History & local legend
Philadelphia's Miller Theater opened as the Shubert in 1918 and was long known as the Merriam. A ghost tradition credited to University of the Arts alumna Amber Lashway describes a woman in white appearing when the theater is almost empty, sometimes high in the seating and sometimes backstage.
The building also follows the theatrical custom of leaving a single light burning on an otherwise dark stage. Kimmel Center president Anne Ewers confirmed the Merriam's use of a ghost light in a 2021 interview.
Sources
- Haunts and History, full University of the Arts entry crediting alumna Amber Lashway, Merriam Theatre subsection
- Peter Dobrin, The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 2021, interviews including Anne Ewers on the Merriam and Academy of Music ghost lights
- Opera Philadelphia, Miller Theater address, original 1918 building and former Merriam name
- The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2016 Kimmel purchase from the University of the Arts and historical ownership
- OpenStreetMap, actual 250 South Broad Street theater footprint
