story, the eerie piano music made an appearance during a live performance, alongside some other ghostly sounds.
In the production Post Mortem, a seance scene unfolds part-way through the play. And during one performance of this scene at the Rhode, strange piano music and distant laughter added to the spooky atmosphere. But, none of it was expected or planned. When the production ended, no one could say who played the music or produced the laughter.
Rhode’s Spooky Stage Hands
A performance doesn’t need a seance for the ghosts to take interest in it either. Through several other performances in the past, Rhode staff have seen props and set pieces move around the stage during productions.
Even during rehearsals, similar activity has been noted backstage. Props, set pieces, tools, and small objects are infamous for shifting around backstage at all times of day. Perhaps the work of a former stage manager, tending to the Rhode’s productions from beyond the grave?
Performers & Phantoms at
Rhode Center for the Arts
Almost forty years after taking over the Rhode Center, the Lakeside Players keep the venue busy each year with an ongoing and ever-changing list of events. The Rhode Center for the Arts’ busy schedule doesn’t leave much time for ghost tours or paranormal investigations.
But, the theater doesn’t ever lose sight of its spooky stories or long-held lore. An FAQ on the Rhode Center’s website even makes mention of the hauntings and wonders if you might find your own ghost story there.
Though offerings for paranormal tours and ghost hunts at the Rhode Center are few, there are still plenty of opportunities to spot something spooky.
Based on the reports, it may be possible to spot a ghost by simply going to see a performance. Especially if the show has something to do with seances.
