On an unseasonably warm October night, families and friends met at Barnard Town Hall for the third biennial Haunted Village Theater. Guides led visitors to five outdoor locations in the picturesque town to see a musical performance and Halloween-themed scenes penned by local writers.
The spooky evening was created and produced by BarnArts Center for the Arts, a community theater group that includes cast and crew from the area. Students from a theater class at Randolph Union High School designed the makeup for the creepy performers, which included dancers at a masquerade ball, a ghost and a corpse.
“We appreciate bringing the arts out into our town.”
Linda Treash
In the latest episode of “Stuck in Vermont,” Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger followed a tour group through the town and met a ghost wearing petticoats, a coffin maker and the Lady of Silver Lake.
Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about filming the episode.
How did you hear about this event?
I was on the lookout for a Halloween story, and Haunted Village Theater was spotlighted in the Seven Days calendar — an excellent place to find unique activities in our state.
How was your evening?
I took the first tour, so it was still daylight when we started out. This was my first time in Barnard, and Haunted Village Theater was an excellent way to explore it by foot. Our route led to scenes in an apple orchard, on the shore of Silver Lake, on the Dorothy Thompson Memorial Common, beside Sinclair Lewis’ writing cabin and by the old firehouse. As BarnArts executive director Linda Treash said, “We appreciate bringing the arts out into our town and having people walk around.”
What was the scariest scene?
“The Cask of Amontillado,” written by Edgar Allan Poe, inspired the final scene of the night. It took place inside the old firehouse, which was meant to be dank catacombs where one of the characters is buried alive. The severe red lighting and monstrous shadows combined with creepy music and excellent acting to really spook the audience. Children in attendance also contributed eerie sound effects.
How many people attended?
There were seven tours, 224 attendees, 23 volunteers, 19 actors and 11 crew members. I have covered many community theater groups in rural Vermont over the years, and it’s always a treat to meet these creative artists making magic in small towns.
What was your favorite scene?
“The Lady of Silver Lake” was written and performed by Norwich resident Erin Bennett. Her husband, Aaron Michael Hodge, was the director and acted with her. It took place in the most visually stunning spot. The fall foliage hugged the lake, and a breeze lifted Bennett’s shawl as she told her sad story. I imagine this got even creepier after the sun set.
When is the next Haunted Village Theater?
You won’t be able to catch another event like this until 2027, but BarnArts has many year-round offerings, from holiday cabarets to outdoor summer theater. Founded in 2012, BarnArts has never had a physical location, but it plans to build a home on the site of the old firehouse, where the tour concluded. And yes, it will probably look like a barn.
The original print version of this article was headlined”Ghost Town | BarnArts’ Haunted Village Theater builds community in Barnard”
This article appears in Nov 5-11 2025.
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