10 Superstitions and Traditions in Theater

Are ghosts fond of theaters?

According to ancient tradition, Thespis was the first actor in Greek drama. It is perhaps no surprise then that he, or rather his spirit, is said to linger in theaters. Thespians (whose name, of course, derives from his) believe that he lives on as a mischievous ghost who causes trouble at theaters, particularly on November 23, the date on which he is said to have first performed onstage. Other ghosts—likely the spirits of former stage actors and crew—are also thought to hang around in theaters around the world. To placate them, many theaters traditionally stay closed for one night every week, leaving the space for the spirits to enjoy—and actually giving the troupe a break. A few seats may be left unoccupied as well during performances, just in case some of the spirits choose to sit and watch. With many theaters being decades or even centuries old and associated with generations of performers and staff, it is no wonder that they are rife with legends of hauntings.

Does the ghost light welcome spirits—or keep them away?

Well, it works both ways—or so thespians believe. A single light bulb, popularly called a ghost light, is lit after dark when the day’s work at the theater is done, and the stage stands empty. The light either helps the ghosts put on their own shows when no one is watching—ensuring that they leave real performances undisturbed—or serves as a warning to the spirits, keeping them away. In truth, the ghost light is also known as the Equity Light or Equity Lamp, supposedly in reference to a rule by the Actors’ Equity Association, and it serves a practical purpose. Usually set at the center of the front of the stage, it ensures that anyone entering a dark theater is able to see the props and other items lying around, thus avoiding potential accidents. It also makes it easier to find the switches for the other lights. Also, a completely dark theater is often seen as a bad sign, as it suggests the theater has closed down. For that reason, people say a theater should never be left entirely without light. After all, a shuttered theater is hardly anyone’s idea of a happy ending.

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Which play must never be named?

One of the darkest of William Shakespeare’s tragedies, Macbeth has earned itself ill repute in the theatrical world. A superstition persists that speaking the play’s name aloud in a theater invokes a curse. Instead, it is referred to as “the Scottish play.” Indeed, stagings of Macbeth seem to be prone to disaster. According to legend, Shakespeare had to play Lady Macbeth on short notice in the first production after the actor cast in the role died unexpectedly. Some subsequent stagings have been dogged by accidents of varying degrees—for instance, falling stage weights narrowly missed Laurence Olivier in 1937 at the Old Vic theater in London. A few years later, in 1942, three actors died when the play was running at the Piccadilly Theatre. Other incidents, including an actress falling off the stage and performers involved in a car accident, have also been reported. One commonly held belief is that the spells that Shakespeare has the three witches recite in the play resulted in a curse on the play itself and its performances. But there appears to be a simple remedy if one happens to utter “Macbeth” in a theater—step outside the theater, spin around thrice, spit, curse, and then knock on the theater door to reenter.

Why is whistling strictly forbidden?

Before technology was used to move props and scenery or to communicate between stagehands, much of the work was done manually. Skilled with ropes and rigging, sailors who were not on ship duty often worked backstage to haul items in the set and operate the curtains. They used different whistles as signals to indicate what action needed to be taken. If someone whistled out of turn, it could signal a cue too early, leading to a misplaced scene change or even a dangerous situation depending on the action taken by the stagehand, such as dropping a prop onto an actor. Although the days of whistling instructions are long gone, it is still thought to bring ill luck if someone whistles in a theater.

Why does saying “good luck” bring bad luck?

Actors prefer not to tempt fate. Among them, wishing someone “good luck”—particularly before a performance—is thought to invite the opposite result. Better to say something injurious instead. So they shout “Break a leg!” A few theories about the origins of the phrase keep doing the rounds. One story says understudies or newcomers would shout this to the leading actors as they went on stage, hoping that they might indeed break a limb so that the newcomers would get their roles. But, of course, it was all said in jest. Another explanation goes back to Elizabethan England, when audiences sometimes tossed coins to actors after a good performance. The performers would bend their knees to crouch down and collect the money, thus “breaking” their legs. It could also refer to bowing after a performance. One of the most common explanations says “break a leg” refers to an actor crossing the stage’s “leg line,” where ensemble performers once lined up. Actors who remained behind this line were not appearing onstage and were therefore not paid. Wishing someone to “break a leg” meant hoping they would cross the line and earn a paid performance. Actors also may be called to appear multiple times past the leg line to bow at the end of the show, which is an indicator of a good performance.

What have the seemingly harmless peacock feathers done wrong?

Apparently quite a lot! Pretty as they are, peacock feathers have long been held responsible for mishaps in the theater: fires breaking out, actors forgetting speeches, or even sets collapsing, all when the feathers were used on stage. Their eyelike motifs have been associated with the evil eye that could curse performances and bring misfortunes. This belief is sometimes traced back to an ancient Greek myth involving Hera, the wife of the chief deity Zeus, and the hundred-eyed giant Argus. Argus, Hera’s faithful follower, was killed by the Greek god Hermes as part of a scheme by Zeus. The grief-stricken Hera placed Argus’s eyes on the peacock’s tail feathers, reflected as the eye-shaped patterns on them. The “all-seeing” eyes have come to be associated with the brutal murder of Hera’s protector and with the goddess’s rage, leading to the belief that the feathers bring calamity, as well as envy and ill will.

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Mirrors and jewelry made of precious metals and stones fare no better. They are also often avoided onstage as traditions attach them to bad luck. But the reasons behind the rule are sensible: Mirrors might reflect and interfere with the lights, while jewelry and money are at risk of being stolen.

What is the case against the color blue?

Well, it was an expensive dye, and that is chiefly what earned it a bad name. Blue has long been considered unlucky in theater, a belief that has its roots in practical reasons. Since producing blue dye was difficult and costly in the early days of theater, blue clothing stood for something premium. Some struggling theater companies dressed actors in blue costumes to create the impression that they were prosperous and could afford such luxury. Unfortunately, the high cost only made their financial problems worse. To prove more definitively that the theater was flourishing, or to break the curse of blue, actors could add expensive silver items to their costume.

Why gift flowers from the graveyard?

Yes, you read that right. On the closing night of a show, people would sometimes steal flowers from a graveyard and present the bouquets to the director and often the leading actress as well. The gesture drew a dramatic parallel between the end of a production and death. However, the real reason behind this custom appears to be simple—they did it for thrift. Actors, who usually earned a modest pay, were often the ones giving the bouquets, and gathering flowers from a graveyard was an easy way to get them for free. Also, whether picked from the graveyard or paid from one’s pocket, giving flowers to actors before a show is strictly forbidden. Many believe that flowers, appropriate as congratulations after a successful show, could very well jinx the performance if given before the actors have taken the stage and earned applause. Superstitions involving flowers don’t end there. Stage productions mostly steered clear of fresh, live flowers, as they gradually dry up, particularly under production lights, and the limp flowers symbolically meant the show was losing its vitality.

Is lighting three candles asking for trouble?

The number three holds special meaning in many religions and belief systems, and in theater it bodes something ominous. More specifically, three candles lit onstage is said to spell danger, putting the theater in peril. There is a bleak belief that the one standing closest to the shortest candle will die first (though the omen is sometimes altered into the happier prediction that they will be the next to marry). The fear of candles may date back to the period before electricity when theaters relied on candles, torches, and gaslight for illumination, and these posed a serious fire hazard.

Which is the best foot forward?

In the theater, actors may be careful about which foot they use when stepping onto the stage. Tradition says they should begin with the left foot when leaving the dressing room or entering the stage. Using the right foot is thought to bring bad luck and possibly curse the performance. This belief may have grown from sailors’ customs. Sailors believed they should step onto a ship with the right foot to ensure a safe voyage, a practice rooted in practicality, as most sailors had a dominant right foot. Because many early stagehands had maritime backgrounds, the idea may have carried into the theater, but in reverse. Another explanation links the choice to the body itself: the heart lies on the left side, and actors, whose work depends on emotion, were thought to lead with that side.