New Paltz Teen Seen Haunts Community
Youth Center's Haunted House Frightens Hundreds Each Halloween
Oct 21, 2009
The New Paltz Youth Program, called the “Teen Seen” by residents, hosts a haunted house every year as part of the widespread New Paltz Halloween festivities. A tradition in the village since 1994, the haunted house sees the transformation of the youth center into a scary spectre under the direction of program director Jim Tinger, his staff, and the kids who volunteer to help out. Hundreds of visitors pass through the doors and are treated to scares by a cast that makes up in passion what it lacks in dress rehearsals.
Collaboration with New Paltz Teens
Every aspect of the annual haunted house includes input from the teens themselves. “The kids like to bring in masks from home,” Tinger explained, “and sometimes they work with the theme, but sometimes we have to explain to them why their really cool werewolf mask doesn't work in a school.” The 2009 theme for the house is School of Screams. Teens suggest ideas for decorating specific rooms in the house and help convert the center into its spooky form leading up to Halloween. On the two nights (October 30 and 31) that the haunted house is open, some thirty teenagers play the parts of various characters.
Dress Rehearsals a Pipe Dream
Tinger gave up the idea of having dress rehearsals some time ago. “They just didn't work,” he said simply. “We have to run an active youth center right up until the day before Halloween. It's impossible to close down the house and have a dress rehearsal. In fact, I'm always here all night on October 29 doing the final decorating.” However, the kids are given a few clear guidelines to follow:
- Stay in character. “We have to tell some kids not to laugh at people after they scare them, because that's ruining the atmosphere,” Tinger remarked.
- Don't touch the customers.
- No swearing or breaking any Youth Center rules.
- Scare people toward the exit, not back the other way.
“My biggest challenge is getting enough kids to help out on Halloween,” Tinger remarked. “They all want to work the night before, but a lot of times their Halloween plans fall through and they show up to help out anyway.” New Paltz has a 9PM curfew for minors on Halloween unless they're accompanied by an adult.
Giving Back to the New Paltz Community
Although the haunted house has an admission charge (three dollars for adults and two for children), Tinger said that it's not primarily a fundraiser. “This is when we allow adults to come in and take part in one of our events,” he explained. “Normally we're only open for people 13-19 years of age, so Halloween is when we throw this event to give back to the community.” The admission charges generally cover the cost of putting together the haunted house. The New Paltz Youth Program is otherwise funded by the Town of New Paltz and private donations.
He advises that it's best to visit the house during off-peak hours, such as October 30 or early on on Halloween. The house is open from 6-11 at night both days, but lines get longer in the later hours of Halloween, particularly after the parade ends. “We can only take 4-5 people through at a time, so the wait can be long.” When asked who in the community most appreciates the haunted house, Tinger didn't hesitate to answer. “College kids,” he smiled. “They love anything that they don't have to memorize and recite back, and they really, really want to get scared.”
A fun way to keep older kids engaged and safe, the New Paltz Youth Center's annual haunted house is a a way to involve teenagers in the village's vibrant Halloween scene, helping them realize that they are a part of the wider community. The kids get to improv being scary to the adults that get only a rare glance at this exclusively teen retreat.
Source: phone interview with New Paltz Youth Director Jim Tinger on October 19, 2009.
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