Fan Art...A High Form Of Praise, Indeed

 I got a text message last week. It included a picture...a computer drawing of a house.

But, not just any house. It's the house where I've been visiting each fall for the past several years. It's not a real building, but a facade, a representation of where Professor Black holds a spooky ritual. The drawing was a gift, of sorts. Fan art from a fan.

My autumn side gig takes place at an amusement park. It's an attraction, something those who enjoy scary things greatly enjoy. It's where Séance, the Dark Ritual is performed each weekend and will continue until the end of this month.

I loved getting the drawing. It's something the fan didn't have to do, obviously. We live in a world where everyone looks out for themselves, does things for themselves, or at least it seems that way. This fan went out of his way to recreate the place we, that do the show, all love.

I can't remember the last time I did something like that for someone else, share a talent just for the fun of it. I hope when I see opportunities to do the same kind of thing, I'll act.

I think the picture means so much to me/us, because the show means so much to those who do the show. We've had incredible memories doing the show.

Fan art...high form of praise, indeed!

Give Thanks...The Post I Cannot Share

Last night, I snapped several photographs, even took a video to remember the closing of another season of an incredible show.

I can show you almost none of it.

What I can show you is a photo of the venue (what it looks like on the outside...), and the mask I wore when I greeted the attendees as I stood outside with them and waited for the shows to begin.

Other than that...nope.

I am one of a select few that is allowed to see "behind the curtain" of the show...I get to see the inner workings, see how the sausage is made. Oh, and there's little thing called a "non-disclosure agreement" that prohibits me from posting those pictures or that video.

I'd sure love, too...

But I won't, or better, can't.

I'd love to show you just how special the show is, how amazing it is, how  completely dedicated to one singular purpose it is and it fulfills that purpose extremely well.

Basically, the show scares people.

I'm grateful I've been associated with Lagoon's Seance since its inception. I've worked with some of the most talented people I know all dedicated to scare the bejebbers out of all those who enter that non-assuming door. Yes, I'd love to share more, but the best I can do is invite you to come experience Seance yourself next year. And maybe...just maybe, I'll see you there.

"Séance" Has A New Home...Or, At Least, A New Homefront

Last year I was part of something amazing. I had heard about it beforehand, but I had no idea--none of us did--just how incredible the experience would be. There were five of us in all, and I knew (kind of...) only one before we started. By the time the show's run came to an end, I considered each a friend.

Strange how close you can get to a group when your job is scaring the bejeebers out of people.

But that's just what we did.

And now, it's time for the scaring to begin again. You can sense it--there's something in the air.

It's time for another séance.

Because the show had never been in Utah, almost no one had heard of it. It came from the brilliantly twisted mind of Joey Wartnerchaney, special effects genius and all-around great guy. He had been working with the Lagoon Amusement Park for several years designing both their summer shows and helping with Frightmares. Last season, though, he got to have his self-admitted "favorite show" open for us. I'm so glad he did. The show is flat-out awesome.

It's also tear-inducing, faculty-losing, mind-blowing scary.

Frightmares begins this Friday at Lagoon. If you want to see Séance, you'll need to get into the park and get a ticket. I should say that tickets go fast so getting a ticket for our show may be something you do when you first arrive. You can buy tickets at the entrance to the Arcade, or what we used to call the Penny Arcade. You can't miss our new home. They built an amazingly beautiful facade that houses both the ticket office and our front door. It's a fitting tribute to a great show!

Yes, there's something in the air.

It's time for another séance.

And I can't wait!

Meet Joey Wartnerchaney...Academy Award Winner This Week At FanX!

There are people out there--you know them--creative types. There's something about how their brain is wired that makes them, well...different. They can hear a story and envision a video game. They can look at a picture and see a feature film. They can visit a country and create a world.

I'd like to introduce you to one such individual. His name is Joey Wartnerchaney.

And he's coming to Salt Lake's FanX convention this week.

I first met Joey in 2014. Lagoon had just built their largest ride ever--the towering Cannibal rollercoaster. Because they expected record lines for this ride (and they were right...), Lagoon hired Joey to design an attraction for the throngs waiting for their ride. Joey came up with a show called The Rainmaker and they hired me and another employee to play the title character. 

Joey came up with an incredible show. He built a Model T out of a golf cart that included a stage, sound system, and water cannons. I entertained and cooled down audiences that summer. 

If you attended Lagoon's Frightmares last year and were lucky enough to get into their newest show Séance, you know you saw something rarely seen in Utah, or anywhere for that matter. Séance is something that must be experienced. It's a world-class haunt I was fortunate enough to be a part of. I saw adults leave the show in tears. I saw teenagers who showed such bravado as they entered rush from the show terrified. Hands down the best Halloween show around.

It came from Joey's mind.

Creating amazing amusement park attractions is just some of his accomplishments. Here's his bio:

JOSEPH WARTNERCHANEY  |  DIRECTOR

Joseph is a nationally-recognized film and live entertainment director, creator, and producer whose projects include the critically acclaimed Decay, Broadway’s Squirm Burpee a Vaudevillian Melodrama, Rock Band Live! (MTV), Séance; a Multi-Sensory Experience, Carnaval de Fuego, Survivor Live! (CBS Television), Conjure, and Cirque Innosta. His motion picture work includes all three films in the Sam Raimi-directed Spider-Man trilogy; Steven Spielberg’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence and The Terminal; Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator; Constantine; and The Italian Job. Joseph's collaborators in the television world include Quiznos Subs, McDonaldʼs, TLC and Turner Classic Movies. In 1999, Joseph co-founded the production company Homewrecker Films with partners Benjamin Smith and Rich Volp.  Since its onset, Homewrecker Films has won an Academy Award (Scientific and Engineering) for Technical Achievement, an Emmy Nomination, and received multiple film festival awards including “Best Picture” for Tuscaloosa at the New York International Independent Film Festival and the coveted “True Grit” award for his film Decay.

If you're going to attend this year's FanX convention in Salt Lake, please include Joey's panel, Friday, September 7, from 1pm to 2pm in Room 255A. It's a big room--bring your lunch and your friends and meet one of those truly creative people.

It's College Football Season...And I'm Watching It From A Dressing Room

The last few years I've found myself involved in theatrical productions in the fall and winter. This happens to be the same time college football season runs. Of course, in this modern day, a person can record an entire game and watch it later at their leisure. Still, there's something about watching a game live as it happens that's hard to beat.

The past few years, I haven't had the chance to do that.

And it looks like the same thing's going to happen again this time.

Yesterday the show my daughter and I have been doing closed--at least, for us. You might be thinking I'll now have my weekend's free. Actually, I won't have a weekend free until after Halloween. Next week is Salt Lake FanX Comic Convention, and after that, the next show begins, Lagoon Amusement Park's Séance.

There's two main differences between the theatre where we finished Pirates of Penzance, and where we do our haunted show...the former has internet access and the latter does not. Last fall I had to try and watch games (between shows, of course...) on my little phone and not on my laptop or iPad. Again, I'm not complaining (too much...). I can always watch the recorded game later.

Doing shows and entertaining people is something I love to do. And if having to wait to watch a sporting event is part of the price I pay to do that, I'll pay it gladly. Then again, if the Utes don't win, then it doesn't matter anyway. ;)

A Fitting Farewell To An Amazing "Seance" Season...

For the past three years I have worked at Lagoon Amusement Park's Frightmares, their season-ending ode to Halloween. The first two years were fun, but this year was beyond fun, beyond anything I could have imagined. Simply put, I had a blast!

I've done my fair share of shows over the years. Almost all come with bittersweet endings. It's amazing how friendships can form in such a short period of time. You get used to doing the show and seeing each other and when you close the door to the theater you know you'll see everyone soon.

Until the show ends, then all bets are off.

Last night we prepped the stage like we've done each time before. We welcomed in the guests, sat them in their seats, then proceeded to scare the crap out of them. I'd feel bad, except the people have come willingly--even paid extra for the opportunity--to get the crap scared out of them.

I've blogged about the show before, but I've not said much about it. It seems others who have seen the show have kept quiet, too. I had the pleasure of greeting the patrons, getting to know them a little bit. Hardly anyone knew what they were in for--it's one of the reasons the show's been so successful. 

I also got to thank everyone for coming. When they came in before the show I saw smiles, apprehension, nervousness. When they left, their faces told different stories. I saw shock, terror, relief, and in many case, complete and utter awe at what they had just experienced. Sometimes I ran into those on the park who saw the show. We spoke as if we were included in some secret club, knowing things others don't. 

I looked at the crowds before they entered and if they hadn't seen the show, there's just no way they can possibly understand what they're in for. When I told them the show is like nothing they've ever experienced before, I meant it. I was confident is saying it. Because it was true.

Those with whom I performed the show were the absolute best! From the men and women who built the space, to the genius behind its conception, to those of us lucky enough to be chosen to put it on, all created something special, something well done, something memorable. And, with the exception of our first show, we couldn't have asked for better crowds to end this year's run--they were fantastic!

Hopefully, the show will return next September. They'll need a greeter, of course. I may or may not be that person. If not, I'll always remember the past eight weeks because the show was great and we all had a blast doing it.

Ever Have A Long Weekend...Or Do Your Weekends Fly By?

It's happened before. I come into work on a Monday and am asked by co-workers how was my weekend.

And I say, it was a very long weekend.

On more than one occasion, after I've told others that my weekend was long, I stop and think about that. Aren't weekends supposed to be short? Aren't they supposed to fly by?

I think they're supposed to, but many times mine don't.

Take my last weekend for example. In addition to my full-time gig, I've been working a show at our local amusement park for Halloween. Normally we only work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings. Because local schools were out last week, we were also open on Thursday. So, last Thursday I worked my 10-hour shift, and sixty minutes after I clocked out at my old job, I clocked in at the weekend job.

Because of the success of the Halloween show, we've been doing more shows than were originally scheduled. This is a great thing! I love seeing the show sold out and doing more shows so more people can see it. But, it makes for long days.

The weekend would have been even more crazy if we had rehearsals for the Christmas show my daughter and I are in. Normally, we rehearse every weeknight and Saturday mornings. The reason we did shows Thursday night was the same reason they canceled rehearsals this past weekend.

Then came yesterday. I worked my 10-hour shift, took the train home, picked up my daughter at 6pm, came home, hurried and ate, and was at rehearsal at 7pm. We stayed until 10:15pm and seven hours later, I woke up to catch the bus to do it all over again.

I'm not complaining and I hope it doesn't sound like I am. I enjoy each activity I'm doing--it's just when they all come together, this 51-year old gets a little tired.

This next weekend is our last for the Halloween gig. I'll miss it, but I'll enjoy spending more time with the family, too. Here's to another long weekend!

Thanks Joey...For The Opportunity And The Bag Of Fun!

A few weeks ago I, along with three others, were given a bag full of Halloween goodies. The reason for the gift-giving was in appreciation for being in a show. The giver--the show's creator. The recipients--the cast.

The past couple of days I've been taking photographs of some of the items, chocolate skeletons, pencils, a skull mug. There are other goodies I haven't photographed--some really great stuff in that bag. A skull candle, a journal, Halloween magnets, a stress skull (instead of a stress ball...), a chocolate cat, and a skull masquerade mask, among other things were all inside.

But as cool as the stuff in the bag (even, the bag itself...), what was cooler was the gesture from the one who took time out of his day to go to the store, search for stuff, and put it all together for us. The man already gave me a great opportunity to earn a little extra cash and have a blast doing it. He didn't need to go the extra mile.

This simple act--whether intended or not--showed to me how much the show means to him. This realization requires me to show as much respect to him and to the production to make it as good as it can possibly be.

Thanks Joey and Whitney! We're doing our best to show everyone your best!

The Little Piece Of Plastic...That I Was So Excited To Get

A few days ago I chose for my "Pic Of The Day" a picture of a small piece of plastic and metal. I included with the picture the caption that I was SO excited to get this particular piece. I know it didn't make much sense--I got a few likes and a comment on the picture ion my Facebook page. Since it was confusing, I thought I'd explain a little bit.

I've blogged about a new project I'm working at Lagoon's Frightmares this fall. It's called Seance and I act as a guide for the show. On the first day I attended rehearsals, the show's creator, Joey, gave me a piece of equipment I would need to do the job. What was the first thing I did when I picked up the object that cost several hundred of dollars?

I broke it.

Ugh.

That is not the way to begin a show. Actually, it's one of the worst ways to start a show.

Luckily, I was able to rig it so it would work, but every time I picked it up, I was worried it would break again. It actually did a few times so I had to keep fixing it. Still, I thought it would be best if I could try and find the piece I broke. I checked out the manufacturer's website and gave them a call. I placed the call on Monday. The next time we did the show was Friday.

On Friday, before I left for work, I checked the mail and there it was. I was so happy because I was able to fix the problem without bugging the show's creator. This weekend, as we did show after show, the piece worked swimmingly.

You maybe thinking about what this particular piece goes to, or what was the piece of equipment that cost hundreds of dollars. And I'm not going to tell you. Telling you would give away something about the show, and that's the last thing I want to do. But I will say, because of my stupid mistake and a company's great customer service, I did a weekend of shows with one less thing to worry about.

Lagoon Frightmares "Seance"...Like Nothing You've Seen Before!

A few weeks ago I wrote about Lagoon's newest Frightmares attraction, Seance. I didn't write much--we were right in the middle of rehearsals. Since then we've been doing shows Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

In short, it's the best show in the entire park.

And the scariest, too!

Today Lagoon released a promotional video on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. I've filmed it and included it, but you can see the better version by clicking: HERE. If you're on Facebook check out Lagoon's Facebook page. There's more than an hundred comments on Seance alone. It's the kind of show that generates a lot of buzz. You can find the comments: HERE. 

I'm sort of a guide for the show. I talk to people before they go in. Many times they ask me questions about what it's like. I don't say much. Most of the fun is not knowing what's going to happen. If you like to be scared, you'll love it. I guarantee you've never experienced anything like this before.

Check out Seance. It's, as more than one Frightmares guest told me after seeing the show, "worth every penny."