September 21st, 2011 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan
Tales of haunted houses and ghost stories that will make your hair stand on end are an American tradition, especially around Halloween. In Washington County, those stories are not only legend, but have become stories to celebrate. Eerie tales from pioneer days of the area’s earliest settlers abound; however, the most bone-chilling are the stories about ghostly spirits from more recent times.
The Haunting of Knight Hall
Founded in 1849 as the “Tualatin Academy,” Pacific University (pictured, left) is one of the region’s oldest academic institutions. Today, it is the site of one of Washington County’s most eerily haunting ghost, Vera.
As legend stands, Vera, a former music student at the school, died in Knight Hall (which today is the admissions building of Pacific University). There are various stories about this eternal student and how her spirit came to inhabit the university, including one tale that she took her own life over an ill-fated love affair.
What is known about Vera is that for decades there have been many sightings of her. She has been heard singing and playing piano and voicing her displeasure at some students’ performances by audibly sighing or telling the budding pianists to “please stop.”
Each Halloween, Pacific University students hold an event, “A Night in Knight Hall,” where students spend the night in the building and attempt to communicate with Vera’s ghost.
Haunted Hotel
McMenamins Grand Lodge (pictured, right) is a stately European-style hotel with a storied past. Built in 1922 as the Masonic & Eastern Star Home, the property originally served as a rest home for Master Masons, their widows and orphans. It has since become synonymous with many strange happenings, aided in part by its colorful wall décor–Masonic imagery and symbols and historical photographs, giving the hotel a uniquely eerie feel.
Various locations throughout the property have been witness to alleged paranormal and unexplained activities. Perhaps the best-known spirit at the Grand Lodge is the “Lavender Lady,” whose presence is known not just by the guest room named in her honor, or by her likeness painted on a wall mural. When the “Lavender Lady” is around, an unmistakable strong lavender scent permeates the hallway.
Stories of the Grand Lodge’s haunting have flourished for years and are folklore for ghost hunters . The hotel’s guests and staffers have shared their tales and sightings in the “ghost log,” which is kept at the front desk to record the strange happenings at the property.
The Phantom of the Theatre
The Venetian Theatre and Bistro, a movie and live performance theatre, bistro and wine bar, (pictured, left) is a site of recent paranormal activity. The building, located in downtown Hillsboro, has experienced a series of mysterious events: unexplained water leaks, lights and music magically being turned on, ghost-like apparitions, and more. These events spooked enough people to warrant bringing in professional ghost hunters.
Last year, a team of paranormal investigators were called in to check out the otherworldly happenings in the building. During the investigation, one especially chilling event happened in the projection room of the theatre. The lead investigator asked the spirit in the only climate-controlled room in the building, to change the temperature. The temperature went from 70 degrees up to 78 degrees, then down to 68 degrees, the preferred temperature for the room.
Long after Halloween is over, these spooky spirits remain, with sightings year-round. Check out the sites for yourself. The next time you smell lavender, it just may be the Lavender Lady welcoming you to Washington County.
(This post was originally published October 2010)
Tags: autumn, fall, Forest Grove, ghost sightings, Grand Lodge, Halloween, haunted places, Hillsboro, mcmenamins, Pacific University, theater, theatre, Venetian
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August 16th, 2010 by Birgitte
I fell in l
ove with Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night when I first watched the 1996 film of the same name starring Helena Bonham Carter. Shakespeare’s wit, plot entanglements, and character mistaken identities got me hooked. When I heard that Bag&Baggage Productions was performing my favorite Shakespeare play, I didn’t hesitate. And a play performed outdoors in the summer was even more tempting.
Bag&Baggage is one of two professional theater companies in Washington County and performances usually are staged at the Venetian Theatre in Hillsboro, Ore. This summer, the talented cast performed the Shakespearean comedy outdoors at the Tom Hughes Civic Center Plaza (also in Hillsboro) July 30 – Aug. 14.
If you weren’t able to make it to “Twelfth Night,” Bag&Baggage has four more productions coming up in their 2010-2011 season, including the Shakespearean tragedy “Macbeth.”
The next show in its season is Tennesee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, which opens September 24th, followed by The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge, a twist on the well-known Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol,” which opens December 10th. Macbeth opens March 11th, and The Mystery of Irma Vep will wrap up the season next May.
Check out Bag&Baggage’s website for more details and ticket information.
Tags: bag & baggage, Bag&Baggage, plays, professional theater, Shakespeare, theater, theatre
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July 8th, 2009 by Allison George
Dancing at the Ball
Did you ever wonder how things went for Cinderella and Prince Charming in the Enchanted Kingdom after 20 years of marriage? Well then, do I have a theatre suggestion for you! “Happily Ever Once Upon” written by Virgina Kidd, is a delightful play that will be presented by the Beaverton Civic Theatre at the Beaverton City Library. This production is jam-packed with familiar fairy tale characters such as Goldilocks, Rumplestilskin, Red Riding Hood, Fairy Godmother, and Rapunzel.
When:
July 9- July 23, 2009
7:30 p.m. Thursdays
8:00 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays
2:00 p.m. Sunday Matinees
Where:
Beaverton Library Auditorium – 12375 SW 5th Street (5th & Hall) Beaverton OR 97005
For reservations call (503) 626-1936 or email beavertontheatre@gmail.com
Cost:
$15 General Admission
$12 Students, Seniors, and Groups
$5 Children ten and under
Community Partnership Performances :
Sunday, July 12: $5 ticket with donation of prom dress to Abby’s Closet
Friday, July 17: $5 ticket with used book, CD, or DVD donation to Friends of Beaverton Library.
Tags: Arts & Culture, beaverton, Events, Family Fun, theater, theatre, washington county oregon
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March 18th, 2009 by Allison George
Does this Oregon weather have you down? Do you happen to be craving sand, surfboards and luaus?! Well, you’re in luck! Go catch the brand-spanking-new Beaverton Civic Theatre’s Inaugural Production of Charles Busch’s “Psycho Beach Party” at the Kingstad Center.
Insider tip #1: Get there early, grab a table close to the stage, order a ‘Starcatini’ hit the “Snack Shack” for appetizers, and be prepared for some jaw-dropping (read: adult situations) funny entertainment!
Samuel French describes Psycho Beach Party as “Gidget‘ crossed with ‘The Three Faces of Eve’ and ‘Mommie Dearest’. Chicklet, a perky teenager in Malibu Beach circa 1962, wants to learn to surf and joins a group of beach bums led by the great Kanaka. Unfortunately, she suffers from a multiple personality disorder. The climax of the 10 member cast is a wild luau scene where hypnosis reveals the shocking root of Chicklet’s psychosis.
Tickets are $15 general admission, $12 seniors and students and groups of 10 or more.
Adult situations. Parental discretion advised. Now they aren’t kidding about that last part.
Insider tip #2: the performance on Thursday the 19th is a pay-what-you-will, also, the opening reception of the new art show in the Kingstad Gallery is happening on the 19th (no charge for the gallery opening).
The production has a limited performance run of 3 weeks starting March 12 through 29.
Show times are Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 pm, and Sunday matinees at 2pm.
Doors open one hour before show time. Come early for best seats and to enjoy dinner or an appetizer from the Kingstad “Tiki Bar and Snack Shack”! Luau attire suggested but not required.
O.K., now pass the Chicken Satay!
Tags: art gallery, beaverton, beaverton civic theatre, kingstad art gallery, Kingstad Center, live performane, play, psycho beach party, theater, theatre
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March 6th, 2009 by Rhiannon
If you’ve read my little bio, you may recall that my wife and I like to take off on what we call our “Mystery Trips.” Just heading out in the car and seeing where we end up. One such trip found us in some podunk burg in Washington state with nothing to offer but video poker and a local play, touted on flyers posted all over town. But we figured, why not?
Well, we ended up seeing a rousing rendition of Guys and Dolls that must have included every last guy and doll for 50 miles. Was it Broadway? No. Not even off-off Broadway. But was it great fun and very entertaining? Definitely.
Unlike that mom and pop operation, Washington County boasts a first-rate community theater company, and only mere minutes from Portland. The Theater in the Grove (in Forest Grove, naturally) is the longest running community theater company west of the Mississippi. And consistently wins rave reviews for their top-notch productions.
On the boards through March 15: Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.”
For more arts and culture in Washington County, or for a list of theatre productions, check out the event calendar.
By Greg Coyle
Tags: arts and culture, Forest Grove, Oregon, performing arts, theater, Theater in the Grove, theatre, washington county, washington county oregon
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McMenamins Grand Lodge (pictured, right) is a stately European-style hotel with a storied past. Built in 1922 as the Masonic & Eastern Star Home, the property originally served as a rest home for Master Masons, their widows and orphans. It has since become synonymous with many strange happenings, aided in part by its colorful wall décor–Masonic imagery and symbols and historical photographs, giving the hotel a uniquely eerie feel.