SALT LAKE CITY — The spotlight at the Salt Lake Acting Company (SLAC) doesn’t just shine on living performers. Some say the historic building’s spectral audience never left their seats.

Housed inside the 19th Ward Meeting House, built in 1892, the distinctive structure on Salt Lake City’s west side has a long and storied past. Once a place of worship, it was transformed into a theater in the 1980s — and, according to many who work there, it came with a few uninvited yet friendly residents.

“We’ve got very protective, friendly ghosts,” said Cynthia Fleming, SLAC’s Executive Artistic Director, during a tour of the building. “They’ve been with us for years, and we kind of love that they’re here.”

Upstairs Theater: Friendly Spirits or Stage Guardians?

Standing in the upstairs theater, which once served as the church gymnasium, Fleming noted that paranormal investigators had previously confirmed a “positive presence.”

“They told us the spirit here is more like a protective patron than a poltergeist,” she said.

FOX 13 News joined Fleming’s team for a late-night investigation, using an EMF reader to detect electromagnetic energy — a common ghost-hunting tool. While the device remained quiet at first, it suddenly began to spike near a dark hallway and small back room.

As the reporter asked, “Is anybody in this room?” the reader’s lights began to flicker. Each step closer caused the readings to drop, as if the energy were moving away — adding to the mystery.

Chapel Theater: Lights That Refuse to Stay Off

The crew then descended to the Chapel Theater, located in what used to be the church’s sanctuary. While most areas stayed quiet, one side room provided an eerie moment.

Fleming explained that staff often found the light in that room turned on after hours — even when they were sure it had been switched off.

When investigators asked aloud if “someone liked turning the light on,” the EMF reader spiked sharply, prompting gasps from the crew before quickly returning to silence.

The Pit: A Grand Finale Beneath the Stage

The final stop was “the pit,” an underground space below the theater known among staff as the building’s most active area.

“This is where the big stuff happens,” Fleming warned with a laugh. “There’s supposed to be an angry ghost down here — but don’t worry, it won’t hurt you.”

Moments after stepping into the dark space, the EMF reader flared into the red, signaling intense activity before abruptly going still again.

Later, Erik Reichert, SLAC’s Props Designer and Construction Supervisor, suggested the building’s old architecture might explain some of the phenomena. He pointed to an old coal room and tunnel system beneath the stage — remnants of the structure’s 19th-century heating system.

“There’s a lot of hidden rooms and passageways down here,” Reichert said. “It’s easy to see why people think something’s still lingering.”

As if on cue, the EMF reader spiked again in his hands.

The Show Must Go On — With Company

Whether it’s flickering lights, cold spots, or unexplained noises, SLAC’s staff have grown used to their ghostly co-stars.

“We love our ghosts at Salt Lake Acting Company,” Fleming said. “They make this place special. Maybe the best seats in the house are already taken — by someone from another time.”

For those brave enough to attend a show, perhaps the next standing ovation at SLAC will come from beyond the grave.