Aspinock Memories
Ghost stories of The Bradley Playhouse
By Mike Bogdanski
It was just another night, a few years ago, at the Bradley Theatre. The seats were full, and the performance was well underway. An actor was all alone, positioned stage left; ready to make his entrance to the stage. As he listened for his cue to action, he felt a strong grip squeeze his shoulder. Thinking he was all alone, he slowly turned his head. And -no one was there.
He jumped his cue and rushed into the middle of the scene, surprising the actors. After the play, when he related the story, he said, “I knew the ghost was telling me to move, and I didn’t want to go make him mad.”
Recently Jeanne Benoit and I created a series called “Voices of The Flood,” a collection of real-life interviews from the devastating 1955 Putnam flood (on the Aspinock YouTube). This project has spurred me on to compile a new series titled “The Ghosts of the Bradley”.
The Bradley Playhouse, our beautiful historic theater in Putnam, has long been a hub for community arts and entertainment. But according to local lore, the stage isn’t the only place for a dramatic performance. The grand old building is said to be haunted by several spectral residents, adding a layer of eerie mystique to its rich history. 
Did you know the Bradley Theatre had been featured on the TV show “Ghost Hunters” in Season 2, Episode 5 (August 2005)?
I personally have enjoyed many performances in the often busy theatre with its great ambience and energy. Still, it was a different feel as I sat quietly on the stage alone, waiting to interview the legendary local actress Tonya Brock. On this visit, I felt an eerie sensation. As Tonya began to describe her favorite ghost story, I noticed a light turned on through the open door of the men’s room, even though no one else was present in the theatre. 
Coincidence? I think not. I believe it was a welcome from a ghost, and I’m happy to see that my interest in telling their story met their approval.
The most famous of Bradley’s ghostly inhabitants is said to be “Victoria.” While her true story remains a mystery, it’s believed to be the spirit of a former theatergoer or employee who never left the premises. 
Victoria is most often seen on the balcony, a place where she can observe the stage and the audience below. Witnesses have reported seeing a faint, shadowy figure sitting in the empty seats when the theater is dark.
Former manager, Monique related a story as relayed by Pat Green. One night, while cashing out the receipts, she was all alone in the office. Upon hearing laughing and voices, she walked out to an empty lobby. 
She returned to her task and again heard more voices and laughter in the empty theatre. Pat promptly left and went home. 
The next day, she attempted to open the office door (the only way in), but it was blocked by the large safe that was always kept across the room. 
There was no way someone could have blocked the door and exited the office!
Footsteps have been heard echoing in empty hallways, doors have been known to slam on their own, and objects have been moved from their original locations.
The ghosts of the Bradley Playhouse are not considered scary or bad; instead, they are seen as guardians of the theater’s legacy, forever bound to the place where they found so much joy.
 “For the cast and crew, the Bradleys’ history is not a memory—it’s a colleague.”

Aspinock Memories graces the pages of the Putnam Town Crier to keep Putnam’s history alive.

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