Within the theater there are many superstitions that actors, crew, and the audience should abide by.

Even if you do not frequent theatrical productions, you should know these rules.

Curse of the Blues

This is an older superstition but is still followed by many actors within our theater department.

Superstition goes that anyone on stage is not allowed to wear blue. Cast and crew can counter this superstition by wearing silver as it counters the “Curse of the Blues.”

Sleep with your script under your pillow

This superstition is more followed by actors than audience members, but everyone should know about it.

It is said that if an actor in a production sleeps with his/her script under their pillow before opening night, it will bring good luck. It is also said that doing this prevents actors from forgetting cues or lines during opening night.

Never give flowers before a performance

It is tradition to give flowers to actors on the night of opening performances.

However, audience members are to never give the flowers before the performance because it is told to bring bad luck.

Only give flowers after the performance to congratulate actors on their success.

Mirrors are never to be on stage 

Mirrors have always been talked about as being bad luck. But when a mirror is on stage, it is taken as serious as can be.

There are to be no mirrors of any kind in the auditorium, for it will certainly bring disaster to any performance.

Ghostly light

If you have ever wondered why there is always one light left on in an auditorium at all times, it is because of this superstition.

Every auditorium has a “ghost light” which is a light in the auditorium that is never turned off. The light keeps the ghosts out.

Haunting

Most auditoriums have their own stories of haunting, so each theater has its own rules and superstitions.

The Kearsley High School auditorium is said to be haunted by Kearsley’s first superintendent, Mr. George Daly

No whistling in the wings

It is said that if you whistle while on the wings it will bring bad luck to the entire play.

So if you ever find yourself backstage, do not whistle any of your favorite tunes.

Never say ‘Good Luck’

This is one that actors and crew take a lot of caution with.

The worst thing you can do to an actor is wish them luck before a show. Proper theater etiquette is to say, “Break a leg.”

For your own safety, we recommend never wishing an actor good luck.

Never say ‘Macbeth’

This is the most sacred superstition of actors.

There are many protocols that you have to follow if you find yourself accidentally saying the real name of “The Scottish Play.”

Kearsley has seen a personal story of what happens when the name “Macbeth” is said during a play.

After the theater department put on its rendition of “Macbeth,” bad luck hit the cast.

Cast members forgot their lines, technical difficulties hit the stage, and sickness struck the troupe.

On top of all these things, one streak of bad luck hit the leading character who played the part of “Macbeth.”

Yours truly had an unpleasant situation occur after the night of a performance. I was driving home from the high school and was pulled over by the police while covered in fake blood from the play.

It was hard for me to explain to the officer why I was covered in fake blood.