Ben,
I haven't done Haunted Houses with middle school, but my high school did one every fall as part of the school's Fall Fair for the community. It was done as an alternative to Halloween "Trick or Treat".
We found after the first year that we really needed two Haunting places. One for the very young and one for those that really wanted to be scared. Parents would "make" there kids go through the Haunted House and so we had an alternate that was not too scary and we could direct parents to that one when the kids were scared to enter. We always encouraged parents to enter with small children. No one under 5 could go in alone.
The students selected a theme every year. Some that I remember were: Surgery Gone Wrong, The Graveyard, Things that go Bump in the Night. The students would sketch out what each room would be along the way that would create increasing terror. They would also select times that things/people would pop out for an extra scare.
Some years there were a lot of tech, strobes, fog, even red "blood" bubbles one year. But some years it was less high tech and more on the characters. We always ran an administrator and the ASB students through the Haunted House once we were done with the set up so they could see want we were doing in case there were any questions or concerns from parents.
The younger set went to one room and there were be witches, ghosts, monsters and vampires. Things even young kids thing of as typically scary. It was a room with a corner for each group. The characters didn't really interact with the little ones and the kids went in a circle around the room and out again. Their was a student at each little section giving out candy and that usually moved them round the room. The rule in that room no blood and guts stuff and no popping out at the kids. It was scary, but not overwhelming.
It was not a fundraiser for us because it was done as a service project for the community, but it was very successful. We always had a huge turn out and a line formed before we opened for the evening. My students loved doing it every year and they spent hours preparing the rooms, costumes, sets, and characters that would go into it. I hope this is helpful.
Good Luck, Leslie
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Leslie Van Leishout
Theater Education Coordinator
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville IL
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-16-2014 00:19
From: Benjamin Stuart
Subject: Haunted House Project
Hi! I teach Theatre Arts, grades 6-8, and am considering having my advanced class create a haunted house in our theatre space as our first project this fall. The learning targets would be pantomime/character work, production design, props, and likely scenic painting. If anyone has experienced Sleep No More in NYC, that's the idea although MUCH simpler!
Has anyone done such a thing? Any tips or resources you'd recommend? Is this a disaster in the making?
Please share your thoughts, thanks!
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Benjamin Stuart
Middle School Theatre Arts Teacher
Seattle Public Schools
Seattle WA
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