Sandy Lyons of Berkley, author of "Michigan's Most Haunted," will give a presentation Friday at the Phantoms of the Baldwin event in Royal Oak.
Paranormal experts present results of studies done on theater
Event also features psychics, a shaman and the author of a book on Michigan hauntings.
By Catherine Kavanaugh
Daily Tribune Staff Writer
ROYAL OAK -- The week Lesley Phillips started her new job as development director for Stagecrafters, paranormal investigators began studying the Baldwin Theatre, where her office is located.
Phillips, who describes herself as a skeptic with an open mind, said she wasn't surprised.
"You'd be hard pressed to find a theater that doesn't have rumors of ghosts and unexplained occurrences," she said. "I think it's part dramatic intervention and partly because curiosity about the unknown is entertaining."
However, after six months on the job with volunteers from D&R Paranormal Investigations, Paranormal Research in Southeast Michigan and ParaHaunt Paranormal Research, Phillips said she doesn't know whether to be entertained or set aside her doubts.
Now she is curious about a few occurrences at her workplace, in particular an electronic voice phenomenon recorded during the study of the 85-year-old building.
"It's a child saying, 'Come mama,''' Phillips said. "I've heard the EVP a dozen times and it's still creepy to me."
The audio recording, photographs and digital film "evidence" will be shared with the public at 7 p.m. Friday during Phantoms of the Baldwin.
The event also features a shaman, psychic astrologer and author Sandy Lyons of Berkley, who wrote "Michigan's Most Haunted: A Ghostly Guide to the Great Lakes State."
Lyons interviewed people who have encountered strange goings-on at the Baldwin. She devotes three chapters to the theater and will talk about one called "Who moved the boxes?"
"The guys I interviewed said this couldn't be explained away," Lyons said.
After the presentations, guests will get a lantern lit tour of parts of the theater rumored to have high levels of paranormal activity, including the main stage.
"People have numerous stories about hearing footsteps on the stage when they were the only one here," Phillips said. "One of the theories is that it's a residual phenomenon, like a building that has memories trapped in it that play on in a loop."
Phillips said the presentations and tour will validate some people's theories that the Baldwin is haunted and give others fodder to rationalize incidents like she used to do.
"Let's just say having worked here for six months I'm very open-minded now," Phillips said.
Stagecrafters members decided to limit Phantoms of the Baldwin to adults ages 18 and up because it could be frightening for anyone younger, Phillips added. To lighten the mood, pizza and refreshments will be served after the tours, historical records will be on display and prizes will be given out for the best costumes.
"The event is loosely tied to the investigation, but it's also a fun activity for Halloween," Phillips said.
The evening concludes with a showing of "Poltergeist." Lyons also will sign her books, which cost $11.95, at the event and donate a portion of the proceeds to Stagecrafters, the non-profit troupe that runs the theater.
Lyons traveled around the state last summer collecting stories about ghost sightings, disembodied voices and mysterious movements of inanimate objects at hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants and theaters.
She said her book is different because every location is open to the public.
"I want people to be able to experience these places for themselves," Lyons said.
While doing her research, Lyons said she didn't have any personal encounters but she said she talked to some "reasonable, sane and sober" people who did, including a manager at the Perry Hotel in downtown Petoskey.
He was on the night shift when he kept seeing a woman on a third floor surveillance camera. Every time he ran upstairs, no one was there.
"He said she was on the video monitor for two hours but can't be seen on the tape," Lyons said. "I talked to him and let the story stand on its own. I didn't embellish anyone's account. Nothing is made up here."
Added Lyons, "I have to thank God because I'm a big chicken. I'm a believer and that's why I can be scared easily."
For more information about Lyons' book go to www.skaterightpublishing.com.
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