Historic ʻIao Theatre

The Historic ʻIao Theatre, a Spanish Mission-style theater in Wailuku that opened in 1928, has a long-reported haunting centered in its dressing rooms. Generations of actors and staff describe feeling watched, hearing voices and footsteps in an empty building, and seeing a misty, gentle female figure sitting quietly in the seats, watching rehearsals. Regulars have nicknamed her "Emma"; cast members say calling out her name during a disruptive night is often enough to make things settle down. A televised paranormal investigation concluded the theater is home to a female presence, likely a young actress from the 1920s.