Convincing attention to detail propels Hundred Acres Manor
Picture a veil of fog creeping through the dimly lit streets of late-night London, producing prime conditions for the likes of vampires, werewolves and, of course, Jack the Ripper.
And there you are, trying to figure out what is real and what are your nightmares. Welcome to The Host, the new Victorian-era spooky experience at Hundred Acres Manor in Bethel Park.
“Generally, we either come up with a theme or are tasked with a theme for the coming year. From there, it’s just a matter of looking up references and doing research to make sure we’re doing a proper job with whatever theme we’re working on,” creative director Christopher Gilgour explained.
When it comes to attention to detail, “proper job” is an understatement for the folks at Hundred Acres Manor. The set of The Host, for example, features an authentic K2 telephone booth, the red kiosk that once was ubiquitous in England.
“It’s kind of a special thing to have,” Gilgour said. “When those were decommissioned, they brought in an American team to destroy them all, and they were allowed to bring 40 back to the United States. So we have one of the 40 that are here.
“But we got it so late in the season, we had already built all of the sets and everything was in place,” he continued. “We had to bring it in on a Bobcat, laying it out flat, and drive it through all of our sets to get it where it had to go. It was a logistical nightmare.”
Such efforts, though, are what help the nonprofit Hundred Acres Manor rank among the top haunted houses nationally, along with helping co-founders Bill Wolfe and Ted Sobek continue their mission of raising money for charity, with $1.9 million going to good causes in the first 13 years.
Getting everything ready for each Halloween season doesn’t exactly happen overnight.
“Our process for the build is anywhere from eight to nine-and-a-half months,” Gilgour reported. “We generally start as soon as the weather breaks in late winter. We’re in here working on it.”
Preparation also involves developing character portrayals related to the theme.
“Once we get going, we bring in the artists, and they put whatever makeups we design onto people,” Gilgour said.
Two separate groups of makeup artists perform their specialty, one with the core cast of 40 to 50 who are paid to work at Hundred Acres Manor every night. The other group takes care of volunteers from schools, churches and youth groups participating on a limited basis.
“Generally, our volunteers have been here in years past, or they have worked at other haunted attractions, or just want to spend some free time that they have acting,” Gilgour explained. “We give people a quick rundown at the beginning of the night after they get their makeup on and the costumes on, we give them a really brief class on how to scare. They’re not tasked with dialogue roles, so it makes it easy on them.”
He is among the Hundred Acres Manor team members who have gone through the Tom Savini’s Special Make-Up Effects Program at Douglas Education Center in Monessen. Recent graduate Dominique Kirchell, for example, has been part of the crew for two years, applying makeup to herself and others in preparation for nights of scream-filled entertainment.
“I just kind of wait for the right moment to jump out and freak people out,” she said. “I really like when people drop to the ground because they’re so scared, or run into the wall. Just getting the perfect scare makes it worth it.”
In her second semester at Douglas is fellow makeup artist Stacie Bowman.
“Normally we do, per artist, anywhere from five to 10 people a night,” she explained. “We like to not spend more than 10 to 15 minutes for makeup, but sometimes that can go over, especially on warmer nights. People can’t wear their masks because it’s so hot.”
This October has been unseasonably warm, but that hasn’t stopped crowds from flocking to Hundred Acres Manor as its 2017 finale approaches on Oct. 31, at least for the customers.
“It never really stops for us,” Gilgour said. “As soon as we close down, we’re going to take two or three days off and then we’re going to start deconstruction.”
And then it’s on to thinking about what will be new for 2018.
For more information, visit www.hundredacresmanor.com.