Foggy, cold weather did nothing to dampen the spirits of the students hosting the 2016 Haunted Woods. Still dressed up and raring to go, their passion and enthusiasm for the nights ahead was tangible.
Drama Club advisers Mr. Paone and Mrs. Nelson and music teacher Mr. Beaulieu, who sets up sound and lighting, have come together once again to help the Drama Club students set up this fundraising event. All the monies raised go toward their musical in the spring, which will be “Thoroughly Modern Millie” this year.
“We have such a great crew this year, they’re very hardworking and dedicated,” Paone said.
Ideas have been brewing since September’s Drama Club meeting, and an entirely new setup was decided on by October. Rather than setting up make-shift “hallways” on the field for attendees to walk through, this year was a more “open concept.”
After advising the Woods every year for the past five years, Mr. Paone said this year’s set up has been one of the easiest since the weather was good and so many kids helped out.
“We spent the entire week preparing the woods,” Paone laughed,“and the only bad part was the occasional acorn hitting someone in the head.”
New members and returning members, including kids not in Drama Club, are from every grade. They dedicate hours after school to prepare for Haunted Woods, and then the nights of the shows, they work late into the evening performing for attendees.
Friends and family also come out to be temporary makeup artists, bringing with them the props and costumes needed for the students to put together a frightening atmosphere.
“I have so much fun doing this event,” junior Ben Dionne said.”It is so worth the time.”
With five skits in total, those touring the grounds were able to witness kids fighting to survive, a little girl’s “friend” from the forest, a dinner party with a twist, a crazed magician, and a literal freakshow.
“In our skit we unintentionally went for a remake of the TV show “Stranger Things.” I’m the weird leafy monster that tortures various kids that have been brought into the woods,” sophomore Hans Hendricks said. “It’s extremely fun to bring out the creepy, morbid or strange side of yourself in the woods.”
Even those not in a skit have the opportunity to join in the scaring, according to Hendricks, because there are numerous openings for scarers. Scarers hang around the tour group, often producing jump scares, while the skits continue to play behind and in front of the group.
“The atmosphere is honestly really diversified because you have some really witty, funny people who are super nice and supportive,” junior Danika Dixon said. “Then you have the really introverted people who are really sweet when you talk to them. There are people from every social group coming together to make a somewhat cohesive production.”
