Interview with Chance Kelly - January 30th, 2023

About Chance Kelly

New York-based actor Chance Kelly has portrayed cops, coaches, colonels, criminals, scallywags, and psychopaths. Chance’s lifelong fascination with the history of New York culminated in his creation of the podcast Island Voices – covering an incredible 300 years of history of the Island of Manhattan - which he writes, narrates, and produces along with scholar/historian Dr. Jaap Jacobs.

Why did you start Island Voices?

I had an idea for creating a story out of the true history of Manhattan Island. I thought it would be a great story because I have been interested in it since college, and most of us weren’t taught about Manhattan’s history in school. We learned snippets in history class but little about life there early on. So, I wanted to explore the period from Henry Hudson’s discovery of the Hudson River in 1609 until 1909, which is a clean 300 years. This project is called ISLAND.

Once we embarked on this historical study, we realized we could cross-pollinate our audience by interviewing contemporary (live) people with a special connection to what we now call “New York.” That show is called “Island Voices,” available on YouTube and as a podcast.

What prompted you to think about Thomas Paine’s house?

After thinking about the connection between history and ghost stories, we decided to investigate the paranormal, specifically the history of Manhattan. Two of our earliest ISLAND subscribers were Suzanne & Gary – who manage and run the Thomas Paine Cottage, which happens to be in New Rochelle, New York, where I live.

Despite my deep interest in history, I am embarrassed that I knew very little about Thomas Paine when they called. However, after researching him, I was blown away by his accomplishments, resolve, and spiritual fortitude. I thought, wow, this is an incredible person and story. So Suzanne & Gary invited me to the Thomas Paine Cottage to talk. During our conversation, Suzanne looked out the window at the setting sun and said resolutely, although slightly embarrassed, “Oh, we have to wrap this up — I don’t stay here after dark anymore.”

I looked around cautiously before asking: “Wait — Suzanne — are we talking about ghosts now?” I’m always interested in talking about ghosts, although they were part of my format yet. So, I carefully suggested to them that we start looking into the possible presence of Thomas Paine’s ghost and do a “paranormal” investigation from a precisely historically accurate approach.

How and through whom did you meet Catherine Nadal?

The only person I know who deals with the paranormal is my friend and fellow actor, Dan Sturges. Dan and I worked together decades ago in many small, “black box” theatre productions. We had kept in touch, and when I suggested the Thomas Paine Cottage idea to Dan, he liked it. He told me we would need a medium, and I agreed even though I didn’t know what a medium was. Next, Dan introduced me to Catherine Nadal, whom he had met at the Forever Family Foundation, where she is a certified medium. About ten years ago, Dan and Catherine had worked together investigating the Merchant House in Manhattan, which I understood was very successful.

What was the experience like that night? Can you describe what occurred?

We didn’t have a camera crew, so I shot the whole thing myself, with Gary’s help holding the mic. It was a very nice, calm, intimate group of five of us: Suzanne and Gary (the managers of the cottage and museum), Catherine, Dan Sturges, and me.

Catherine knew nothing about Thomas Paine or the house in advance. At the beginning of the recording, Catherine is told it is Thomas Paine’s Cottage. She is unfamiliar with who Thomas Paine was, not being an avid follower of history. Suzanne, the curator, was very excited to meet Catherine and intrigued that she’s a medium. Suzanne’s husband Gary was a skeptic, at least at the beginning. Regardless, they were both very open-minded, interested in what Catherine had to say, and open to learn more about the property.

Catherine picked up on a slew of things, including aspects of Thomas Paine’s family life, home life details, and where someone was buried and then taken away (incidentally, Thomas Paine’s burial location). Catherine sensed a fire but kept pointing behind her where the house was originally located, which was accurate. The original layout of the property isn’t common knowledge, which was surprising to the curators. However, one of the strangest things we experienced was this odd little tin drumbeat. Gary and I -- the two actually doing the recording — were the only ones not to hear the sound. Yet the other three — Suzanne, Dan, and Catherine, all heard it. Amazingly, it was picked up on the audio recorder (it’s part of the Podcast and YouTube video). Lastly, Catherine apologized for bringing up other spirits in the middle of the Thomas Paine focus because, out of the blue, she described my mom; my family grew up in the same neighborhood. This was so strange, and what she said my mother was communicating was right on point. Catherine even sounded different when speaking about her and then tried to sing. That character was my mom, who liked to sing all the time. Gary, the initial skeptic, was taken aback by the end of the experience.

Was this your first time working with a medium? Would you work with Catherine again?

This was my first time working with a medium, and I can’t wait to work with Catherine again. Our next paranormal-historical investigation of New York will likely be Dyckman Farmhouse, the restaurant One if by Land, Two if by Sea, or perhaps Fraunces Tavern downtown. The old Dutch church in Sleepy Hollow could be awesome, from the Headless Horseman story. Whatever we decide, it will be sure to captivate our audience.

Connect with Island Voices at ThePodcastIsland and Catherine Nadal at www.dreamcentralstation.com and on Instagram at @catwitchnyc.

McClatchy newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.