STERLING
OPERA HOUSE
Derby, Connecticut
STERLING OPERA HOUSE
Built in 1889, Derby’s Sterling Opera House was one of Connecticut’s premier entertainment venues, hosting figures including Harry Houdini, John Philip Sousa, Amelia Earhart and the Barrymore family before closing in 1945.
THE CASE
After the theater closed and the building was eventually abandoned, another reputation began to grow. Visitors have reported shadow figures, unexplained voices, strange lights and the feeling of being watched. One of the most persistent stories involves a child spirit known as Andy, reportedly heard playing with a soccer ball in the balcony. Whether any of these experiences have a paranormal explanation is another question entirely, but the Sterling’s reputation as one of Connecticut’s haunted theaters has endured for decades.
RISEUP was accompanied by caretakers Rich DiCarlo and Dan Rivera. RISEUP CT was also part of the investigation and helped secure the date. The theater was in a state of repair, and some, if not a great deal, of the reported activity appeared to reveal itself over the course of the night.
One facet of the walkthrough suggested that most, if not all, of the reported KII and EMF meter spikes were caused by underground utilities on the street, which can easily trigger those devices and create a false positive. We had to bear this in mind as we proceeded and felt it was an important point to make.
