Centennial Perspectives

Alice the Theatre Ghost

Alice the theatre ghost is said to haunt both the Joe E. Brown and Eva Marie Saint theatres in University Hall. Who Alice is remains a mystery. Some legends say that she was an actress playing the role of Desdemona and was killed by a falling object during a performance of Othello. Other stories say she was a former theatre student who was killed in a car crash while returning to the University to collect her award for Actress of the Year. Superstition holds that Alice must be officially invited to all performances by the stage manager alone on the stage after the final dress rehearsal. Usually, a seat is left for her at each performance. Some students have claimed to see Alice in the theatre; one student even thought he saw her on stage during a performance of Othello. Regardless, if Alice is not invited to the performance, the shows can experience both minor problems and larger disasters.

The Prout Hall Ghost

Alice Prout Hall, built in 1955, was named for the wife of former BGSU President Frank J. Prout. A portrait of Mrs. Prout was hung behind the information desk of the hall as was always a little crooked. It is believed that Prout Hall had a ghost and whenever someone moved the portrait, something bad would happen. In the spring of 2000, Prout Hall was demolished, to make way for the renovation of the Student Union. Currently, the BGSU Bookstore stands in the location of the former Prout Hall, while the portrait of Mrs. Prout has returned to its home.

For more information

For more information about BGSU's ghosts and other supernatural legends, see the BG News Index.

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