Ellingson Hall hosted the annual Haunted House on Oct. 26, and this year’s theme was Carnivelle. As I walked through the maze, I felt as if I was a part of the story. The ringmaster, dressed in a long red suit, led the way with a flashlight. He then introduced different characters and told haunted house goers to escape when these characters, such as acrobats and creepy clowns, suddenly emerged.
For a first experience in a Haunted House, Carnivelle was a good place to start because it was not extremely scary. The suprise scares by the clown and masked people were very predictable, and students who have gone to previous Ellingson Haunted Houses believed that this year’s edition was not scary enough. Students expressed that the actors were not loud enough.
Ellingson traditionally hosts the Haunted House and should continue hosting it because they have a spacious lounge and long underground tunnel. It is also a team-building project for the first-years, as all of the actors, make-up artists and stage crew were all volunteers.
However, it may also be interesting to host the Haunted House in a different dorm such as Mellby, as it is the oldest dorm on campus. Upperclassman could also participate in decorating and acting, and more upperclassman may show up to the event if their friends are involved. Mellby is also located at a prime spot on campus, as it is one of the closest dorms to Buntrock Commons. In this way, it would be easier for more students to attend.
Regardless of the location, a successful haunted house requires detailed props, good acting and organization. This year, Carnivelle did not quite hit the mark. The props were minimal and the acting not impressive. Next time, students should prepare more by practicing their jumping-out and screaming skills. The Haunted House could have been more successful if there were more props such as fake blood and masks.
In the end, it is up to each student’s previous experiences with haunted houses to decide if they liked Carnivelle or not. However, it is fun to go to haunted houses with friends, so even if Carnivelle was not scary, it was a good, Halloween-related event.
