FRIGHT-HOUSE SQUARE >>>
When editor Matt Driscoll asked me to walk through and report on a haunted house in Freighthouse Square last weekend, I nodded enthusiastically and maybe even saluted (gung-ho intern on the job!). What I didn't have the nerve to tell my editor was that I shut down the last haunted house I visited. After I lost my buddy inside the house I launched into a full-blown panic attack (don't judge, they're a lot scarier in Canada). The operators flipped on the lights and carried me out sobbing like a toddler. So, haunted houses are kind of on my "don't ever do this again" list.
I considered backing out at the last minute (the diarrhea excuse works every time) but realized I should woman-up and confront my fears. And where better to seek therapy for my inner demons than the Black Lake Haunted Asylum?
The haunt, located on a dank corner in Tacoma's Freighthouse Square, is in its third year. The 12,000-square-foot asylum is the brainchild of Benjamin Isitt - co-producer and designer of most of the haunt's props. Isitt has been a master designer and creator of all forms of works for more than 20 years. His artistic talents have horrified viewers in the Army of Darkness and Jurassic Park movies. You can view his works here.
Isett's art is what distinguishes this haunt from any other around. As I toured the 22-room asylum, clutching the arm of manager Jay Bennett, I screamed at every corner as maniacal clowns cranked torture devices and patients turbulently convulsed. Amidst my terror, however, I was able to enjoy the intricate details of each prop. The open cavity intestinal tracts, jellied carcasses, and the congealed entrails of demon babies crawling in bloody bathtubs left me with the urge to simultaneously vomit and applaud.
From the handcrafted props to the authentic antique medical equipment, the details are spectacular. And details this intricate take time and money. This year's crew spent nearly two months setting up and owners have collectively dropped nearly 32 grand on props.
"We have an expensive hobby, but we're here to have fun, and we like to share what we have," said Bennett.
Although, the whole concept of a haunted house is about having fun, there is a serious side to the operation. Every year the Black Lake Haunted Asylum donates its profits to a different charity. "This year all the proceeds will go to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital," said Bennett.
And while the mission to raise money comes first and foremost, another very important challenge remains: to beat last year's record: five people defecated, 48 people peed their pants.
So buy your incontinent grandpa a Big Gulp and bring him to the Black Lake Haunted Asylum; help them achieve the noble goal of raising money for sick children and frightening people into making sick messes in their pants.
Manager/partner Jay Bennett, scary intern Julie Holt and photographer/partner Lugh Watermann
Through Oct. 31, 6-10 p.m., Friday-Sunday
$12-$18, not appropriate from children younger than 13
Freighthouse Square's basement
602 E. 25th, Tacoma