THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The Folly Theater is said to be watched over by the spirit of longtime manager Joe Donegan, who is sometimes seen dressed in formal white attire and a top hat. Witnesses have also reported a woman in a long gown running toward the stage and other unexplained activity inside the historic theater.
The Folly Theater, known as “The Pink Lady,” opened around 1900 and is haunted by an early manager. Joe Donegan was known for bringing big names to his theater, including the Marx Brothers, Gypsy Rose Lee, Fanny Brice, and prizefighters Jack Dempsey and Jack Johnson. When the theater underwent renovation in the 1970s, witnesses began to notice an apparition in a bowler had, believed to be Joe Donegan, as well as a woman in a long gown running toward the stage.