Opening Umbrellas on Stage

For over a century, opening umbrellas on stage has been preceived as bad luck. Hugget reports that the belief actually started in 1868 when an orchestra leader named Bob Williams, said good-bye to his theater company before going away for the weekend. He opened his umbrella while standing on the stage, then walked out into a very rainy day. An hour later he was standing on the stern of a boat, waving good-bye to a group of friends. As it sailed away from the dock, one of the engines exploded and Williams was instantly killed. The publicity seemed to say that the accident and the opening of the umbrella were connected. A theater superstition was born and lives to this day. As with many of the other superstitions, there is a 'counter spell'. This was especially needed with this belief, because occasionally an actor must open an umbrella as a stage direction in a play. If an actor opens the umbrella facing the ground good luck is restored.