JHS theater hosted a haunted house in the Black Box Theater for three evenings on Oct. 22, 23 and 25. Admission cost $10, and all proceeds went towards the theater program. The haunted house was an opportunity for students to get into the spirit of Halloween while also supporting a valuable arts organization at JHS.
After purchasing a ticket, haunted house visitors were shown to a waiting area. Once the actors were ready, a student dressed as a creepy clown explained the two rules: don’t touch the actors, and keep moving. Then visitors were ushered to the entrance and descended into terrifying darkness.
Visitors were met with an eerie silence which caused nearly unbearable tension. When the silence was finally broken by ominous footsteps shuffling closer and closer, only the most cool-headed person could avoid gasping with surprise and fear. The tension was relieved when a spooky ghost’s voice asked, “Will you play with me?”
Following this initiation into the haunted house, a level-headed visitor will brusquely keep moving along, seeking the exit. On the way, they’ll see ghosts, a lot of characters who look possessed, and plenty of spooky lighting and cobwebs. The effect is very Halloween-y, and the perfect way to get into the spirit of the holiday. Pretty quickly, the visitor will pass through some glowing green curtains into utter darkness—a frightening end to a spooky tour.
I enjoyed my visit to theater’s haunted house immensely. It was a perfectly satisfying way to experience adrenaline and take my mind off of schoolwork. I went with a friend, and we clung to each other while screaming at the apparitions. However, I think I also would have enjoyed going alone (if I had been able to summon up the courage to do so).
My only critique of the haunted house is that admission may have cost too much for the relatively short tour. It took perhaps two minutes to walk through the entire thing, and visitors were instructed to keep moving. As an attraction, the haunted house provided good entertainment, but not for very long. A ticket to theater’s haunted house may not be the best value, but at least students can be comforted by the knowledge that it goes towards a good cause. I, for one, am happy to fund theater’s exploits, and look forward to their upcoming production of “The Outsiders” happening Nov. 6-8.
