It’s dark. You’re running through a tunnel, the air full of the screams of victims. Behind you, something gives chase with heavy thuds and breath filtered through a mouth full of sharp teeth. Forward is only more horrors, and behind is a creature too terrifying to describe.
Where else could you be but the Boulder High Haunted House, Shipwreck of Souls? This dramatic and terrifying haunted house ran at Boulder High on October 24th, 25th, 30th, and 31st!
Student directors Madelyn Cass, ‘27, and Scarlett Caste, ‘26, have been working on the template and ideas for Shipwreck of Souls since May to bring this terrifying vision to life. “It’s taken a lot of work,” Caste reports. But truly, it came out amazing!
With the underwater 1920s shipwreck theme, this house is unlike anything Troupe 60 has done before. If you explored the house, you may have found rooms such as a speakeasy, a siren’s grotto, and a sinking helm. Each of these rooms was horrifyingly haunted with Boulder High’s talented actors, moonlighting as sea monsters, victims, and mutilated flappers.
The actors were certainly the heart of the show, and the directors were the brain. But the seven skilled theater technical crews make up the rest of the body of this terrifying Haunted House. Front of House, Costumes, Lights, Sound, Set Construction, Props, and Makeup all dedicated multiple days a week after school to bring their unique expertise to this haunted house.
First, Set Construction worked with the Student Directors to plot, build, and paint the walls that make up the house. Then, Lights, Sound, and Props added the final, crucial touches that brought the house to true life: the haunting melodies, the terrifying personality and barnacles that crept along the walls, and the flickering lights that always scare house visitors.
Meanwhile, Costumes and Makeup worked closely with the actors and directors to transform ordinary students into horrifying scarers. Handling latex wounds, bloodied garments, and everything about looks, Costumes, and Makeup transformed actors into something even Stephen King would be scared of.
The Front of House handled the publicity side, including posters, advertisements, ticketing, and managing the house against unruly guests.
Each crew member, actor, director, and supporting adult worked together to create an absolutely terrifying haunted house. Shipwreck of Souls is definitely a standard for future houses and a testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved!
