If weak knees, frequent screaming, and the threat of having to change pants are indicators of a successful scare, then Statesville Haunted Prison proved itself beyond a shadow of a doubt. A combination of incredibly realistic props, intense lighting and music, and a cast of actors that could rival “The Walking Dead,” created the intense haunting experience that is Statesville.
There were two attractions: the haunted prison, and the City of the Dead. Either could suffice in providing a person with enough terror to last them the rest of the year. While it may be comforting to remember how the attractions are just that — attractions — this fails to quell the shrieks at every corner, and the scares at every turn.
Statesville Haunted Prison is scary on the outside but there is a family behind the scenes. The Chronicle went backstage to see how the production is staged. Not one of us had been to a haunted house in over a decade, the level of this particular haunted house from behind the scenes was still intimidating.
In the haunted prison, it was a more direct fright than anything else; surrounded by insane patients, sinister medical staff and mutilated guards, one wondered whether they’d reach the exit before their vocal cords die.
The effect differs in the City of the Dead; upfront fear was replaced with lingering creepiness and an atmosphere that stood hair on edge. As though it weren’t enough to have tunnels that seemed to swallow you, human-animal hybrids silently watching from the darkness, and an unsettling fog, the City of the Dead hosted a collection of live creatures; several snakes and insects were interweaved throughout the attraction, adding to the reality of the entire experience.
It was nothing short of a blessing to return to the crisp autumn air after exiting each attraction. While not enjoyable in relation to a pleasant stroll through a park, or getting ice cream with friends, Statesville Haunted Prison and their City of the Dead were incredible to experience, as both fulfilled their promise to provide immense and continuous terror to those who dared enter.
Photo by Bob Tomaszewski
Actor Craig Boedecker has worked at the house since its early years. He remembers when the Statesville cast members had to do their own makeup, and make their own costumes. Statesville prides itself on the fact that all its costumes are handmade by the staff, an impressive feat considering there can be as many as seventy actors inside the house at one time.
Some of the costumes looked homemade, but most appeared specialized and well put together. Boedecker said that the business of haunted houses had expanded and that there are tradeshows all year long. As with any show, the production couldn’t happen without all the behind the scenes work; there are several makeup artists on site, and all actors get some sort of work done — even those who are going to be wearing masks get air brushed and receive eye shadow.
“Just last November we had people from Germany come to see our show,” Boedeker said. One aspect that Boedecker stressed was the level of dedication, noting that some people put in up to 80 hours per week. “That level of dedication isn’t just to the show, it is to each other,” Boedeker said. “I equate it to war buddies; you’re in the trenches with each other.”
Perhaps no statement better describes the Statesville Haunted Prison than one given by longtime employee Brad ‘Doogie’ Sauper: “We’ve always had a theater beginning, a theater base, a theater run, all the way through.”
Before the show people are dancing, while those around them are looking scarier and scarier with each visit upstairs to the makeup artists. Doogie himself is trained for theater, as are most of the managerial staff at Statesville; he graduated from Columbia College in Chicago with a degree in scenic design theater, which has allowed him to easily assume several different roles within the haunted house, from actor, to set designer, and as a makeup artist, which is the role he spent most of his time filling.
“I tell people all the time if your getting into this for the money, you’re in it for the wrong reason,” Boedecker said.
During our tour a cast member calls up to us and our guide: “Free-range chicken?” He asks Doogie. Doogie replies “Caged chicken, with no lock.” It’s a code for how scary to be. It became apparent that the actors were being unleashed upon Statesville; in a speech right before the doors open, there was some chilling call-and-responses.
The first haunted house experience of John Laflamboy, the person tasked with directing the actors at Statesville, was directly linked to the theater company he ran at the time. Laflamboy had originally planned to simply run a haunted house as a way to help finance the upcoming theater season. Needless to say, Laflamboy was surprised to discover he had made more money from his haunted house than the entire theater season.
Shortly thereafter, Laflamboy began dedicating more of his time to the haunted house business, eventually joining Paul Siegel, the house’s founder and owner, at Statesville. There certainly are frequent reminders of theater production throughout the house. Scattered throughout Statesville are three flying rigs, similar to those made famous by Cirque du Soleil. In fact, this is one of the first things customers are greeted with, when an actor suddenly flies over the unsuspecting audience below. And really, it doesn’t take long to realize the entire house is truly one big production; or, as Doogie likes to call it, 30 little shows.
Editors Adam Poklop and Caleb Lundquist contributed to this article.
