Boing Boing: Every year, The Scarehouse, 10 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh, puts on what many locals consider the best Halloween haunted house-type show in the region--with USA Today and Yahoo both ranking it among America's best. This year, I headed over to check it out, and received a highly-polished and extremely scary experience--and a backstage tour! Here, a makeup artist turns a performer's face into a gruesome work of art.
11 comments:
When I was younger, and going through haunted houses, I never used to think about the amount of work that went into them. Now that I have a degree in theater and am working on another, I can't imagine the amount of time and work that goes into creating something like the Scarehouse. While I haven't yet gone to this year's Scarehouse, I did go last year. It's the longest haunted house I've ever been through, and probably took the most time and effort to create. Aside from the thousands of props and tons of scenic units that are used in Scarehouse, those performers must go through hundreds of dollars worth of makeup in a single night, let alone throughout the entire run of the haunted house. Things like this are just one more avenue for people with theatrical training to explore.
These people are really serious about their work, and it is great to see that these people are not just actors, but have other jobs as well. It really shows that acting is for everyone to enjoy. I've never really thought about haunted houses are actually needing the same amount of care as a Broadway show, but they really do. The actors may not be professionals, but neither are the make-up artists and set designers, most likely. It is good to see people be able to use their talents off of Broadway, even though Broadway people get all the credit for being the best actors/designers/etc.
I would be interested in going to the Scarehouse. When I was younger, I was terrified by haunted houses. I didn't really think about it beyond the fact that they scared me. In fact, I never went back to one until last year. It was a markedly different experience. Since being in and around the theatre industry, I considered how certain effects were created and what the purpose of everything was. I wasn't even scared (until someone chased me around with a chain saw, which in retrospect was probably fake.) I even found that I thought it would be cool to go to other haunted houses and see what the "scare tactics" are there. The phenomenon of them is interesting, as is how opinions on things can change as you age.
I have wanted to work in a haunted house for a few years now and I think it is so fascinating! It is similar to how horror movies work; it is just a quick trip inside and it leaves a lasting impact. Personally, I despise going through haunted houses but as far as the amount of work and care and detail that goes into it, it is really a piece of art.
I have never been a huge fan of being a visitor in haunted houses, and Scarehouse has never appealed to me. However, I appreciate the unbelievable amount of effort that goes into putting on a show like Scarehouse every night. I would love to see more about what kind of special effects are used in the house and how they are created.
I love being scared, and although I am scared out of my mind in haunted houses, I love going to them anyway. I give mad props the performers in this show (can I call it that?) because of the physical and mental strain they must go through every night, not to mention people yelling at them. I did some further research into their website and found that "The Basement" is their newest attraction. It's pretty intense, and only one or two people can enter at a time while the actors grab and restrain you through some parts of it. Woah. It's pretty expensive, but I think it's a place that I'm willing to shell out for.
I WANT TO GO HERE GO BADLY AND NO ONE WILL GO WITH ME. I love haunted houses, and there are not many of them these days that are actually well done. I really believe that well done haunted houses are their own category of theatre. The Scare-house is divided into three acts going through pieces of history, which I think is a great idea. I just saw that there is a Primati Bros restaurant in there. What I like about haunted houses is that they are able to cater to audiences like a lot of theatrical performances can't.
I went to the preview showing of Scarehouse, and it was interesting. One of my biggest personal problems with the Haunted House is that as a theatrical practitioner I know what to expect and so it's much harder for me to be scared at something like this. Also, as a Stage Manager I'm trained to have something happen in one spot to draw your attention there so that something else can happen elsewhere, so throughout the Scarehouse something would happen and my eyes would go to where the guy coming out of a hiding spot to scare you would be. It sort of ruins the magic and excitement of something like this. The Basement is interesting and fun, and I can see how people would be freaked out in it, but I had difficulties getting immersed in that world because I knew what was going on. I also know that in these environments you are safe, so even though you sign a waiver they are not going to do anything to hurt or harm you. But I do respect the Scarehouse for trying to do new things and keep pushing the boundaries. The Scarehouse does invest in their product and it does show. I hope they keep in business and keep trying new things.
I think this is hilarious how the writer decided to measure heart rate as well as caloric burn. I figured out about this place last week and reading this article makes me want to go even more. During Halloween season, I have been to a lot of haunted mazes and houses in amusement parks. However, ever since I figured out a way of pretending that I was not scared so that the performers would not follow me, I got less scared and surprised. After reading how Scarehouse is ranked as one of the best haunted house in US, I really want to go and experience it. I am also surprised by how much collaboration and effort are put in with make-up artist, actors, technicians, and staffers and their make-ups look so real and gruesome! I think it is really great how each year they come up with different themes so that the visitors will not get bored. I wish one day I can go there!
I've always loved haunted houses, even though you pretty much have to shove me in because I get so terrified once it's time to go in. While I was in high school, our student theater group started putting on a haunted house around Halloween, and since I appreciate the work that goes into them a lot more. We spent so much time coming up with a good concept, a good path layout, awesome effects, scary characters, gory makeup, bloody props, creepy soundtracks... And too often, our awesome ideas came out, well, not quite as cool as we had wished they would. Because it's hard to make people scared, and the success depends hugely on setting up the atmosphere, and that requires a lot of preparation and resources. Now every time that I go through a haunted house, I pay attention to the work that was put into creating it. By that I mean that I reflect on said work once I'm out of the horror house and done screaming in terrified anguish.
Oh my god, this looks so scary. There is no fucking way I'm going there.
I never really thought of it but such a haunted house is just like a huge theater production: They have the set, a ton of props, actors, makeup, costumes. And everyday they just put on a show to make people feel something, in this case just pure horror.
I watched a few of the behind the scenes for the haunted house and the actors look like their having such a fun time.
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