The Shakespeare Festival St. Louis production this weekend in Maplewood, Remember Me, revolves around ghosts. Maplewood historian Doug Houser wrote in 2013 about a spectre that grew to 10 feet tall as it floated down Sutton Boulevard.
Rick Dildine, artistic and executive director of Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, told St. Louis Magazine that ghosts kept coming up as he talked with Maplewood residents, so it was logical to include a ghost in the original play, which includes elements of Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet.
One Maplewood ghost on record is a “seven foot tall spectre of a woman in a flowing white robe,” Doug Houser wrote in 40 South News in 2013.
From Houser’s article: “Turning south on Setton (sic) with the two ghostbusters close behind, she moved speedily and soundlessly to the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks. Apparently unconcerned with her two watchers she waited about five minutes as if for a train.
“Now here is where the story gets strange. The two observers reported that by the time she reached the tracks she had become at least ten feet tall.
“Oblivious to the two adventurers on her tail, the spectre next turned on Greenwood and disappeared into the darkness thirteen blocks later.
“This adventure occurred on a Monday. Declared a ‘sure-enough ghost’ by the “authorities”, the Maplewood Police Dept. in an attempt to put the community at ease spent Tuesday night trying to capture the spectre. Spectres being notoriously difficult to handcuff, they were unsuccessful but they did catch a glimpse of her.”
See more of Doug Houser’s posts on Maplewood history here.
Those who saw or were part of the production, REMEMBER ME, are invited to come to the Stone Spiral Coffee and Curios on Sutton to discuss the show and share their stories about Maplewood! Thursday, September 22, from 5-6 pm
I still say there are more ghosts in S. City, like at Lemp mansion. You can’t not see a ghost or two there, so I’ve heard.
After we bought our house in Maplewood, someone told us there used to be a ghost named Lily who lived here. We’ve never experienced her, so I hope that means she is at rest and happy to have us. However, sixteen years later, a former owner of our house drove by my yard one day, stopped and said hi, and he asked me if I had ever experienced anything “supernatural” in the house. I said I hadn’t but I did mention the tale about Lily. He replied very somberly, “Yes. My daughter experienced her.” And then he drove off. So, I don’t know if it was a good or a bad experience, and I wish I’d the presence of mind to ask more questions.
Hope 40 South runs more ghost stories as Halloween nears.
This and other stories from the annals of Maplewood history are a fascinating aspect of the script–the “Ghost Puppets” of Maplewood!!!!