Spirits of the Cutler Majestic Theatre

Posted: 12.10.2024 | Updated: 12.11.2024

Watching a show at Boston’s Cutler Majestic Theatre is more than a simple night of entertainment — it’s an experience. When you walk in, you’re transported back in time to the days of the early 20th century. 

Depending on where you sit, you might even find yourself next to one of the original patrons of the theatre who never left.

If catching a glimpse of a ghost in Boston sounds right up your alley, reserve a ghost tour with Boston Ghosts tonight. 

Who Haunts Cutler Majestic Theatre?

Several former patrons enjoyed their experience at the Cutler so much that they continue to catch shows to this day. From a mayor who died on-site to a couple whose car crashed after watching a performance, there are several spirits who now call the theatre home. 

While most of the ghostly encounters are tame, one worker nearly joined the ghoulish cast after something attempted to push him off a balcony. This begs the question: who is this dark spirit? 

Perhaps most importantly: will they try again?

The History of the Cutler Majestic Theatre

At the turn of the 20th century, Boston wanted to commission a grand theatre to put Boston’s drama scene on the map. So, they hired French-educated architect John Galen Howard to dream up a theatre that combined French sophistication with American pizazz. 

The result was a theatre whose interior oozed grandeur. Between the gilded accents, red velvet curtains, and stained glass centerpieces, the building looked fit for a king. 

Perhaps most impressive was Howard’s usage of the newly designed light bulb. He used the bulbs to define the tall columns and massive archways throughout the building, using a total of 4,500 light bulbs. He clearly wasn’t concerned about the impending electricity bill.

The theatre opened in 1903 to much fanfare, its debut show being a musical comedy. 

The theatre throughout the years

While it had been designed for opera and drama performances, the theatre adjusted its shows with the times. In the 1920s, it shifted to showing the then-popular vaudeville shows. By the 1950s, a movie screen replaced the live shows. 

By the ‘80s, however, the theater had fallen on hard times. The once-magnificent building had fallen into disrepair, and demolition was looking to be a real possibility. However, one local university wouldn’t let that happen. 

Emerson College bought the theater in 1983, working carefully to bring it up to modern safety codes while bringing back its splendor. It took 20 years of renovation, including installing new plumbing and electrical systems, heating, air conditioning, a fresh stage floor, and new dressing rooms, all while making the building wheelchair accessible. 

The final result was a huge success, and today, the theatre showcases the college’s drama department shows, as well as hosts community events. As college students are often the ones spending late nights in the theatre, they are also the people who most often encounter otherworldly experiences. 

Is the Cutler Majestic Theatre haunted?

Students working on productions have many stories of seeing dark figures or feeling a foreboding energy near them. One student was on a balcony, working on lining up the lighting on the stage below. 

Already a bit precarious that high up, the student suddenly felt a shove. “I literally felt a hand in the center of my back shove me in the direction of the edge of the balcony. It was terrifying.”

This story has since been echoed to Emerson students, who now watch their backs if they find themselves in any risky positions. While this spirit seemed to have a threatening motive, the other resident ghosts prefer to stick to themselves largely. 

The unlucky mayor

One night, a local mayor was enjoying a show at the Cutler Majestic Theatre. Something happened to the man (what exactly has been lost to time). Whatever it was, the mayor died on the spot. 

Today, people can spy him sitting in seats throughout the theatre — perhaps wanting to finally watch a show to its end. 

The theatre-loving couple 

Guests who come to enjoy a show often make small talk with the people around them. There have been reports of a particularly friendly couple who will talk up their seatmates before a show. 

However, without fail, the couple will disappear before the second act. It’s said that this is a couple who died in a car accident after watching a performance in the 1930s. Perhaps they’re leaving early to try and beat the traffic rush. 

The woman in the blue dress

One worker was checking the theatre when he spotted a woman in one of the boxes. Confused about who would be up there, they went to investigate and found the woman wasn’t from this century. 

Dressed in a dark blue dress in style in the early 1900s, her cuffs had lace on them and she wore a hat to complete the ensemble.

The little girl who loves gifts

Children’s laughter and crying can often be heard echoing throughout the theatre. Much of this is attributed to a young girl’s spirit, who is often heard playing around the theater. 

However, she is a child at heart — meaning she loves presents. Staff will leave gifts for the child and find the packages are gone when they check later. 

The areas the staff avoids

There are certain rooms and parts of the theatre that the staff has come to avoid if they can. For example, there is a room backstage that has been named “The Nightmare Room.” People report a general uneasy feeling when they walk into the space, with some even feeling out of breath suddenly. 

Another spectral epicenter is the third-floor girls’ bathroom. One manager said that anytime she locked the door, all the toilets would flush at the same time. 

The top balcony also has an eerie feeling, as workers describe how it always seems like someone is watching you if you’re up there. 

Haunted Boston

While the Cutler Majestic Theatre is full of ghostly experiences, there are other places in Boston that boast even more regular spooky encounters. 

Only a few steps outside the theatre is Boston Common, the oldest public park in the United States. Yet, this park wasn’t always used for sunbathing and picnics. Criminals and innocents alike used to be hanged from a large elm tree in the park. Their phantom-like spirits can be spotted wandering around the grass at night. 

Let Boston Ghosts show you the darker side of Boston. Book a ghost tour with Boston Ghosts tonight. 

To learn about other haunted sites in the U.S., follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. To read more ghoulish tales from Beantown specifically, be sure to check out Boston Ghosts’ blog.

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