Ghosts. The mystery of a lifetime. Some people are convinced that these spirits are real and have power over the living. Others are in denial, claiming that ghosts are a human invention. But we, current students of Las Vegas Academy of the Arts (LVA), know better. We know that there is evidence. We know what haunts our campus. We know that ghosts are real. 

LVA has been around for quite some time, and there have always been rumors of hauntings around the buildings. Built-in 1905, there are no doubts that the school has been around to see its fair share of death, decay, and tragedy. Other than its history, there are many factors that prove the existence of ghosts on campus. 

The most prominently haunted places at LVA are its theaters, the Performing Arts Center (PAC), and the Lowden Theatre. Frasier, an ancient LVA building, is also rumored to have its share of supernatural activity. An article on signs of haunted buildings lists various indications of ghostly activity that can be found all around the campus. 

The first sign is unexplained temperature drops. LVA students are consistently complaining about the cold, especially in the oldest buildings- Frasier and the PAC, where temperatures can be lower than 70 degrees. The Lowden Theatre is also known to be very cold. This is just one of the many signs of a haunted location.

The next sign of haunting is unidentifiable sounds. Deep in the basements of the theaters and Frasier, many odd sounds echo as you roam the dark halls. This unexplained phenomenon can only be the result of one thing… ghosts. 

Elizabeth Strehl, none other than the Accolades supervisor, is a believer. In fact, Strehl has multiple detailed experiences with otherworldly activity. “I’ve had at least two experiences. One was at Colonial Williamsburg which is well documented as being haunted, and I was staying at the John Tyler house. I had a bag that was quite a ways away from the sink and ended up upside down in the sink and it couldn’t have fallen that way.” 

Strehl also adds that “I actually have a photograph and I had my husband inspect it to see if there was something I was missing. But I have two shots that are taken seconds apart. And there is a shadow in the second one and it’s a clear outline of a person. But there was no person to create the shadow and there wasn’t an angle possible to create that shadow without having the person in the photo.” These anecdotes from Strehl are extremely valuable in proving that ghosts are in fact real. If supernatural beings can exist in other places, why not LVA?

Yet another sign of haunting that occurs at LVA is the random movement of objects. I, co-writer Ethan Andrew, have personally experienced this in the basement of the Lowden Theatre. As I searched for costumes, the lights refused to turn on, (electrical glitches are also a sign of paranormal activity). I had to resort to using my phone flashlight in my search. From the opposite side of the room, I heard hangers clicking together as if someone was searching for something through the clothes. I walked to go see who had joined me, but found I was completely alone. Spooked, I moved to the next costume room, but before I even opened the door, I heard it again. Hangers, clicking together as if someone was pushing the costumes aside. I was completely alone and standing perfectly still outside of the room and yet… the costumes were moving. I cannot describe it as anything other than the supernatural. 

More signs are odd behavior, feelings of depression and anxiety, seeing things, and feeling presence. All of these things are experienced at LVA. Specifically, these signs are most common in the haunted halls of theaters. What other explanation could there be for the grouping of these emotions and experiences in this specific location other than the presence of the paranormal? 

Even with all this evidence, some people are still not convinced. Conner Hollister, a fellow student, is confident that ghosts are nothing but fiction. “There is no scientific proof,” says Hollister. “The only reason you believe in ghosts is because of coincidences.” While Hollister is persistent in their reasoning, they don’t think less of those who believe in ghosts. “I wish they were real, but they’re not.”

Another student, Jeffery Dickson (alias), is not as kind to ghost believers as Hollister. “They simply aren’t real. That’s it,” says Dickson. When asked to give a message to ghost believers, Dickson said: “Y’all are weird. Get a hobby.” Although Dickson vehemently disagrees with our claim, he has yet to give any solid reasoning on why ghosts aren’t real.

 So is the main reason for disbelief simply the lack of scientific evidence? Or is it something else? Is it the fear of adventuring into the unknown? Is it the insecurity of being made fun of for your beliefs? Answer us, non-believers. Ghosts are real. If you can’t accept it, fine. Live in ignorance. We, the believers, will always know the truth.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Elizabeth Strehl

The hotel where the following unexplainable photos were taken.