Please note, this post has not been updated with changes related to COVID-19. We recommend contacting individual businesses to confirm availability and downloading the Salem App for the latest updates.
Hanging judges, cursed colonels, haunted hallways:
Bring a friend and hang on!
For those who like a little fact with their fright, a little history with their hi-jinx, head for The House of the Seven Gables in October where truth is always stranger than fiction. On select weekend nights, two original theatrical events are staged in The House of the Seven Gables and the Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace. Each performance lasts 35 minutes and they begin every 5 or 10 minutes between 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. Tickets for individual shows or combination tickets for both performances are available. During the day, tours tip gently toward the dark side as visitors brave the Secret Staircase and marvel at a way of life long since passed. Daytime hours at The Gables are 10 am to 7 pm
Theatrical performances
Legacy of the Hanging Judge
In 1692 the Salem Witch Trials wrought havoc on a small New England community. “Legacy of the Hanging Judge” replays the events in the words of those who lived through the harrowing times —and those who did not fare as well. The performances take place in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birth house. Prepare to be interrogated by magistrate John Hathorne, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s great-great grandfather, infamous for his role in the condemnation and deaths of accused witches. Encounter the tormented, the accused and their accusers in this interactive theatrical experience. Beware. You may find yourself accused of “writing in the devil’s book!”
October 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, and 27 from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Performances begin every ten minutes in The Nathaniel Hawthorne birth house and last approximately 35 minutes. Last performance begins at closing. Advance ticket purchase highly recommended. Visit 7gables.org for information and tickets.
Spirits of the Gables
Guilt! Greed! Revenge! Step into the world of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “House of the Seven Gables.” Watch as his troubled characters haunt the mansion’s halls, entangled in a family curse. Matthew Maule condemns Colonel Pyncheon with words that become his fate — “God will give you blood to drink!” Creep through The Gables at your own risk, for as long as there is a Pyncheon descendant inside, legend has it, only darkness and death will fill its walls.
October 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, and 27 from 8:00 to 10:00 pm.
Performances begin every five minutes in The House of the Seven Gables and last approximately 35 minutes. Last performance begins at closing. Advance ticket purchase highly recommended. Visit 7gables.org for information and tickets
Rates
Tickets for each of the plays is $16 or $30 for a combination ticket. The combination ticket is available for any two performances on the same evening. Advance ticket purchase highly recommended. Visit 7gables.org for information and tickets.
