About This Location
The Belasco Theatre, built in 1907 in the Theater District, is considered Broadway's most haunted venue. It was built for and named after David Belasco, an eccentric impresario who dressed as a Catholic priest despite being Jewish and lived in a duplex apartment above the theater decorated like a Gothic church. Known as "The Bishop of Broadway," Belasco was legendary for his elaborate productions.
The Ghost Story
David Belasco's ghost began appearing immediately after his death in 1931. Performers and stagehands consistently describe seeing a shadowy figure in clerical robes sitting in the balcony box seats during opening nights. Some actors claim to have shaken hands with and spoken to the ghost. A second spirit, the "Blue Lady," is believed to be an actress who fell to her death in an elevator shaft. Laura Linney reported seeing the Blue Lady sitting in the balcony during a performance. The theater experiences unexplained footsteps, rattling from Belasco's private elevator, and doors and curtains moving randomly. After the risque musical Oh! Calcutta! played there, sightings temporarily decreased.
