{"id":11886,"date":"2025-10-26T12:26:19","date_gmt":"2025-10-26T16:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/?p=11886"},"modified":"2025-10-26T12:27:59","modified_gmt":"2025-10-26T16:27:59","slug":"how-to-run-a-haunted-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/2025\/10\/26\/how-to-run-a-haunted-house\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Run A Haunted House"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Rachael Knopf, YourPace Student Contributor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AUSTIN, Texas<\/strong> \u2014 The line forms before sundown. Teenagers in hoodies clutch energy drinks, couples lean close under the glow of string lights, and the bass from a distant DJ rattles the air. By the time the gates creak open at House of Torment, the crowd grows restless, nervous, and ready to scream. October in Austin wouldn\u2019t feel complete without this haunted house, now a beloved local institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Hollywood-level sets, blood-curdling sound design, and skilled scare actors, House of Torment has evolved from a scrappy mall attraction into one of the most respected haunts in the country. Behind the fog machines and severed heads stand artists, technicians, and performers who devote their nights to keeping Austin terrified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

From Mall Goths to Industry Leaders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Michael Faust remembers the first time he entered the world of haunted houses. In 2005, he and his brother, Matt, were hanging out at Highland Mall in Austin when they met a manager recruiting actors for a small haunted house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe started volunteering every night,\u201d Faust recalled. \u201cWe\u2019d work our day jobs at Spencer\u2019s or in a call center, then head to the haunt until four in the morning. We weren\u2019t getting paid\u2014we just loved it.\u201d What began as a late-night hobby quickly grew into something much bigger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matt Faust pitched the idea of transforming House of Torment into a post-apocalyptic version of Austin. Instead of building a generic \u201ccave of monsters,\u201d he envisioned a believable world where the city itself had been destroyed. The gamble paid off. News crews started visiting, industry magazines took notice, and House of Torment earned a reputation for ambitious, cinematic storytelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe asked ourselves, what\u2019s scarier than the real world?\u201d Faust said. \u201cThat question changed everything. We just kept doing it every day\u2014kept living the nightmare and making things happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Faust serves as general manager of House of Torment and creative director for its parent company, 13th Floor Entertainment Group, which operates haunted houses nationwide. His job extends beyond simple jump scares\u2014it\u2019s about engineering experiences that linger in visitors\u2019 imaginations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI like to call myself a scare designer,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have to figure out what\u2019s going to scare people in a unique way. It\u2019s not enough to throw a guy with a chainsaw at them. You need details, twists, nostalgia\u2014something that disarms people before you hit them with the scare.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each season, the creative team studies trends in the horror genre. A new Marvel Zombies series might inspire grotesque superhero costumes; next year\u2019s obsession could be cryptids or creatures from folklore. \u201cThis year, one of our houses is based on La Llorona,\u201d Faust said. \u201cIt\u2019s a story many of us grew up with here in Texas, but it\u2019s rarely represented in haunts. We wanted to change that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Stitching Fear Together<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For assistant wardrobe head Kennedy Young, the magic lies in the details\u2014the rips, stains, and shadows that make a costume feel lived-in. She manages racks of gowns, scrubs, masks, and costumes that rotate among performers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn theater, you wear one costume for the entire run,\u201d Young explained. \u201cAt House of Torment, actors might play three different roles in a single weekend. I\u2019m constantly adapting looks to fit both the show and the performer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Durability poses another challenge. Actors crawl, sprint, and sweat through their shifts, and the costumes must survive the chaos. \u201cWe don\u2019t wash everything every night\u2014it would ruin the distressing we worked so hard to create. Instead, we give the costumes a Lysol bath and patch what\u2019s needed. Safety pins are my best friend,\u201d she said with a laugh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young\u2019s role extends beyond the wardrobe racks. As a \u201crunner,\u201d she patrols the haunt, checks on performers, supplies water, and occasionally jumps into character herself. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing better than scaring someone so badly they fall over,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I also love knowing I\u2019m keeping the show running smoothly, even when things get chaotic.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Rachael Knopf, YourPace Student Contributor AUSTIN, Texas \u2014 The line forms before sundown. Teenagers in hoodies clutch energy drinks, couples lean close under the glow of string lights, and the bass from a distant DJ rattles the air. By the time the gates creak open at House of Torment, the crowd grows restless, nervous, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":11888,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"\n

by Rachael Knopf, YourPace Student Contributor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AUSTIN, Texas<\/strong> \u2014 The line forms before sundown. Teenagers in hoodies clutch energy drinks, couples lean close under the glow of string lights, and the bass from a distant DJ rattles the air. By the time the gates creak open at House of Torment, the crowd grows restless, nervous, and ready to scream. October in Austin wouldn\u2019t feel complete without this haunted house, now a beloved local institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Hollywood-level sets, blood-curdling sound design, and skilled scare actors, House of Torment has evolved from a scrappy mall attraction into one of the most respected haunts in the country. Behind the fog machines and severed heads stand artists, technicians, and performers who devote their nights to keeping Austin terrified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

From Mall Goths to Industry Leaders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Michael Faust remembers the first time he entered the world of haunted houses. In 2005, he and his brother, Matt, were hanging out at Highland Mall in Austin when they met a manager recruiting actors for a small haunted house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe started volunteering every night,\u201d Faust recalled. \u201cWe\u2019d work our day jobs at Spencer\u2019s or in a call center, then head to the haunt until four in the morning. We weren\u2019t getting paid\u2014we just loved it.\u201d What began as a late-night hobby quickly grew into something much bigger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matt Faust pitched the idea of transforming House of Torment into a post-apocalyptic version of Austin. Instead of building a generic \u201ccave of monsters,\u201d he envisioned a believable world where the city itself had been destroyed. The gamble paid off. News crews started visiting, industry magazines took notice, and House of Torment earned a reputation for ambitious, cinematic storytelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe asked ourselves, what\u2019s scarier than the real world?\u201d Faust said. \u201cThat question changed everything. We just kept doing it every day\u2014kept living the nightmare and making things happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Faust serves as general manager of House of Torment and creative director for its parent company, 13th Floor Entertainment Group, which operates haunted houses nationwide. His job extends beyond simple jump scares\u2014it\u2019s about engineering experiences that linger in visitors\u2019 imaginations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI like to call myself a scare designer,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have to figure out what\u2019s going to scare people in a unique way. It\u2019s not enough to throw a guy with a chainsaw at them. You need details, twists, nostalgia\u2014something that disarms people before you hit them with the scare.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each season, the creative team studies trends in the horror genre. A new Marvel Zombies series might inspire grotesque superhero costumes; next year\u2019s obsession could be cryptids or creatures from folklore. \u201cThis year, one of our houses is based on La Llorona,\u201d Faust said. \u201cIt\u2019s a story many of us grew up with here in Texas, but it\u2019s rarely represented in haunts. We wanted to change that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Stitching Fear Together<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For assistant wardrobe head Kennedy Young, the magic lies in the details\u2014the rips, stains, and shadows that make a costume feel lived-in. She manages racks of gowns, scrubs, masks, and costumes that rotate among performers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn theater, you wear one costume for the entire run,\u201d Young explained. \u201cAt House of Torment, actors might play three different roles in a single weekend. I\u2019m constantly adapting looks to fit both the show and the performer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Durability poses another challenge. Actors crawl, sprint, and sweat through their shifts, and the costumes must survive the chaos. \u201cWe don\u2019t wash everything every night\u2014it would ruin the distressing we worked so hard to create. Instead, we give the costumes a Lysol bath and patch what\u2019s needed. Safety pins are my best friend,\u201d she said with a laugh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young\u2019s role extends beyond the wardrobe racks. As a \u201crunner,\u201d she patrols the haunt, checks on performers, supplies water, and occasionally jumps into character herself. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing better than scaring someone so badly they fall over,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I also love knowing I\u2019m keeping the show running smoothly, even when things get chaotic.\u201d<\/p>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7376],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11886","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11886","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11886"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11886\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11891,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11886\/revisions\/11891"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11888"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11886"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11886"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11886"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}