some of the Body and Soul cast feel
is part of an old theatre’s appeal.

“Theatres are notorious for paranormal ac-
tivity. | can’t say I've ever been in a theatre
that doesn’t have stories of unusual occur-
rences,” said Tracy Labrosse, a Douglas
College theatre alumnus who has been
with the Vagabond Players since 2013.

“Whatever spirits linger at the Bernie
Legge Theatre are welcoming to me.
It’s a strange and magical place,” said
Jeremy Heynen, who has been with
the Vagabond Players since 2015.

The theatre has been investigated by
several paranormal groups in Metro
Vancouver, irfcluding several times by
Northern Paranormal Investigations.

“Apparitions have been reportedly seen
from the stage, seated in the audience: A
woman in white and sometimes a man ina

tuxedo,” said Holly Fynn, an NPI investigator.

“On one occasion, a director was alone in *

the theatre, perusing a script at the coffee
bar. Suddenly, music started blaring from
the stage. As he headed towards the tech
booth to see who was there, he passed the
de@ors into the auditorium and saw that the
lights on the stage were flashing too. He got
to the tech booth door. The music and lights
stopped. The door was locked,” she said.

Body and Soul features lots of sound
effects, voiceovers, projections, and more
that require excellent timing and delivery.
It is an interesting choica to premiere the
technical production at a theatre known for
its paranormal-related technical glitches.

“I’m pretty sure we've angered the spirits
of the Bernie Legge Theatre with this show.
We have definitely had some strange things
happen during rehWearsals that | wouldn't
rule out as ghostly doings,” said Labrosse.

“There were flickering lights, strange
noises, and a few random and weird ac-
cidents. Some of them were explained,
others were not,” said Heynen.

“Northern Paranormal Investigations has
investigated several theatres and many
other historical buildings, as well as private
residences throughout the Lower Main-
land and Fraser Valley. The Bernie Legge

 

Theatre remains one of our favourite loca-
tions to investigate,” Fynn said. “It is a great
theatre both from a cultural and paranormal
standpoint. | would say that it is paranor-
mally active, but there is absolutely nothing
there to be feared or concerned about.”

Rick Pedersen, a paranormal investiga-
tor, medium, and founder of the Society
of Paranormal Incident Research Inves-
tigation Team (S.P.I.R.1.T.), investigated
the Bernie Legge Theatre in 2009.

“| had several experiences that were quite in-
teresting while | was there that one evening,”
he said. “I clearly sensed the spirit of a little

girl skipping rope and playing out front. | also

sensed a male spirit in the theatre seating.”
LJ

“In the basement, there is a room where
they store a lot of props and furniture,
and it was in that room where | sensed
another spirit very strongly,” he said.

“There are loads of vintage cloth-
ing, jewelry, props, and antique fur-
niture that have been donated to the
theatre over the decades,” Fynn said.

“Antiques, used furniture, and possessions
can retain energy and may also have a spirit
attachment. Spirits can attach to a loca-
tion or to an object if there was a strong
emotional connection,” Pedersen said.

“| have memories of late evenings at the
theatre, painting a set on my own while down
in the paint room or the props/shop area, and
hearing someone walking upstairs. When |
went up, there was no one there,” Keath said.

“There is a lot of energy in theatres: The
energy from the actors, the energy from the
audience, and electrical energy. It is thought
that spirits sometimes try to utilise those ener-
gies to assist them in manifesting,” Fynn said.

“| have a supernatural encounter every
night when | step on stage to do Body
and Soul, and I'd like nothing better than
if people would come out and experience
it with me,” said Alex Ross, who has been
with the Vagabond Players since 2014.

Body and Soul tickets start at $15 and can
be purchased at VagabondPlayers.ca.

The show will be playing Thursdays—Sundays
until October 29 at the Bernie Legge Theatre
in Queen's Park, New Westminster.

7 @ ®)