Star Museum, Abingdon’s amazing East Main Street celebrity memorabilia haven, will raise hair on the back of collective necks during their evening ‘Stagefright’ tours on Thursday-Saturday, October 23-25; and Tuesday-Saturday, October 28-31. All tours start at 7:30 p.m.

‘Stagefright’ showcases C. Robert Weisfeld’s seasonal installation, displaying one-of-a-kind items connected to unforgettable, chilling stories of paranormal experiences, famous and infamous deaths, murders and close encounters with the supernatural. Tours are for ages 16 and up, due to mature subject matter.

The museum has raised Halloween to the rafters, complementing Weisfeld Collection pieces which exemplify or compliment the ‘Stagefright’ theme. Star Museum’s west window is currently featuring a rare ‘In Memoriam’ Cuban poster of Marilyn Monroe. It’s east window dives deep into ‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?,’ showcasing black ensembles and heels from the estates of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis with a rare Cumbow China compote dish serving up a rat. The display eerily conjures up a moment when Davis, enacting the psychotic title role, serves up a rodent to her handicapped sister, depicted by Crawford. This classic moment is one shocker fans cherish, capping a 40-year feud between two legendary showbiz tigresses. Inside, items pertain to doomed daredevil William Holden; actress/director Ida Lupino, who took a chilling phone call from the other side; talented, tragic and self-loathing Montgomery Clift; two famous beauties who died of their worst fears; the original sound era Frankenstein, Dracula and Hunchback of Notre Dame; Hitchcock leading players and the macabre director himself. The latter item is a rare oil portrait of the infamous filmmaker, illustrating movie climaxes in the background---mysteriously executed during WWII by a German Hitchcock enthusiast.

WEHC-FM radio show host Weisfeld, a self-proclaimed spiritualist since 1978, will also share encounters with Washington County ghosts on Plumb Alley, at Barter Theatre and Emory & Henry and inside Star Museum, one of Abingdon’s most documented haunted sites.

The museum’s paranormal activity is the subject of an article, ‘Experienced Ghost Writer on Staff,’ in the current issue of ‘Virginia, Travel!’ The account was penned by famed Haint Mistress Donnamarie Emmert, who also includes Star Museum’s exterior on her Abingdon Spirit Tour. Recent English tourists from Abingdon, England, chose Star Museum as their favorite local destination.

‘Stagefright’ goes clawed-hand-in-black-glove with Emmert’s own ‘Abingdon Spirit Tour,’ an institution now in its 12th year; and the State Theatre’s productions of a wacky award-winning musical, ‘BatBoy,’ as well as a classic crime drama, ‘The Desperate Hours.’

Admission to Star Museum’s ‘Stagefright’ tours is $10, by reservation only. For more, call 276-628-2962; or email to star(at)eva.org. The museum will be closed for All Saints Day, Saturday, November 1.