Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
SCARING UP A GOOD A TIME
Ghost tours, spooky stories, and murder mysteries abound this Halloween season
PHILADELPHIA >> Halloween season is about more than candy and costumes.
It’s a time of year when we get a free pass to indulge in our morbid fascinations, those guilty pleasures that border on the macabre. Gory horror movies. Grisly true-crime podcasts. Grotesque stories written by Stephen King or H. P. Lovecraft.
Some people enjoy revisiting classic scary films—John Carpenter’s “Halloween” is playing at Ritz at the Bourse on Oct. 15, followed by “The Thing” at Ritz Five on Oct. 30—while others desire to explore a spooky cemetery, or poke around an old house with a haunted past.
Luckily, October is chock full of ghoulish events.
We’ve highlighted three standout Halloween events happening this month in the Greater Philadelphia Area. One is educational and atmospheric. One is high-energy and hilarious. And one has the potential to make your skin crawl—but, you know, in a fun way. Soul Crawl at Laurel Hill Cemetery Philadelphia’s historic Laurel Hill Cemetery, which was founded in 1836, offers a host of great events this time of year. For one thing, the cemetery’s recent outdoor screening of the classic silent film “Nosferatu” recently attracted roughly a thousand guests, according to a rough estimate by Emma Stern, director of programs at Laurel Hill.
But one of the most popular events comes later this month.
Laurel Hill’s annual Soul Crawl is a guided, after-hours walking tour through the cemetery grounds, an event that allows “guests to see the cemetery after dark, which is not normally something that the average visitor can do,” Stern said.
She added, “It’s not so much a scary tour. It’s not a haunted house or anything.” That being said, the tour will focus on some of the spookier—and bloodier—stories associated with Laurel Hill by highlighting some of the cemetery’s more noteworthy tenants.
For example, “One of our most popular stories is that of Charles Vansant,” who was killed by a great white shark in 1916. Vansant’s story inspired author Peter Benchley to write a novel about a killer shark, which was then adapted into a feature film that scared a generation of moviegoers out of the water. The movie was called “JAWS.” Maybe you’ve heard of it?
“Vansant is buried here at Laurel Hill,” said Stern. “And we have other stories that are equally as gruesome—tales of murder and betrayal. All the good stuff.”
Soul Crawl tours last roughly two hours, after which guests are invited to Laurel Hill’s gatehouse where there will be firepits and seasonal treats.
Laurel Hill’s Soul Crawl tours take place Friday, Oct. 19, and Saturday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25. Attendees are advised to dress warmly, wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring a flashlight. Laurel Hill Cemetery is located at 3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia. More information: thelaurelhillcemetery.org. Murder Manor at CSz Philadelphia Imagine a game of Clue—the classic whodunit board game by Parker Brothers—except instead of a board you have a stage, and instead game pieces who have live actors. That’s Murder Manor, the uproarious and completely improvised murder mystery hap-
pening at CSz Philadelphia every Friday in October.
An improv comedy staple in Philly for the last 25 years, CSz Philadelphia is breathing new life (and lots of laughs) into Clue, with seven of their funniest actors playing the iconic roles of Professor Plum, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White, and all the other usual suspects. One of those colorcoded characters is a murderer, but no one knows who it is—not even the actors onstage.
“This is an idea I’ve had for almost 15 years,” said event organizer Kristin Finger, who will be playing Mrs. Peacock in the show. It was inspired by her dual love of the game Clue and the cult-classic film of the same name, starring Tim Curry and Christopher Lloyd.
“One of my favorite things to do is play Clue while watching ‘Clue,’” Finger said, laughing. “My dream has always been to play Mrs. Peacock, and I think I selfishly created this show so I could play Mrs. Peacock.”
Being a true-to-form improv comedy experience, the loose framework of Murder Manor is set in advance, but the story unfolds organically. There will be audience participation, sight gags, and lots of spontaneous humor. This a Halloween event light on tricks and big on treats.
Murder Manor by CSz Philly will be held at the Adrienne Theater, 2030 Sansom St., Philadelphia, on Friday, Oct. 19, and Friday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. More information: comedysportzphilly.com.
Ghost Tours at Brinton Lodge
Perhaps you’d rather visit a haunted house? And not one of those staged haunted houses with artificial cobwebs and actors dressed as mummies. No, we’re talking about a “real” haunted house, a building with a long history of death—and several reports of spectral presences.
Brinton Lodge is one of those haunted houses.
A storied, 300-year-old mansion in Douglassville, Brinton Lodge has had many incarnations. Around the turn of the 20th century, it was the lavish summer home of a wealthy family. During the prohibition era, it was a gentleman’s club frequented by such celebrities as Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor. Now, it’s known as one of Pennsylvania’s 10 most haunted houses.
“There are several ghost stories associated with the building,” said owner Tim Reeser. “In the 1970s, a medium who worked for Scotland Yard as a psychic detective stayed for two weeks at the Brinton Lodge, and he identified five spirits that had died there.”
Among those five spirits is Caleb Brinton, the lodge’s former owner and namesake. Another spirit is thought to be Brinton’s mother, Katharine Whitman. Both Caleb and Katharine died somewhere inside Brinton Lodge. Other noted spirits include a young girl, a man known as Dapper Dan, and a woman in a white dress.
According to various guests, employees, and paranormal investigators, these many spirits often manifest as dark shadows floating through rooms— ghostly palls moving restlessly around the ancient corridors of Brinton Lodge.
“As we tour the building, we go through those stories,” said Reeser.
During the late-night tour, which is illuminated by the dim glow of candlelight, guests are armed with divining rods, which reportedly help to locate spirits on the premises. Will you be one of the chosen few to encounter a phantom resident? Walk the halls and find out.
Ghost Tours at Brinton Lodge, 1808 W. Schuylkill Road, Douglassville, are held Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Nov. 10. Most tours are held at 10 p.m., though times vary. Tickets are $20. More information: brintonlodge.com/ghosttours.