Ghost on stage of the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts

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The Spirits of The Las Vegas Academy of the Arts

If you hear about a performing arts high school, your mind might drift to the plotline of a TV show like Victorious or Fame (depending on what generation you’re from). Yet, for the students at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, classes consisting of dance, band, and drama are their everyday reality. But these students have more than stage fright to fear. 

The Las Vegas Academy of the Arts finds itself in the middle of the capital of gambling: Vegas. Over the years, Sin City has seen its fair share of backhanded dealings and backstabbings — sometimes literally. The result of these deals gone wrong has been that some spirits haven’t been able to move on. If you want to get the chance to experience an otherworldly encounter yourself, book a ghost tour with Las Vegas Ghosts tonight. 

Is the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts haunted?

Ghost in theatre
Copyright US Ghost Adventures

Students and teachers alike can speak to strange encounters within the school campus. There are often sightings of a well-dressed man who hangs around the theater. Others have seen a naked child running and playing within the school, only to vanish when they approach him. 

These ghosts may be connected to the days before the building acted as an academy of the arts, back when it was just a normal high school. 

The History of the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts 

In 1930, the first high school in downtown Las Vegas was built. Dubbed Las Vegas High School, the building hosted students as a public high school for 63 years. 

In that time, Las Vegas High School made quite a name for itself. In 1944, the school had an undefeated football team. A few years later, the dance team, the Rhythmettes, earned such a glowing reputation nationally that they got to perform on The Ed Sullivan Show

The school also produced several well-accomplished alumni, including Nevada Senator Richard Bryan and several well-known Vegas judges and lawyers. 

Then, in 1993, the school shifted its focus to the arts. 

The Transition to an Academy of the Arts

The Las Vegas Academy of the Arts is one of the leading arts magnet schools in the United States. Today, they educate 1,750 students on all things arts-related, including vocal music, band, dance, guitar, mariachi, orchestra, photography, piano, studio art, technical theatre, theatre, graphic design, video production, and world jazz studies.

They also boast some impressive alumni, including dancer and actress Julianne Hough, actor Matthew Gray Gubler, known for Criminal Minds, and singer Ne-Yo.  

While the school is celebrated for its academics, it’s also recognized by locals for its spooky experiences. 

The Ghosts of the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts 

If you’re walking around late by yourself at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, you’re probably on high alert. You may catch a glimpse of a shadow going around a corner, only to see nothing when you turn into the hallway. 

Some students report walking through sudden cold patches, where they’ll feel an intense feeling of sadness out of nowhere. There are many other incidents that regularly occur in the school that are chalked up to the school’s spiritual guests, like flickering lights and items being misplaced. 

By the theater, there is a common occurrence of doors slamming during a performance, which does get under the students’ skin. Many of these experiences are said to be carried out by the ghost of Mr. Petri. 

The Ghost of Mr. Petri

Ghost of man in hallway
Copyright US Ghost Adventures

While there are several apparitions that have been seen around campus, one of the most famous ghosts is called “Mr. Petri.” 

Mr. Petri’s origin story has a few different versions. Some claim he used to be a teacher in the original high school, with a few saying his photo is even in the 1968 yearbook. This theory is backed up by several teacher-like experiences people have had with the ghost. 

One student was talking loudly and laughing with her friends in the school. A ghostly figure of an older man in a suit and tie walked toward them and stared them down. He then held his finger to his lips, signifying that they should keep it down. (You can bet they shut up after that.)

Other stories of Mr. Petri’s beginnings claim that he was a teacher who fell into the orchestra pit and perished, which is why he’s often spotted in the theater. Students have seen a spirit in a white tux who always sits in the same seat while they practice their studies. 

Was Mr. Petri a lover of drama? Perhaps he’s just trying to enjoy some good entertainment?

A Former Landowner?

Others believe Mr. Petri wasn’t a teacher at all but a former landowner. In the 1930s, there was a man — named Frank Partie — who sold a plot of land to the man who later developed the property into a school. In fact, the plot of land that Partie sold is the exact spot where the performing arts center now stands. 

Yet, others believe Mr. Petri was an older man who died in a house fire nearby and was never able to find peace. Perhaps that is what he’s seeking as he watches the high schoolers’ performances: a bit of solace? 

The Naked Child Ghost

While Mr. Petri is the most famous ghost at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, he isn’t the only one.

A drama teacher at the school experienced a bizarre encounter with his daughter that he didn’t quite believe at first. They were in the middle of a play when the director started freaking out. “She told me that there was a small naked Mexican boy standing next to her and tugging at her, saying he needs clothes.”

While the teacher ignored her, he finally started to give some credit to her experience when he was packing up to go home. He and his 3-year-old daughter were the only two left in the theater, and his daughter was playing on the stage. When he said it was time to go, she said she wasn’t done playing with her friend. 

The teacher said, “And then she told me, ‘It’s that little boy over there; he doesn’t have any clothes on.’ And after that, we left. She has an active imagination, but she certainly did not make that up out of her head.”

Haunted Las Vegas

Not far from the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts are several other areas of intense spiritual activity, including some of the most famous casinos in the world. Planet Hollywood is known to have many unexplainable entities haunting the seventh floor of their hotel, while The Venetian’s sixth floor is home to a ghostly woman who will walk next to the guests’ beds. 

However, the hotel with the darkest past is the Horseshoe. In 1980, a fast-moving fire killed 85 people within the hotel. Many say their spirits are still active within the building, making their presence known to those who stay there. 

To discover the best of Las Vegas’ eerie side, book a ghost tour with Las Vegas Ghosts

If you want to hear about other spooky spots around the United States, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. To learn about more of Sin City’s spirits, check out our blog.

Sources:

https://www.lasvegasacademy.net/copy-of-about-us
https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/News/Blog/Detail/the-history-of-las-vegas-first-high-school
https://www.lasvegasacademy.net/copy-of-about-us
https://ultimatepopculture.fandom.com/wiki/Las_Vegas_Academy_of_the_Arts
https://theresashauntedhistoryofthetri-state.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-haunted-las-vegas-academy.html

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