Confessions of a Haunted House Actor

The visible signs of the impending autumn are everywhere. Kids are going back to school. Pumpkin decorations are popping up in stores. Days are beginning to get shorter. But in the shadows, something more sinister stirs. Haunted attractions across the world are beginning to put out casting calls for monsters to fill their unholy halls. But before the screams of paying customers can echo off their walls once more, haunted attraction actors must complete training courses, character development, and dress rehearsals. It may seem superfluous to someone outside the industry, but there is a lot more to producing a good scare than jumping out and yelling "boo." Today I'm going to be sharing some insight into what all goes into the production of a successful haunted attraction.

A backstage photo of me my second year at the Haunted Caven.

I'm a veteran actor at Ruby Falls Haunted Cavern in Chattanooga, TN. I have been with the Haunted Cavern for four consecutive years and within that time have gotten a pretty good handle on the ins and outs of haunt acting. Things may not be the same at every haunted attraction, but I'd like to think my experiences are relatively similar to that of most actors.

The first thing we're going to cover is the audition process and training courses. At the particular haunt I work at, new actors audition alone in front of a panel of staff members called Necrotechs, a set of long time haunt actors who are essentially managers for the haunt. Returning actors typically only have to re-audition if they are applying for a specific pre-written character. Once the audition process is complete and goes well, actors will receive the dates and times for classroom training.

Here is a video that shows a bit about our training courses.

Classroom training is a mixture of lecture-style and interactive examples. It is required for new actors and optional for returning actors, though most returning actors decide to go and snoop out the newbies. Once classroom training is complete, actors will complete several days of onsite training and rehearsals ending with one final dress rehearsals. Necrotechs will place actors in designated areas throughout the haunt and will then walk through allowing the actors to perform and attempt to scare them like they would real customers. Necrotechs then will stop and let actors know what they are doing right and what they need to change. Training typically lasts around two to three hours. After a couple days of onsite training, actors have one final dress rehearsal where they will finally be able to put on their costume. For an actor, seeing their character come to life for the first time with the help of wardrobe and makeup is a pretty magical experience. It also makes it so much easier to get into character and really get a feel for the monster.

My most recent character I've played.
Once training is complete, actors start preparing for opening night. Everyone's stomach is typically full of butterflies and new actors double and triple check their monster kits for extra water bottles, flashlights, cough drops, and other things they might need throughout the night. The doors open and the first customers come through. For an actor, the first scare is always the hardest. Once they get into a rhythm, it gets much easier. Groups usually consist of two to six patrons. The common belief among customers is that the middle is the safest spot in the group to be. I regret to inform you that you are so wrong. That is typically where actors hit for maximum scare impact. Plus everyone knows that's where the scaredy cats are. Once the first night ends, actors are still high on adrenaline and everyone heads back to the boneyard, our backstage area, to swap hilarious stories of patrons falling, running, and having involuntary bowel movements. One of the best parts of the job is being able to brag about all the big brawny men you scared into the fetal position. But the job isn't always hilarious stories and good laughs. Like any job, it does have the not so fun parts.

A shot of my little brother and the result of scaring a girl straight through the wall of his room.

Safety is the main concern of any haunted attraction actor. It's extremely easy to get severely injured if you're not careful. I've watched a fellow actors get concussions, slice their hands open, and get sent home from passing out from exhaustion. It's not an easy job. Whirling around dark rooms and crawling up the walls is all fun and games until someone trips over a prop and cracks their head open.

Bruises I collected over a couple weekends of repeatedly jumping up on an operating table made of plywood. The good scares made it worth it.

Aside from accidental injuries, we have to worry about unruly customers. I've not gone a season without one good punch to the face. It's the same for most actors unfortunately. Actors also have to watch out for props to make sure they are not stolen, broken, or defaced. For some reason people think it's funny to pay money to just be an asshole, but I digress.

My very first year as a haunt actor. What a lil baby.

The one other downside to haunt acting is not being about to visit other haunted attractions because most are all open at the same time. A group of actors from my haunt will typically meet up and drive a couple hours to the nearest haunt that is open on weekdays, just so we can experience another haunt. It's really hard to enjoy Halloween when you so busy being Halloween.

My boyfriend and I at Netherworld this past year. It's my absolute favorite haunt to visit and I highly recommend it if you're in the Atlanta area.

With all that being said, the positives of haunt acting definitely outweigh the negatives, and it's one of the most fun experiences I've ever had. From goofing off backstage to sharing good scare stories at late night City Cafe visits to winning awards for a great night's performance, I have made so many memories that I never want to forget. This is actually the first year that I won't be acting since I started, and I'm actually really sad about it. But at least I'll have free time this October to experience my own haunt for the first time as a patron.
Hopefully I was able to provide a little insight into the inner workings of your friendly neighborhood monsters. I hope all of you decide to brave a local haunt of yours and are able to appreciate all the hard work that goes into producing a great haunted house. Happy (early) Halloween!