Paranormal Investigators to Gather Tonight at James McCabe Theatre

It's been rumored for years to be haunted.

In the four decades that the James McCabe Theatre, 506 5th St., Valrico, has been used as a community theater venue, actors and stage hands have reported seeing ghostly apparitions and hearing odd noises.

Now, during an event to raise funds to renovate the historic building, Fire and Ice Paranormal Investigators of Florida and Plant City and Plant City Paranormal Research, in cooperation with United Paranormal International's Historical Preservation Society, will team up to find evidence that the theater is haunted.

The event, which begins at 3 p.m. and runs until 9 p.m., is open to the public. Admission is $10, and all proceeds go to renovating the building.

The event will feature food, games, including Redneck Horseshoes, speakers on paranormal subjects, raffles and music by Juan R. Leon, followed by the paranormal investigation with handheld equipment, said Gary Lee Walters, founder of Fire and Ice Paranormal Investigators of Florida, who has investigated sightings in historic buildings around the state.

The James McCabe Theatre dates back to 1915 when the Valrico Improvement Association raised $3,500 to build the Valrico Civic Center.

The building, a Hillsborough County Historic Landmark, has been owned by the nonprofit Village Players of Valrico community theatre troupe since 1994 and has been the venue of thousands of community theater productions over the past 40 years. It was renamed the James McCabe Theatre following the sudden death of longtime Village Players director and board member, Jim McCabe.