Behind The Screams

Elijah Wood called it “an invasive experience” when asked about it by Seth Meyers. In their recent review, The Haunted Housewives called it an “absorbing piece of theater.” And CBS News called it “an extreme haunted house experience!” If you’re reading this post you’ve probably already read or heard some of the specifics: you have…

Fans of Western Pennsylvania haunted houses, hayrides, and events know and trust the annual reviews and reports from The Haunted Housewives (Tish and Lilly.). A professional writer and occasional costumer with a deep understanding of what scares people and and even deeper interest in finding out why. These esteemed experts in Pittsburgh’s best halloween events…

The Chipped Fang is our NEW immersive mocktail experience for this fall, held within the special event space at Bold Escape Rooms in the Strip District. You’re invited to enter a secret lair in the Strip District for vampires of all kinds and times starting on Friday, September 13th. But what is a mocktail experience…

Remember the ScareHouse podcast?  Starting in 2010 we produced nearly 150 episodes of an audio podcast taking fans behind the screams of ScareHouse, but also offering insights and conversations from the rapidly expanding industries of haunted attractions, immersive entertainment, and location-based attractions. (Plus more than a few episodes that were just about weird stuff that…

We invited Jordan the Grey Witch to take an exclusive, lights on look at ScareHouse! Thanks to Jordan and every one who has provided such overwhelming support to ScareHouse this year! October is almost over, don’t miss your chance to check us aht! Guarantee admission when you buy tickets online. Happy Halloween yinz guys! 💀…

We LOVE watching people get scared in Pittsburgh’s Ultimate Haunted House. How about you? 💀   THANK YOU for supporting Pittsburgh artists, actors and business! Your purchases support a growing family of designers, actors, builders, make-up artists, managers, vendors, customer service associates and security staff who work all year long getting ready to scare yinz…

Just like TV shows can have guest actors, so can haunted attractions! If you come to ScareHouse Friday, October 13 or Saturday, October 14, you might see a new scary face for one weekend only — actress Katie Lane, who’s been working in the haunt industry for nearly 30 years. “I believe I first met…

As one of the new faces to the ScareHouse team this season, Alex Vogelsong just celebrated her Pittsburghaversy. “It was a year ago this August that I came to Pittsburgh for the first time,” says Vogelsong. “I worked as a casting assistant and background actor on a film production [Ethan Coen’s Drive-Away Dolls], and relocation…

Calling all thrill-seekers, theater aficionados, and Halloween enthusiasts! Are you ready to dive into a world where fear becomes fun and the eerie becomes exhilarating? Look no further – your gateway to an unforgettable experience awaits at ScareHouse! Whether you’re an actor, a makeup maestro, a security pro, or a customer service wizard, we’ve got…

One thing to know about working at ScareHouse: If you volunteer to take on a bigger job, they will take you up on it! That’s something Mark Hawley, who’s become a bit of a Mr. Tech Fixit, recently learned. “I don’t think I have an official title,” says Hawley. “Last year I was an actor,…

When terrorized inside the Demon Hour room filled with dolls, watch out for a sound from overhead. How sure can you be that one hasn’t started talking? Sound designer Bengt Alexsander said he included a sample from the band Le Tigre’s song “Decepticon,” that sounds like it originally came from a children’s book. “It’s this…

Mike Richter found his calling as a carpenter because of the haunted house industry—even if he says he was scared of haunted houses growing up. “About nine years ago, my buddy got me to audition for a haunted house up in Erie,” says Richter, “and I just kinda fell in love with it. Then I…

After narrowly missing an alien spaceship’s crash-landing, unsuspecting survivors look up above a crashed car, avoiding zombies lurching toward them, to see: A billboard for cheese?  At ScareHouse, details like what objects go inside a fridge, on a table or become part of a billboard all start with being a part of the overall set…

As his employees chant “Cheese, cheese, cheese!” in unison, ScareHouse founder Scott Simmons says, “I may have accidentally created a cult.” No, it’s not part of a new lactose intolerant haunt—it’s ScareHouse Employee Orientation! Before every ScareHouse season, the employees gather at Pittsburgh Mills to go over the rules for the new year—and of course…

The short answer is that we don’t have any specific dates yet but we’re committed to bringing The Basement back as soon as we can. We won’t be offering it this fall during the haunt season at The ScareHouse in Pittsburgh Mills. However if all goes as planned, you won’t need to wait until October…

Auditions and interviews for ScareHouse 2022 are coming up this weekend! (Click here for details).  Have you ever wondered what it’s like to scare strangers every night? Or why so many of our staff keep coming back year after year? We asked a few veterans from the ScareHouse cast and crew to tell us in…

“I do things!” Melissa Sapienza says with a laugh.  In 2016, she started her ScareHouse career as an actor before becoming a show manager in 2017. “And then for 2019, they asked me to be a part of the core management team and also gave me the task of operating Bold Escape Rooms which then…

“Tech guy” Kip Polley laughs when asked what his official title is at ScareHouse. “That’s funny. I don’t officially work at ScareHouse. I actually live in St. Louis. I don’t know what you’d call me.” Talk about the ultimate mystery from the man behind the Stalked By A Killer escape room.  Polley, who owns the…

Believe it or not, Makeup Manager and Scenic Artist Mollie Himes is a complete scaredy cat when it comes to haunted houses. “I trust nothing,” says Himes with a laugh. “I cannot walk through ScareHouse without a person in front of me and a person behind me. I need the person in front of me…

ScareHouse co-owner Wayne Simmons, creative director/co-owner Scott Simmons’ father, recognized his son’s unique interests very early. “My wife and I just have one son, Scott,” says the elder Simmons, “and I’m not sure how he picked it up, but from a small child, he was always excited about Halloween and scary things and scary movies….

ScareHouse scenic coordinator and show manager Heather Heitzenrater doesn’t have your typical work to-do list. “‘Hang up the babies, bloody up the nun, and move the body,’” Heitzenrater says with a laugh. “It’s ridiculous.” And yet, she wouldn’t have it any other way. In fact, maybe it was even written in the stars. Heitzenrater’s older…