The Best Haunted House Ever!

Earlier this October, Encore Stage & Studio turned Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre into the best haunted house ever—and our young performers absolutely brought the spooky fun to life.

 

In our production of The Best Haunted House Ever, students from two different “schools” teamed up onstage to pull off the ultimate Halloween prank: sneak into an old house, rig it with tricks and scares, and terrify their unsuspecting classmates. What started as a harmless plan quickly spiraled into total, hilarious chaos. The audience watched as carefully-planned pranks were interrupted by a spooky zombie, a mysterious ghost, and more bumps in the night than anyone bargained for.

 

One of the joys of this show was watching our cast lean into the comedy. Every surprised scream, every misplaced prop, every moment of “Wait… that wasn’t us!” landed with laughter from the audience. Kids giggled, adults chuckled, and families leaned in together to see what would go wrong next in this haunted house gone off the rails.

 

Though it was packed with ghouls and ghosts, the show stayed firmly in that “just spooky enough” zone, making it a perfect outing for our many young audience members. Recommended for ages 6 and up, it gave kids a chance to enjoy Halloween-style thrills without being too scary. For some, it was their very first live theatre experience—and there’s nothing quite like hearing a whole row of children gasp, then immediately burst into giggles.

 

As always at Encore, this was theatre for kids, by kids. Our young actors took on big roles, quick scene changes, and fast-paced physical comedy, showing incredible focus and teamwork. Backstage, more young people helped with props, costumes, and the technical magic that makes a haunted house feel alive. We’re so proud of their hard work, creativity, and courage in bringing this playful, spooky world to life.

 

We also want to extend a huge thank you to the families, friends, and community members who joined us, especially those who filled the theatre for our final performance on Sunday, October 5 at 3 pm. From the moment the doors opened to the final bow, your energy, laughter, and support meant the world to our cast and crew.

 

If your child left the theatre talking about zombies, ghosts, or “that one really funny part,” we hope you’ll keep Encore Stage & Studio on your radar. Whether they’re ready to step onstage themselves or just excited to see what story we tell next, there’s always room for them in our audience—and, someday, maybe in our casts and classes too.

 

Thank you for haunting the theatre with us this fall. 
We can’t wait to welcome you back for the next adventure!