Paranormal Team Investigates Local Theatre

Ever walk into a room and get the feeling something is there?

The City of Rochester is full of urban legends about buildings that are haunted. The Auditorium Theatre is no expection. Those who work there swear there are spirits.

Ashley Zilka went with a paranormal team to see if it's true.

"Rochester has a long history with paranormal and super natural."

The Rochester Auditorium Theatre is home for broadway shows and concerts.

"Even before I worked at RBTL, I heard rumors that the auditorium was haunted and the building was haunted," said Don Jeffries, RBTL President and CEO.

Built in 1928, the theatre was also the home of the Masonic Temple. They used a room for ceremonies and performances. After all those actors and musicians and masons...are there ghosts left behind?

News 8 went with a team from Monroe County Paranormal Investigations to check it out.

"We do know from past reports that there have been what they call apprehensions or sightings of a ghostly person in the theatre proper," said Rob Pistilli, Monroe County Paranormal Investigations Founder.

The team of ten was founded by Rob Pistilli. They started doing this kind of research in 2004. To begin, they set up cameras in places considered hot spots.

These are specific locations where there has been activity in the past.

"We have a camera that we are going to be facing back to backstage where an apprehension known as Tony, to the people that work here, has actually been seen and heard back behind the stage area," said Pistilli.

The team uses infrared cameras, voice recorders, heat thermometers and something called an EMF meter.

"The common theory is that when a spirit manifests itself, it gives off a magnetic field. It creates a magnetic pulse, so we turn the meter on, we walk around the theater, to see if we get any response," said Pistilli.

According to Rob, the most important tool a paranormal investigator has is themselves; their eyes, ears and senses.

The team ran tests for three hours. A week later News 8 met up with the team to see what they found. As far as solid evidence, happenings found on the devices, they could not confirm anything. As for personal experience, the unexplained footsteps and sightings, they say it's difficult to ignore.

"We heard some footsteps going on in the basement. I believe you experienced that yourself," said Brian Cardilli, Lead Investigator.

Then there were the visuals; things they claim were seen by the human eye.

"There were some lights that you could see. One of our members, Rob, was asking could you block out a light and every time he asked, the light blocked out," said Cardilli.

"We have one of our people, Gary, who has worked with us for a number of years, he swears by it. He swears he has seen it, it's there," said Jeffries.

Whether you believe in paranormal activity or not, one thing holds true. There is a lot of history in the Auditorium Theatre.

As for ghosts? Monroe County Paranormal Investigations says that's up to you.

"If you go whale watching, you know there are whales in the ocean, but you can go out and not see anything. They are there. You know they are there, but you just got to get lucky sometimes," said Cardilli.