Haunted Plymouth: The Silver Ghost

Could Plymouth State University be haunted? For centuries, tales of ghosts and haunting's have been a cropping up in places all around the world. The origins of these stories can be difficult to trace and stories tend to change as they’re passed along from one generation to the next, but there is always one consistency in each of them; there is something supernatural out there. 

The same applies to PSU’s Silver Center for the Arts. For years, the so-called “Silver Ghost” has been rumored to haunt the halls and theaters of Plymouth State’s performing arts center. For years, stories have been passed along about strange experiences, cold spots, and sometimes even actually sightings of this ghost in and around the Studio Theater and costume shop in the Silver Center. 

“When I first got here there was talk about her,” said Theater Department Chair, Paul Mroczka. “She’s been described as having black hair, dressed all in white, around 19 years old.” 
The Silver Center opened in 1992, and contains three different stages: Hanaway Theater, Smith Recital Hall, and the Studio Theater. The last (and oldest) of which has been rumored to be a frequent haunt of the Silver Ghost. 

“Most of the time people have described running into her in the Studio Theater,” said Mroczka. “She seems to be attracted to certain female performers…some people attract these things, I’m not one of those people.” 

Many theaters throughout America have rich histories of ghost sightings, certain Broadway theaters particularly. This is rumored to have something to do with the fact that so many people come through theaters, either as performers or spectators, and in the afterlife those who had passion for the theater arts just could not bring themselves to leave. On the other hand, there have also been those who say that people with careers in theater just have overactive imaginations. 

There have been those with their fair share of these experiences in the Silver Center. Danee Grillo, the Silver Center’s Costume Shop Manager, described an experience with former student Nicki Mandiola. “In the prop room, there was this tree with fake greenery on it...there are two doors to the room, the other one being locked all the time, and there are no windows. Nicki was talking about the ghost, and as soon as she was finished saying whatever it was, one leaf out of the pile of leaves began shaking and moving really fast. None of the other ones were moving at all.” 

This is only one of the many experiences told by students and staff coming through the theater department. There are those who are certain that there is something there, and there are those who are on the fence about the idea. 

“I have not experienced the Silver Center Ghost personally…I’ve felt like maybe there was something there. Whether it was a ghost or not, I can’t say, but it was certainly sketchy,” said Sophomore Theater Major, Leo Curran. “I don’t see why ghost’s wouldn’t exist…just by sheer lack of knowledge it seems completely plausible that ghosts could exist.” 
There are also those who deny that any such thing is possible. 

“When you’re afraid of the dark in general your mind will compose what it wants to see sometimes,” said Junior Musical Theater Major Nick Kalantzokas. “I think when you’re in a state of anxiety of fear your mind can play tricks on you…I don’t believe in ghosts.”
Whether students believe in the supernatural or not, one can’t help but think about the different stories and experiences that have been told for years, and wonder what other mysteries could be out there.