Shivers and shrieks, get a firsthand look into paranormal activity with Dustin Pari

Sometimes, it seems that paranormal programming has taken over cable TV. From “Ghost Adventures” to “The Dead Files,” shows centered on the supernatural have become ubiquitous.

Beginning in 2005 and continuing to the present, paranormal investigator Dustin Pari has been a fixture on one of the signature shows in the genre, Syfy’s “Ghost Hunters.”

But talk of ghosts will soon be coming to a theater near you. On April 17, in the Southern Theatre, Pari, a native and resident of Rhode Island, is to present a live show called “Ghosts: Do You Believe?”

The program is to include firsthand accounts and evidence of the supernatural from Pari, who is to also field questions on all manner of related topics from the audience.

The Dispatch spoke with Pari about the upcoming show and his interest in the spooky side of life.

Question: How did you get interested in the paranormal?

Dustin Pari: I’d seen a shadow figure when I was 9 years old. At the time, I didn’t know anything about it or what it was. I was just terrified. That made me want to learn more about it, and so I started going to the library when I was a kid and reading books about New England legends and ghost stories and paranormal research.

Question: Were you a believer right away?

Pari: I was always a kid who loved Halloween and all spooky kinds of things, but this was that moment where my curiosity was piqued and I wanted to know exactly what this was and why it was there. Then, when I would try to talk to anybody about it, the usual answer was, “Well, ghosts don’t exist.” Knowing what I had seen, I was like, “Well, I saw something!”

Question: How did you translate your interest into a gig on “Ghost Hunters”?

Pari: I was just a local guy in Rhode Island that would go around looking for this type of activity. I didn’t know there were teams or groups that did this until I actually saw the show. Then, I was obsessed, and being in Rhode Island, where they were, I just started emailing everybody and trying to get in touch with them because this is what I wanted to do.

Question: What have been some stand-out investigations for you?

Pari: Investigating the paranormal is very difficult because the activity that we’re searching for is very elusive. Some of the smaller things are more common, like footsteps or seeing a shadow move, but getting the Holy Grail-level of experience − seeing a full apparition or having some type of interaction with an apparition − that’s the stuff that you really search for.

I remember one of the first ones I ever witnessed was in the St. Augustine Lighthouse, down in Florida. That is still one of my favorite cases that I’ve ever done. I remember being able to see and hear this woman walking around the top of the lighthouse inside. Until that point, all I’d ever seen was shadows and that shadow figure from my youth. This was a big moment.

More: Broadway in Columbus announces its 2024-25 season, including 'Hamilton,' 'MJ the Musical'

Question: How can you differentiate between something that’s just a creak in the floor versus when it’s something possibly paranormal?

Pari: I’ve been doing this for over 30 years, so there’s definitely a quick vetting process of any activity that occurs, and some of the things I would normally look for are logical reasons and explanations for why some of these things happen. I think one of the problems is people go to a location that they’re told is haunted, so they’re already on edge, they’re already looking for something to happen, and then the ice-maker turns on in the fridge and the compressor kicks in and they jump!

Always be skeptical of everything in the paranormal world, and always ask questions of everything in this life.

Question: Tell us about the show “Ghosts: Do You Believe?”

Pari: Of course, I have some evidence from cases that I’ve done, and I address some paranormal history and some lore, but there’s a story arc in there about how we are spirits going through this human experience, that we are not from here, nor do we stay here. It’s a larger discussion about life, death and the afterlife, and how we perceive it.

The show is in two acts. The first act, I’m handling a lot of those topics and showing evidence, and the second half gives the audiences a live opportunity to do a Q&A with me onstage. It’s different for me every night, so I really enjoy that portion and it’s great to be able to have that level of interaction with people who are interested in this.

More: Don’t miss the grand opening of TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition

Question: What sorts of questions do people ask?

Pari: We use a QR tag, so (audience members) have to submit them digitally and then we place them on the screen live onstage. There are some very deep and thoughtful questions about the afterlife and visitation from loved ones. There are some interesting questions about paranormal theory and possibility. And then there are a fun variety of strange questions. I challenge the audience to ask me a question I’ve never been asked before.

Question: Are you a fan of the “Ghostbusters” movies?

Pari: Oh, yeah! I was at “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” on opening night with my popcorn. It was filled with so many nostalgia pops. Even some of the cinematography was almost shot-for-shot (with the original movie)... My inner child was so excited. I bought all the merchandise and everything.

At a glance

“Ghosts: Do You Believe,” with Dustin Pari, is to take place at 7:30 p.m. April 17 in the Southern Theatre, 21 E. Main St. Tickets start at $29.

For more information, visit capa.com.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Paranormal investigator Dustin Pari to have live show