Sprayed with fake blood, covered in latex wounds and painted a deathly pale, actors transform into undead ghouls ahead of showtime at Gravestone Manor.
“When you come see us, it's not just your chainsaws and air horns and dark mazes,” said Rob Padden, director and project coordinator at the annual haunted house in Plains Twp. “We do something a little different.”
For a quarter century, the theatrical presentation has given audiences, “a good scare for a good cause,” putting on spooky original productions each year to support the United Way of Wyoming Valley.
In this, its 26th season, the all-volunteer cast will take visitors through its new original production “Bloodbound,” following Professor J.R. Brown’s psychological case study of the mysterious Price family.
'A very interesting history'
“The Price family has a very interesting history,” Padden said. “You see, over the past 100 and some years, the Price family has sustained a number of unusual accidents and incidents, and some suspicious deaths.”
Gravestone visitors are invited for an inside look at the Price house — and the curse that keeps family members tied to it.
“As they get through there, they're gonna realize pretty quickly that even though the Price family bloodline has died out, there may still be a few members in the house hanging around,” Padden said. “You'll get to meet a few of these characters along the way and hear some of their stories.”
One of these characters is 1950s housewife Louise Price, played by Laura Rinehart of Forty Fort. Louise, with a green complexion and mushrooms growing from her head and shoulder, tells audiences about her “lovely” husband.
“I get to stay home all day, and I can experiment with my cooking. And I mean, if the mushrooms say anything …” said Rinehart, alluding to her character’s curse.
Audiences will also meet 1980s “brat” and former favorite child Quinn, played by Lacey Rinker of Wilkes-Barre, and Quinn's brother.
“We have taken sibling rivalry up to 11, maybe a little further than that,” Rinker said. “The story of what has happened in my room is that these two siblings have murdered each other, and they are stuck in a perpetual fight.”
The wounds are reflected on her.
“As much as you have a lot of the glitter and glam of the ‘80s, you also have a very large wound in her head that you are kind of forced to stare at when you're talking to her,” Rinker said.
Assistant Director Karen Padden — Rob's wife — said as visitors move room to room, the story becomes a little more disturbing — and sometimes funny, leading to the reveal of a big twist.
“I won't give that away,” she said.
“There's going to be a few jumps and jolts along the way, a few surprises, but overall, we keep it kind of lighthearted, kind of fun and definitely scary at times,” Rob Padden said.
A good scare for a good cause
Gravestone volunteers wrote the “Bloodbound” script. Cast members pitch ideas in February, and they vote on their favorite concept. Then a smaller group works on in-depth writing and transforming the sets room by room with a limited budget.
Once materials are paid off, which was achieved in about four nights this year, admission proceeds go to the United Way of Wyoming Valley, a nonprofit focused on breaking the cycle of childhood poverty. Gravestone raised an estimated $750,000 for the United Way since its inception, with $25,000 to $30,000 coming in annually, Rob Padden said.
Volunteering in a not-for-profit production creates an authentic, familial-like connection among cast members, actors said.
“I love that it's all volunteer-based,” said first-year volunteer Rinehart, who said that is a major reason she joined the cast. “It goes right back to charity, which is a great thing.”
Kellie Logrande, of Forty Fort, who has volunteered with Gravestone for 14 years as an actor, makeup artist and scriptwriter, introduced Rinehart to the haunted house. Logrande returns each year to support the team and cause.
“There's very little pressure, and it's a lot of fun,” she said.
“I was nervous at first being a first year, but people that have been here 14 years have welcomed me with open arms,” Rinehart said. “The people that do come through are amazing as well.”
If you go
Performances are every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 30 in the Trion Warehouse at 1095 PA-315, Plains Twp. Tickets are $12 for all ages and can be purchased at the door.
Actor Matthew Sarnovsky, of Forty Fort, who said he’s a massive horror fan, described attending Gravestone “like being inside of a Goosebumps book.”
“It is very all-inclusive,” Sarnovsky said. “It's family friendly, but it does jump you. It does scare you. It does give you that spook factor without getting to the point where you have to leave the little ones home.”
According to its website, Gravestone Manor is not intended for children under 8. Rooms and hallways are large enough to accommodate a wheelchair.
“For anyone interested in coming in to participate in the tours, if you like anything horror related, if you like anything spooky, if you like being a part of a show, it's a really immersive theatrical experience,” Sarnovsky said. “It's a lot of fun.”
For more information, visit gravestonemanor.com.
