The Polish Female Vampire Discovery & The True Story of the Phantom of the Opera

This week we're going Gothic with 2 classic monsters universally known and the true tales behind their masks!  First, Lauren uncovers a case centering around recent discovery of alleged remains of a female "vampire" in the Polish village of Pień. In September 2022, archaeologists unearthed a skeleton dating to the 17th-century that featured some strange burial rituals, including a sickle across its neck and a padlock on its toe. The skull also has a large protruding fang-like tooth! Lauren also explores the 17th & 18th-Century Vampire Controversy in which real life superstition surrounding vampires ran rampant in Eastern Europe, leading to countless deaths and odd burials much like our own Salem Witch Trials stateside.  Next, Felicia tells the true story behind the Phantom of the Opera and all of the true life details that inspired French author Gaston Leroux to write his classic novel first published in 1910. Which of course went on to inspire everything from the Universal Monsters movie from 1925 starring Lon Chaney to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway smash hit musical. And with the musical finally closing after its epic 35 year run, it feels only fitting to finally learn more about the real history behind the page, the stage, and the screen! In fact, the real life tragedy that took place in an actual Parisian theatre might be even more upsetting than the masked Phantom's tragic tale…