December 21, 2001 (Recheck: July 2002, February 25, 2004, March 1, 2005)
Clearwater, Florida
The chairs were empty. This image was taken on the third investigation, when we continually felt a warm column of air above one of the theater chairs. The column of air actually moved but remained distinctive (round shape, leveled as if sitting in a chair). Did we capture a picture of the apparition?
Below: This was captured by one of the original SPIRITS co-founders, Lee West, who has since passed away. He took multiple shots of the stage but when they started to play music, he got the sensation of someone dancing. He took the photo with a digital camera and got the bold orb below. Dust? Ghost? Maybe. This shot is from 2001 and uses a digital camera, but older cameras from this time tended to produce dust orbs that are flat and featureless. Out fo the years that we spent investigating, this was the only orb he captured like this.
April 30, 2004
(Above: This is an outline from a talk given at the Royalty Theater. There are two images that were captured at the theater that are in this handout. They are currently missing from the computer so feel free to download and check out some very unusual images from this investigation).
Information on the haunting:
Established in 1896, the Royalty Theater is the oldest building in Clearwater, and has had several incarnations during its long history. It started as a performing arts theater, but was converted to a marquee in the 1920s. It housed Air Force and Marine troops during the World Wars. In the 1960s, the building was nearly destroyed by a storm. It served part of the 1970s as a church, but returned to showing movies in the 80s. Finally, the Royalty was closed in 1995. The building was slated for destruction
The Royalty’s owner, Socrates Charos, bought the building in 1995 after a vivid dream led him to the theater and began to restore it. That is when the phenomena began.
He has reportedly invoked Archangel Michael into the building and had it blessed once by a priest.
Currently, the building is listed as a historic site. Charos has recently been granted permission to expand into a museum and plans to add statues of classical thinkers to the area. He encourages visitors to come inside and experience the soothing atmosphere he associates with the building.
II.Socrates:
–A dance instructor from Greece
Has had one prior haunting experience in a home he owned. Toys moved of their own accord, even when no one was there.
First Investigation: Pre-Investigation: Events before the SPIRITS first investigation
–Entities who reside in the theater are very active in expressing themselves.
–Reports: They often cause the lights to flash or chandeliers to dance
–Trip the alarm system after everyone has gone for the night.
–Aromas, esp. of lilies
–Heightened activity during the holidays
–Claimed theatre keeps out those who don’t belong, attracts those who do
–Animals have a strange attraction to the theatre
–Prays on stage; healing areas
–Strange inverted letter “A” that would not go away until the theatre was blessed. It was painted over and still reappeared until the blessing.
–The entities also manifest on film. Charos has a scrapbook filled with photos tourists have taken in the theater and sent to him, showing mists, orbs, and apparitions.
–One of his favorite images was taken the night of Dec. 31, 1999. It reveals a human shaped blue-white aura towering inside the theater. Charos believes that was the first captured manifestation of the archangel Michael (or Jesus) inside the building.
–Socrates reported that one Royalty Theater employee chased a floating ball of energy in the theatre one day
–During reconstruction of the theatre all of the plastic sheeting flew up at once.
–Reconstruction guided by dreams
Ghosts known before the SPIRITS investigation:
1) The Captain: While working alone one evening, Charos looked up to see a man standing at the front door. Dressed as a captain, he wore a blue coat with a fisherman’s hat. He had blue eyes and a goatee. Keeping his hands in his pockets, he greeted the theater’s new owner. It was as the man walked forward that Charos noticed he had no legs.
“The ghost walked through me, went into the theater, and vanished. What an introduction! He was horrible and often harassed ladies by grabbing their legs and rears. He also used to make terrible noises, similar to pounding on metal pots, around the front stage.”
Charos finally had the theater blessed by a priest, and the captain, much to everyone’s relief, has appeared no more.
(–None of the women on the investigation felt anything unusual)
2) Angelina: Those who run the theater call her “Angelina” or “Angelica,” and she appears to be a young woman who died early in the 20th century. A lover of music and dance, she seems naturally attracted to the Royalty, and is a patron of Charos. He believes that she is the force who drew him to the building.
3) Bill: The third ghost may be that of a man killed in the theater during the 1980s. One of the managers there, he was murdered by drunken tourists who suspected he was homosexual.
His love for the building, however, overcomes his grisly death. He remains as a guardian, watching for the safety of those who come through.
“He actually kept someone from falling,” Charos adds. “When the theater was being renovated, one of the workers slipped. He almost went over the railing, but he felt someone grab him and pull him back. When he stood up, no one was there. We think our ghost friend was looking out for him.”
Additional information: Brandy did a news interview at the theater. After the piece aired, she asked the reporter if anything odd had been captured during the filming. The reporter was a bit tense and did say that when they played the piece back there was a question where the reporter asked me if I believed in ghosts. I did respond (and admittedly, I did a very careful response so it’s a bit long winded), yes. Right at that point, there is an unknown voice on the recording saying “hmmmmm…”. The camera man could not identify it and was a bit unnerved by it. I asked to get a copy of the recording (which was not aired) but was told they do not give that out.
This is the same location where the SPIRITS came with radio reporters for a different interview than the one above. We broke up into two groups. My group was walking through the aisles when EMF went off. We started to walk up the rows to find the source of the disturbance. One person suddenly found a warm spot — which I came over and also confirmed. It hovered about the area where a person’s head would be were they sitting in the chairs. The hot spot was distinctly warm with rounded edges — it felt like an invisible warm area of air. We could not find any reason for the hot spot. We alerted the second team that there was “something in the area” but did not say what. We moved from the area where the warm spot was and stood to the side as the second group came through. They walked up and down the rows, including the one where we had found the warm spot. I was incredibly disappointed that they found nothing….until they moved approximately three rows in front of where we had our experience. There, this group also discovered a warm spot at nearly the same height as ours (head area), and I asked them to describe the sensation. We were told that it was round. The speculation is that the orb belonged to a ghost who got tired of being poked at by one team and attempted to move to another location, only to be found by the second. When we searched the area together a third time, the warm spot was completely gone. (We did verify no vents were on, there were no air currents, windows, or other reason for this to happen).
It is one of the few cases EVER where this has happened.
We had several instances, particularly back stage, of someone feeling that their hair was tugged, or a strand of hair was pulled out.
There were instances of people reporting aromas from cigars to lilies to the smell of oil or grease.
Articles and talks on the Royalty Theater:
Maybe the third time really IS the charm. We went back to Royalty Theatre for a live radio broadcast of an investigation. It was a risky venture; the spectral world does have a sense of humor, particularly when the media is involved. Would the entities cooperate and manifest with a radio crew present?
This investigation started off a bit more unusual than the others. The activity, itself, took place on a Wednesday evening instead one of our usual weekend excursions. Each of the attending members dragged into the place on a drizzly evening after work.
Also, it was the Christian holiday of Ash Wednesday. It was topical, as the Royalty claims a connection with the angelic. Socrates Charos, the owner of the Royalty Theatre, had referred to more active happenings during religious holidays.
Several of the attending members had been to prior investigations at the Royalty, while others were new to it, but had heard the stories. Therefore, not all went in “cold” to the haunting activities.
Happily, the entities did decide to cooperate with us with new forms of manifestations. One of the first things to happen was a “hot spot” hovering approximately 2 feet above seat level. The “spot” had dimensions and “felt” like a round ball of heat. Hands that touched the spot increased in temperature, though the area itself did not register any ambient heat or EMF activity. In addition, at least 9 different individuals were able to find and identify the ball. Perhaps distracted by our attention, the energy actually shifted over several seats to hover again.
The most impressive image of the night was snapped by one of the radio personnel. Utilizing a digital camera without flash, and in the presence of 6 SPIRITS members, the theater owner, two guests, and other radio crewmen, the picture captured a flame-like anomaly arching across several seats in the audience. The cause for the image is unknown. However, Charos did offer one theory: the theatre’s supernatural occupants like the attention and the energies of the group.
Other areas of activity included old favorites, as example: a chair backstage rocked without being touched. The stage spewed forth several orb images. The balcony had a hovering EMF patch above another chair. Photographs later revealed an orb floating over the area.
The old theatre never fails to awe those who visit it. Filled with positive energies and active spirits, community projects and noteworthy intentions, the Royalty remains a wonderful venue to visit. Perhaps part of its charm is in the reciprocal relationship between the living and those beyond the veil: each keeps the other well entertained.
Article published in “Bayside News”
Brandy Buchanan
Many have experienced the thrill of the theater. As an institution, it has survived despite centuries of war and illness, plague and political upheaval. Theater buildings stand as monuments to human creativity, offering tantalizing glimpses into the human psyche. Even death, it appears, does not deter some from returning to these favored locations.
Socrates Charos knows this well. A dance instructor from Greece, this enigmatic and charming man now owns the Royalty Theater, in Clearwater. He can attest to the persistent presence of supernatural influences.
Established in 1896, the Royalty Theater is the oldest building in Clearwater, and has had several incarnations during its long history. It started as a performing arts theater, but was converted to a marquee in the 1920s. It housed Air Force and Marine troops during the World Wars. In the 1960s, the building was nearly destroyed by a storm. It served part of the 1970s as a church, but returned to showing movies in the 80s. Finally, the Royalty was closed in 1995. The building was slated for destruction but Charos, following a dream, purchased the theater, refurbishing and reopening it to the public.
Entities who reside in the theater are very active in expressing themselves. They often cause the lights to flash or chandeliers to dance if they like a performance. Sometimes a little mischievous, they trip the alarm system after everyone has gone for the night.
The entities also manifest on film. Charos has a scrapbook filled with photos tourists have taken in the theater and sent to him, showing mists, orbs, and apparitions.
At least three presences have made themselves known. While working alone one evening, Charos looked up to see a man standing at the front door. Dressed as a captain, he wore a blue coat with a fisherman’s hat. He had blue eyes and a goatee. Keeping his hands in his pockets, he greeted the theater’s new owner. It was as the man walked forward that Charos noticed he had no legs.
“The ghost walked through me, went into the theater, and vanished. What an introduction! He was horrible and often harassed ladies by grabbing their legs and rears. He also used to make terrible noises, similar to pounding on metal pots, around the front stage.”
Charos finally had the theater blessed by a priest, and the captain, much to everyone’s relief, has appeared no more. None of the women on the investigation felt anything unusual, and unseen hands goosed no one.
The second spirit, however, is quite unique. Those who run the theater call her “Angelina” or “Angelica,” and she appears to be a young woman who died early in the 20th century. A lover of music and dance, she seems naturally attracted to the Royalty, and is a patron of Charos. He believes that she is the force who drew him to the building.
During the SPIRITS team investigation, members sensed her presence. In the offices at the top of the second balcony, two people smelled the aroma of incense. Equipment recorded several areas of unusual EMF (electromagnetic energy), and at least one photograph taken shows a possible aura enveloping one of the team members.
She was also sensed on the stage, particularly during the inspired performance of a young man playing the piano. More readings were taken, but proved inconclusive. It was the photographs that gave tangible proof of her presence. A very large and solid orb image appears in one picture. Another captures a white streak near the back stage curtains. Several show multiple orbs near the ceiling.
“I felt as if she was a carefree spirit. I could almost envision her dancing around the stage to the music, even as we did our investigation,” adds Karen West.
The third ghost may be that of a man killed in the theater during the 1980s. One of the managers there, he was murdered by drunken tourists who suspected he was homosexual.
His love for the building, however, overcomes his grisly death. He remains as a guardian, watching for the safety of those who come through.
“He actually kept someone from falling,” Charos adds. “When the theater was being renovated, one of the workers slipped. He almost went over the railing, but he felt someone grab him and pull him back. When he stood up, no one was there. We think our ghost friend was looking out for him.”
At least one SPIRITS member sensed a shift in the atmosphere in the area of the balcony. However, nothing appeared through readings or photographs.
Currently, the building is listed as a historic site. Charos has recently been granted permission to expand into a museum and plans to add statues of classical thinkers to the area. He encourages visitors to come inside and experience the soothing atmosphere he associates with the building.
It is well worth the visit, as the Royalty Theater, ornate and stately, stands a witness to the love of patrons, past, present, and future.
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