Campus Theatre showing locally made horror movie, hosting paranormal investigation

Oct. 12—LEWISBURG — An award-winning and locally-made feature horror movie returns to the Campus Theatre on Friday for the film's 13th anniversary and to raise money for the historic theater in Lewisburg.

The Feed 13th anniversary fundraiser will start at 7 p.m. Friday with $10 ticket sales going to benefit the Campus Theatre, 413 Market St., Lewisburg. Following the event, a local ghost-hunting club will investigate the building and present its findings later this month.

"I love the Campus Theatre," said director Steve Gibson, of Creature Feature Designs and The Art Academy of Milton. "They were gracious enough to open up their theater to us. They allowed us in and film and have a time with it. It's a fundraiser solely for them."

The film was created by Gibson and the late Jessica Paquin, his fiance, in 2010. They spent six weekends at the Campus Theatre after hours as the filming location and debuted the movie in October 2010.

Inspired by ghost-hunting television shows, the movie focuses on Ghost Chasers, a fictional paranormal reality series that commemorates its fourth-year anniversary by broadcasting its show to the world live. Lewisburg becomes Chatham and the Campus Theatre becomes the Treat Theatre.

"It's a paranormal investigation that doesn't go quite right during this live episode," said Gibson. "They set up to do a live broadcast not knowing the consequences of finding something sinister."

The 73-minute movie is presented as a real live broadcast with fake television commercials, said Gibson.

Shortly after the filming took place in the summer of 2010, the Campus Theatre went through a total renovation. Lovers of the Campus Theatre will be able to see what the building looked like 13 years ago, Gibson said.

The film ran through the horror film festival circuit collecting 23 different recognitions, including four Best Feature awards, two Best Director awards along with several others for music and audience choice. It was screened in more than 25 horror festivals throughout the world.

A reunion panel discussion with the director and actors of the film will follow the movie.

Once the evening is complete, the Coal Region Paranormal Team will do an investigation of the theater. It is not open to the public.

"It would be extremely difficult to conduct a 'genuine' investigation that is open to the public," said CRPT Lead Investigator Rich Rozell. "The more bodies the larger the chance of contamination of any evidence that is captured. It is important to realize that there is not one thing that proves the presence or existence of the Spirit. It is a belief, but no matter what anyone tries to say we do not know anything that proves ghosts or spirits."

Rozell said it is his goal to show empirical evidence that proves the existence of spirits. He said he has experienced inexplicable phenomena.

"With residential investigations, folks are experiencing some of those unexplained things in their home and are looking for answers we attempt to find answers or deal with the possibility of spirit being present," he said.

Rozell said the former owners and employees may have something to communicate during the investigation.

Rozell said he was part of an episode of the paranormal show called Ghost Detectives in 2013. The show investigated the Campus Theatre.

The team will present its findings at 8 p.m. Oct. 28 at the theatre. It is a ticketed event.

The Coal Region Paranormal Team, which was formed 15 years ago, originates from the anthracite coal region of Central Pennsylvania and has members located throughout the region and surrounding communities. Its membership includes persons from every walk of life. All share a common interest in the paranormal and have a desire to help others who are experiencing, or possibly experiencing, paranormal phenomena, according to the CRPT website.

The CRPT sets as its mission a goal of studying the paranormal from a scientific perspective in order to promote a greater understanding of the afterlife for those affected by paranormal phenomena, according to CRPT.

Scotta Magnelli, the executive director of the Campus Theatre, said the showing is both a celebration of the 13th year of the film's release and a celebration of Paquin, the theater's former director of outreach and fundraising when she died in 2018. Paquin was a producer for The Feed.

"I'm thrilled we're honoring her memory and also celebrating Steve, a local guy who has always been a huge Campus Theatre supporter," said Magnelli.

Magnelli wouldn't say definitively whether the Campus Theatre is haunted.

"Just just say, (original owner) Harold Steifel, he used to smoke cigars, that's what he was known for," said Magnelli. "Once in a while, you can smell a little whiff of cigar smoke."

Doors open at 6:30 tonight. Tickets are $10. The movie is rated PG-13.