THE DENT SCHOOLHOUSE: Weekend At Burnie's!
Anyone who's been to the Dent Schoolhouse knows that's there's a new queue line movie playing to keep everyone entertained while waiting to enter-it's called "The Janitor" and, naturally enough, features the Schoolhouse's signature character Charlie McFree. It's 45 minutes long and has done a good job of getting people stoked for what lies within-and the Schoolhouse has almost doubled its numbers from previous seasons over the first two weekends. You might also know that longtime Dent character Dr. Helldrake has taken on yet another persona-that of Burnie the Ringmaster in the School's PTA Carnival. One might expect the Schoolhouse's film for next season might star this new character and help make that year a record breaker-maybe they'll call that movie "Weekend at Burnie's"!
Josh Wells, Bud Stross, and Chuck Stross of 1031 Productions continue to do the impossible at Harrison's Dent Schoolhouse. They've taken a haunt that was rated #1 in the Tristate for three years running by the HOD!!!, #6 in the nation by Hauntworld Magazine, and named one of America's Top 25 Haunts by Haunted Attraction-and they've made it better. Whereas many other haunts are true seasonal attractions, being constructed in a matter of days or weeks, Dent's is a year-round work in progress. Improvements are made to the scenes daily, major construction takes place every Tuesday (with a talented and imaginative group of veterans, many of whom have been there since the days of it being the OLV haunt), and Josh is there virtually every day doing something. In fact, he was recently married, and even had his Bachelor Party there! Josh's new wife, Leslie, doubles as the acting director of the event-so at least they'll be spending lots of time together.
Working on the Schoolhouse year around allows 1031 to replace or add several different scenes a year-this season, that list would number twelve, but by my count was actually higher. Damien Reaper's graveyard has been made more elaborate, and on selected nights his even crazier father "The Original Evil One" will be joining him. The Dent School bus (with a '1031' license plate) is sporting an undead driver this year as well as students trying to crawl from the windows. You might think that the bus is actually a train if you get too close! The former VIP entrance was converted into a new room-an audio-visual room that has an old 50's black and white educational film running. While the room looks deserted, it doesn't stay that way for long. The school nurse is on hand in room one this year, the better to screen out anyone that might be feeling a bit sick at the prospect of going further-like the kid vomiting into a barrel nearby. The locker hallway has been reworked, making it easier to get through and less likely to create a bottleneck. You'll also finally get to see what's been rattling those locker doors from the inside for the past three years! The nursery is much larger, with bigger cribs meant to hold larger…things. Unwary hauntgoers might find out, "What's up, doc?" the hard way! And if they don't in this room, they will shortly thereafter in the new biology lab, filled with disgusting projects in mid-dissection and an equally disgusting doctor. The kitchen and cafeteria have been tweaked and made more distinct from each other. The Wood Shop has been expanded and opened up with some heavy machinery and chains dangling from the ceiling. The Principal's office is now conveniently located next to the Detention Hall in the basement. Remember the hillbilly shack in the woods surrounding the Schoolhouse? Well, this year, you're getting detoured through it, and if the country cutie inside doesn't manage to lure you into a cage or put you in position to be blasted by her kin, the trip across the swamp to the exit might just get 'cut' short if you're 'saw'n'. Out there in the country, the guy wearing the pig head seems to be the least of your worries. Charlie the Janitor's presence is also felt on the first floor this year, as his cleaning closet full of supplies and tools has been opened to the public.
And what of 'Uncle' Charlie, the school's janitor and master of "cleanin' and killin'"? We've already talked about his appearance in the new movie, "The Janitor", playing in the queue line. Charlie is even more brutal than in last year's film, and the gore content has raised a few eyebrows-but that sure doesn't keep people from watching it. Looking over the crowd on a Sunday night, every single one of them is turned towards the movie screen and loving every kill-and it's not even the finished product. Editing is ongoing and the completed version (with soundtrack) isn't due to be out until early October. There's talk that this 45 minute long feature might be made available for purchase by Under the Gun Productions-I'll buy one, since I gave the movie 5 stars, although the threat of getting killed in the next movie might have had something to do with that! Charlie has also become even more of a threatening character inside the house-this year he attacks and carries off some of the schoolgirls who are trying to hide from him. He also seems to be able to warp from place to place-we encountered him at two widely interspaced rooms within the haunt.
Depending on what you count as a room, Dent has between 50 and 60 of them-taking an average group 25-30 minutes to tour. Most of the rooms that aren't new for this year were just put in last year (like the PTA Carnival, the Auto Shop, the Locker Room, and the Prom Queen's Auditorium). But as any haunter knows, though, a haunt is nothing more than a museum without actors-and Dent's are among the best in the business. Later on in the article Damien Reaper will take attendance and give the roll call of many of the twisted faculty and students of Dent (and if anyone was left out, sorry). They all love to play to the audience, and unlike many haunts where the actors are camera shy, they're all hams here-the HOD!!! got dozens of great actor shots and it was difficult to the extreme to pare them down to 10 for display here. What's more impressive is that even though it's near the end of the night, none of them look like they're even beginning to flag. Performances span the gamut-some actors are big and threatening, spouting abuse (Suicidal Addams and the teachers in the kitchen and woodshop)-some are entertaining (Calliope, Damien, Fatso, Skittles, and all the hillbillies)-some are just downright bizarre and disturbing (like Dr. Creep, the Coach, Boiles, Jimmy The Bully, and Faceless Guy). It's a nice break from haunts where all the actors aspire to be of the intense in your face variety, which gets old fast-this varied approach keeps Dent's customers off balance and not knowing what to expect out of any particular character. The dialogue they spout is classic-Boiles gave me a detailed and lengthy explanation of just how he planned to murder me, extract my blood, and use it in the boiler. Many of Dent's actors like to switch personas and try out new parts, which no doubt adds to the energy level as they are given a good degree of creative freedom and don't get bored playing one role all of the time. For example, the guy pictured at the top of the page, Troy (one of the Corpse Cast triumvirate), is probably best known to hauntgoers as Dr. Helldrake, holding court in the Schoolhouse morgue. He's also played Baby Zeus in the nursery. This year, he decided to try his hand at working under the Big Top with Bludzo, Fatso, Calliope, and the other Dent Klowns. He's Burnie the Ring Master now, and towers over the competition-for real. He's perched on a set of drywall stilts, and with his top hat is almost scraping the ceiling. He's also wielding a large mallet that has caused Josh Wells no end of consternation. But more on that later.
Largely responsible for the detailed and horrific makeup used at the Schoolhouse is Bud Stross (along with a lot of quality help). Not even the smallest detail is missed to give the actors maximum impact-check out the rotted or missing teeth on many of the faculty, or the shadowed cleavage of the gal who welcomes you to the hillbilly shack (although I guess the latter isn't really a SMALL detail). Characters such as Boiles and Faceless have very unique and terrifying looks. An accident victim in the shop has the top of his skull exposed ("This is what happens when you don't treat your tools right!"). Masks are used when they're appropriate, and not ones you can buy at the dime store-these are custom jobs costing several hundred dollars. They do the trick-there are people out there who think it really is some old guy playing Charlie, not some guy in his early twenties.
And if a house of actors wasn't enough, 1031 dropped several thousand dollars into animations to use inside the Schoolhouse this season. Some of them are on display before even stepping inside-look up at the belltower when you're crossing the street from the parking lot. Between intermittent flashes of light, you'll see bell ringer Ygor moving slowly back and forth across the windows in front. "Because of the flashing lights, everyone has been thinking he was moving for a long time," said Josh. "We decided to actually make him move this year". Animations are generally used to distract hauntgoers from the actors hiding out elsewhere nearby. Remember that and be prepared! Some of them you'll see are the young schoolchildren in a classroom (with one who is violently impaling himself on a pencil), a teacher at a desk who is slowly nodding off, a twitching corpse dangling from a chain in the wood shop, a tunnel full of thrashing straightjacketed maniacs in the asylum, and clowns acting like marionettes in the PTA Carnival.
Giving all these elements the perfect venue to perform in is what Josh does best. The rooms in the Schoolhouse are the ultimate in detail, and he continues to add to them throughout the season. Josh operates on the theory that nothing looks more real than the real thing, and along with Chuck scours antique stores, junk shops, and even Craig's List to get old products, furniture, tools and props (even full sized automobiles) to make the Schoolhouse look indistinguishable from the real thing. If the effects and creatures were removed, it would look exactly like a School that's been neglected and abandoned for years. It's unmatched for level of detail. Lighting has been streamlined and focused, with the traditional strobes, blacklights, and floods of the haunter's craft being replaced by concealed low key back lighting and small LED spotlights. Josh generally prefers to use shades of yellow, as it gives the scenes more of the 'black and white' stark retro look that the Schoolhouse is going for. Other colors are used for maximum impact (such as the red in the kitchen and Charlie's Lair), with design elements in certain rooms (such as Charlie's TV) being used for illumination. Likewise, fog is used sparingly, generally just to allow laser lighting to be seen. The soundtrack is a collaborative effort, with Bud and the construction crew working along with Josh to put together just the right soundtrack for each room (they almost all have their own) along with the general soundtrack used for the house. And Josh is never, NEVER happy with his work-he's always looking for ways to improve things. He's already telling the HOD!!! about what he plans to tear out and replace after the upcoming season wraps. Say goodbye to the auditorium and asylum-and maybe hello to the outdoor playground that Chuck seemingly succeeded in talking Josh out of adding this year!
Dent also features some of the best and most interesting and involving marketing in town. Being featured on powerhouse radio station WEBN accounts for a lot of this, but Dent has a highly detailed website that carries forth their theming, even going insofar as to linking to a bogus newspaper website (The Dent Gazette) that chronicles the murders that have happened over the years. People are completely drawn in by it, and many accept it as fact. Charlie's mug greets people at Arby's as they go to eat their meals, glaring up at them from out of a tray liner. The psychotic clown husband and wife team of Jasper and Jynx regularly shoot videos at the Schoolhouse and post them on message boards and YouTube to keep interest high, and two haunt podcasts (Corpse Cast and The Sinister Hour) produced by the haunt's actors regularly feature the goings-on at Dent. And nobody that passes by the Schoolhouse is unaware of the event going on, with huge banners and billboards out front ballyhooing the evil that lurks within.
And of course, an HOD!!! article on Dent wouldn't be complete without the ruminations of Damien Reaper (arguably Cincinnati's most dead-icated haunt actor and one-third of the Corpse Cast haunt podcast).
"What can I say? I am very blessed working for The Dent Schoolhouse. I have never felt more a part of a team or family in my whole career of playing Cincinnati's favorite Dead Man. My Dad, Kevin "the original Evil One" Walker has started to do a couple of dates and he is faster and louder than I am. Then there's my fellow Corpse Cast hosts Fatso and Burnie the Ring Master. And another podcast bleeding out The DSH, The Sinister Hour Podcast (a little plug for them) even though they have been around longer ( http:/sinisterhour.libsyn.com and http:corpsecast.libsyn.com ). Check them out...Meatbags!
Josh Wells and his crew make a Masterpiece which is The Haunt itself. Leslie Wells as our new personal manger, Bud Stross as our Lord of make-up, and Chuck Stross as our Leader-all together they form a unit that is guiding us to be the best that we can be. As to Dent ranking 6th on Hauntworld and 13th on Haunted Attraction Magazine, just one word-honor. I am Honored to be at Cincinnati's favorite Haunted Attraction. I also made a cameo on The Janitor's movie which Under the Gun Productions asked me to do in the summer. At the same time I will plug my friend Wayne Spies producer of Skare 13 Productions-he will be doing Damien Reaper, Fatso, and Corpse Cast movies.
Now for the Greatest Cast I have ever..ever..ever worked with. Starting out with Jasper, Jynx, Fatso, Burnie, Jimmy The
Bully, Suicidal Addams (Where's your hall pass?)...Bethany Addams, Calliope, Earwax, Insane M.A. (I'm a Bubble Bee), Fruitloop, Nurse Sputum, Big Jim, Molly Lovett, Weepng Wendi, Boiles, Booter, Zeek, Master Rellik, Skittles, Luna the librarian, The Drunk Bush, Dr. Creep, Emilla Strange, The Chef Z, Timmy, Ms.Rakille, The Coach, Giant Bunny, Minnery, The Legend Bludzo T. Klown and Our Beloved Janitor Charlie McFree and so many more you can meet here. And my Dad-the original Evil One.
Out of 11 years I have never felt happier than I do now. If I had one wish though, it would be that my Grandpa was still here to see me as happy as I am. But I want everyone to realize once you see into the eyes of the Dragon, you will...Rest In Damnation!"
Dent has managed to do practically everything right-set design, acting, character development, theming, costuming, makeup, lighting, sound, and marketing. They're striving to get even better and make improvements every day-even in areas not usually seen by the public. For instance, while back in the event's office, Josh shows the new wall that features a graphic history of the haunt-posters from many of the attraction's seasons, from its debut as the Visitation Scouts OLV haunt to Forest Fair Mall and the early seasons at the Schoolhouse when it was known as THE Haunted House. He's also installed a bank of monitors displaying security cameras from many of the rooms in the house. Josh laughs that "This way, I can watch the actors break up my sets!" These should be called Bludzo-cams, but that's another story. "Last week, after we told them to take it easy on the props, I was sitting here watching Troy (the actor who plays Burnie) taking his mallet to the camera in his room". As if on cue, we look at the Big Top room to see what's going on now-only to see Burnie's mallet waving wildly in front of the camera, threatening to take it out. "See what I mean?" There's no telling what a "Weekend At Bernie's" will bring at the Dent Schoolhouse! |
