Spirit: The Authentic Story of the Bell Witch

The tale of the Bell Witch has been told in various forms, but once Adams native and noted theatrical artist David Alford sat down a few years ago to write his own stage version of this infamous Tennessee ghost story, it seems to have become the staple source of regional public entertainment memorializing those weird events that took place nearly 200 years ago. Any Middle Tennessean with even a passing interest in the occult certainly knows of the 1818-1820 haunting of the John Bell family, in which a spirit named Kate reportedly wreaked emotional—and in some cases, physical—havoc on frightened and bewildered household members. Alford’s script is based on Richard William Bell’s memoir Our Family Trouble, and this open-air pavilion staging is directed by Music City actor Jon Royal. The performers include Robertson County locals—among them, Bell descendants—and also familiar community players from Nashville. It’s a drive into the country—about 45 miles—but with Halloween in the air, it might be worth the road trip for those who love a good spookfest.
Thursdays-Saturdays. Starts: Oct. 22. Continues through Oct. 31, 2009