HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
Cripple Creek's historic opera house, rebuilt after the 1896 fires and reportedly haunted by Jack — a ghost who plays the piano and appears as a full-body apparition
139 E Bennett Ave, Cripple Creek, CO 80813
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Ticket prices vary by production; check Imperial Casino website for current shows and pricing
Access
Wheelchair OK
Street-level entrance on Bennett Avenue; seating accessible for most mobility levels
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1896 · Rebuilt after the April 1896 Cripple Creek fires that destroyed most of downtown · Associated with Imperial Hotel and Casino; one of Colorado's oldest active theaters · Nominated stop on Cripple Creek ghost tour circuit
Cripple Creek's theater district on Bennett Avenue dates to the gold rush era of the early 1890s. The April 1896 fires — two separate blazes within days of each other — destroyed most of the original frame buildings in downtown, and the rebuilt Butte Theater reflects the brick construction that replaced the earlier structures.
The theater is associated with the Imperial Hotel and Casino next door and has served as a performance venue through the late 19th century, the decline of the mining boom, and the 1991 legalization of limited-stakes gambling in Cripple Creek that revived commercial activity on Bennett Avenue. It continues to present melodramas and summer theater through its association with the Imperial Casino operation.
The ghost designated Jack in local accounts has been described as connected to the Cripple Creek Fire Department, which operated nearby. Accounts of Jack predate the 1991 casino era and are tied to the theater's operational history as a performance space. His appearances as a full-body apparition and the piano-playing incident have been cited in regional tourism materials and ghost tour documentation.
Sources
The ghost called Jack is the primary paranormal figure associated with the Butte Theater. Witness accounts describe a full-body apparition, meaning a figure visible enough that observers initially mistake it for a living person. The association with the Cripple Creek Fire Department — a detail cited in regional ghost tour literature — suggests the accounts are meant to anchor Jack's identity in a specific institutional role, though no documented historical death in the theater has been identified in available sources.
The self-playing piano is the most-reported physical phenomenon. Accounts of a piano producing sound without a visible player have been noted by theater staff and are included in multiple regional ghost tour presentations. Unlike some piano accounts at historic venues, which are attributed to aging mechanisms or vibration, the Butte Theater accounts describe sounds with melodic content rather than random key strikes.
US Ghost Adventures includes the Butte Theater as a featured stop on its Cripple Creek walking tour, and Triple Crown Casinos — which operates multiple Bennett Avenue properties — includes Jack in its broader documentation of Cripple Creek's paranormal character. The Royal Gorge Region tourism board also cites the theater in its coverage of Cripple Creek's haunted reputation.
Notable Entities
The Butte Theater is a named stop on Cripple Creek ghost tours operated by US Ghost Adventures and other regional tour companies. The theater's paranormal history — centered on the ghost called Jack and the self-playing piano — is presented as part of the walking tour narrative on Bennett Avenue.
The Butte Theater presents melodramas and other productions during the summer season, typically June through September. The theater is associated with the Imperial Casino next door and is one of the oldest continuously operating theatrical venues in Colorado. Performances take place in the historic auditorium where Jack's presence has been reported.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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