Performance Recovery

Performing at a Haunt is much more work than what most people would think.
I enjoy most every minute of haunting. I utilize most of my theatre skills. I project my voice over the loud ambient soundtrack.There is lots of audience participation and improvisation. I even developed a character background for myself. I'm getting a few great comments every night.

But there is a downside to haunting. I'm lucky to get a few days off each week. This allows me to recover from the performance. Each night I'm constantly on my feet. Not just standing in place, but running back and forth within an allotted area. There have been plenty of stumbled cues. Not because a cue had been missed. Sometimes a tour does not move fast enough or they take off running. This makes the cue times unpredictable. I talk and yell so much by the end of the night my jaw is ringing with pain and my voice is scratchy. Thankfully my voice recovers quickly. During the off days I discover bruises. I don't know where they are from. I think one on my arm is from when a customer unknowingly shoved a door into me.

We had to turn down or escort a few people from the haunt. One person in particular bit a couple of our actors. Apparently drunk people and fear don't always mix. It's surprising how many times someone sees me and wants to get out of there as fast as they can. That happened at most 20 times in one night. Our record keeper estimated that more than 250 people have freaked out and used one of our emergency exits. Possibly close to 100 people have had an "accident".

Now that I'm getting some R and R for this week, I'm preparing for "All Hallows Eve" weekend.

What is your favorite way to recover from your performances?

Midnight Massacre Haunted House 2010 Promo Video

This is the promo video for the haunt I'm working at for this season.

My oldest brother is acting as a creepy clown "mom". The baby is an "ugly man" hand puppet that has been in our family a very long time. It's apparently a one of a kind puppet that is part rubber and cloth. Lots of detail that has to be seen in person to believe.

My brother and the "baby" star in this video.
Trust me on this, I'm there but you can't quite see me in this promo.



Until next time...
Dockery James

Creativity Burn Out

I'm having creativity burnout, lately. I just want to create something. Not feeling too inspired, I have rejected a few suggestions I have found tonight. I've tinkered with a few projects that I've been working on. Just tinkering not getting much accomplished. Then I realized, I have an old blog just sitting here with no updates for two years. So I decided to reboot these amusing ramblings.

I'm working at "Midnight Massacre Haunted House" this season. So far it's been rather successful haunt in Naperville, IL. I've read that we had over 2,500 visitors this past weekend. This has left me with cold like symptoms and a scratchy voice. Hoping to recover before Thursday, the 21st. That's when we start another weekend.

Weekends... As of note we have five weekends this year. This happens more often than a recent rumor stated. It's been making the rounds that October having five weekends only happens once every 823 years. Many people are buying it hook line and sinker.

I'm jealous. Sounds like some prank I would have pulled.

Here's hoping to update this thang more often.
Dockery James