Please, continue screaming

Haunted house makes visitors run away in tears

MOSES LAKE — The nightmarish monsters of Nightscare Production at the Grant County Fairgrounds haunted house continue to frighten those who visit.

Public Relations Director Randy Hayes advises visitors to arrive early to walk, or run, through the rooms. Last year close to Halloween, it was a three hour wait to get in. Part of the long wait is because only one group of people are allowed to go through the house at a time. It is to keep surprise attacks a secret.

There are several rooms inside the haunted house based on scary movies and the twisted ideas of the actors lurking inside.

There are approximately 35 actors who make up the 10th annual Nightscare Production crew ranging from age eight to 59. There are many expectations of the younger crew, Casting Director Woody Rowley said.

The part of the crew still in school has the responsibility to keep their grades up. If there grades begin to slip, they can not participate, he said.

They have to arrive by 5 p.m. because doors open at 7 p.m. There's not a lot of time left to study, he said.

The students receive a lot of support and help from the crew to keep their grades up.

"It gives them something to be proud of," Rowley said.

The actors are involved in the design, set up and tear down of the haunted house.

The purpose of the house is not only to scare visitors but to raise money to benefit the community.

The crew is collecting canned food for food banks around Grant County. The exact amount collected is unknown, but they know they have a lot. A canned food donation means one dollar off the entrance fee.

The crew also helps people year-round.

A family is sponsored for Christmas or Thanksgiving, Hayes said.

Toys and turkey dinners are donated to selected homes .

While operating the haunted house and generating funds, the crew has a strange contest they are proud to participate in.

They want to scare visitors so badly they pee their pants. Last year 12 adults lost bladder control, House Director Brian Perry said. So far only one adult has this year, but it did not count because it was during the free admission night, he added.

"Men cry, you get the big guys in here and they can't handle it," Rowley said.

Some adults run away crying while others run into walls leaving themselves dazed, he added.

The crew even tries to scare each other.

One night the actor dressed as the scarecrow from the movie "Jeepers Creepers" came up behind an unsuspecting Rowley and growled in his ear causing him to jump, scream and throw a flashlight.

"They all try to get me, they think it's a fun game," Rowley said.

The haunted house is ranked no.1 in the nation for low budget productions. The haunted house costs approximately $3,500 to produce because the crew makes a lot of the features in the house themselves.

Approximately 500 people per night pass through as it gets closer to Halloween. Nearly 5,000 people visited last year. Opening night was much more busier than last year, he added. Approximately 390 people attended the first two nights.

The entry fee is $4 for adults and youth 12 and under are $3.

The house will run every night through Halloween. Doors open at 7 p.m.