Thread: Haunted Theater ideas?

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This year, I want to do a haunted theater theme for the annual party. I was wondering if anyone had any good ideas for this one?

Hmmm. Do you mean movie theater or performing arts theater? If movie, maybe you can get hold of or make a movie screen area in your house and find one of those projectors devices to go along with it. Or if you have a large TV screen attached to a DVR that would work too. Put draperies on the sides of the screen. Pick a time period and gear things around that. If you are going 40s-50s, play some old B&W eerie suspense movies in the background. Wouldn't have to be horror or monster movies either. Heck there are some old 3 Stooges episodes that would fit the bill nicely for a halloween party or movies like The Birds, War of the Worlds, etc. BTW you should be able to adjust the settings for playback on your TV screen. Maybe dim the brightness and adjust the color from what you would normally use. There are movie poster shops out there. See if you can find a poster for the movie you will be playing. Throw it in one of those cheap temporary frames and hang on the wall in your entry way for guests to see as you walk in. Add other movies posters too if you have the room and money to include them.

A theater-like popcorn maker could be rented maybe and you can have a skeleton or other ghoul prop dressed up like a concession worker, behind the machine. Have boxes of candies for people to take. You could be dressed as an usher maybe. Invites can include a theater ticket/s as an enclosure. Look for those night lights that have horizontal slats in them and look very much like something you might see on the side walls or aisles in a theater. They won't put off much light. Keep the rest of the light low. Since you said haunted theater maybe put you lighting on one of those flicker F/X boxes. If you are aiming for vintage stuff, see if you can find some pipe organ music that would be appropriate to play in the background before the movie starts. Of course an organ with a skeleton player at the keyboard would be outstanding.

I was thinking more of a movie theater, but have some performing arts elements as well. You see, there's a theater near me called the Springer Opera House. I know most haunters have heard of it. I volunteered there before and the place has an elegant yet eerie vibe. The place is extremely haunted, with some of the actors haunt the main theater.

I also wanted to get in a 1930's/1940's "Golden Age of Horror" thing mixed with modern movies, maybe do a Phantom of the Opera thing with it as well.

We did a 'macabre theater' theme one year. We had old faded red velvet curtains as a backdrop and an organist. A red carpet and spotlight outside the 'theater' where people walked in. Posters hanging for upcoming performances. Entry tickets and program guides.
Our first idea was to have a story involving the death of one of the actors as a sort tie in for the game/activity. Later we decided to turn it into a talent search at the theater. That went over REALLY well.

MsM

I was thinking of doing a facade for the outside, maybe a marquee that says "Singer Theatre Halloween Gala 1920" but have the 1920 crossed out and 2010 written in blood over it.

I love the idea

Universal did that last year.
The facade was a run down theater and box office. With a movie lobby on the other side for the entrance.

You could do something simular and make faux movie poster with yourselves as the cast...
This link will help if you are interested Block Posters - Create large wall posters from any image for free!

Hey! You guessed my inspiration for this theme! I was thinking of going that route, with either myself or a friend as an usher.

Sit there and just as the monster sticks his hand out to grab the girl..a loud buzzer is set off right under your seat!
"The Tingler" "House On Haunted Hill" "Macrbre", were made by the guy who did alot of this..then a "Ghost" flys out over the crowd!
"Come right up, ticket-holder number 123! You have won a real dead body!" Said a live performer named Phillip Morris.
The blindfold is put on, the young girl is very nervous, she sticks her hand into the coffin and screams!!!!
Awaiting her was the real dead body promised, a chicken from the local grocery store!
Cold, clammy, very dead. Ready to take home and throw in the soup pot!
Live stimulation in a movie house setting, how much real fun can that be?
Have fun! Good Luck!

You guys wouldn't know any good wallpaper places? I want to make an inner facade that looks like a decrepid old theater.

You could do a stencil and make your own wallpaper. Just be time consuming...
I use card stock paper and it works pretty good to cut out for stencils.