BERWICK, Maine — BOO!
The Hackmatack Playhouse is haunted, according to a group of ghost-hunting paranormal investigators.
Everything Paranormal of New England said it detected the spirits of a singing woman and a very angry Native American on the playhouse property.
The good news?
"They're not going to hurt anybody," said the group's founder, Renee Alling.
She and her team, which has investigated several historic homes across New England, scoured the playhouse with infrared cameras, electromagnetic detectors, and audio equipment last month.
She recently presented the evidence to playhouse owner Michael Guptill.
He wasn't surprised by the findings. He said the playhouse property, which has been in his family since the early 1600s, was the site of the "Salmon Falls Massacre." A group of Native Americans burned down a home, killing several of his ancestors.
Alling said an audio recording in a former slaughterhouse next to the playhouse picked up a Native American spirit. The group asked if the spirit burned down the home during the massacre, instructing it to knock once for "no" and twice for "yes." Alling said the recording picked up two knocks.
"It was the strangest thing," she said.
The voice of a singing woman was also recorded; Guptill said it likely belongs to his now-deceased grandmother.
Another piece of evidence was a photo taken inside the playhouse. Alling said the photo contains an "orb" of energy indicating a spirit trying to manifest itself.
Guptill was enthralled. When the paranormal group contacted him about collecting evidence, he agreed because he said it sounded fun and reminded him of the movie "Ghostbusters."
He said he has an "open mind" and "believes in things you can't see."
He is currently preparing for the playhouse's season opener June 24 — a performance of "Cinderella."
There's no word from the spirits if they will be in attendance.
Everything Paranormal will conduct its next investigation this weekend at the 1802 House Inn in Kennebunkport. The group details its findings on its website, www.everythingparanormalnewengland.com.