“Tight spaces, awkwardness, and a sense of the world collapsing and closing in around you.”

This is how Gannon University professor Jax Vadney describes this year’s edition of Stage Fright, the (mostly) annual haunted house at Schuster Theater. This year’s theme is “claustrophobia,” and the event takes place on October 20th through the 22nd, and 27th through 29th from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. each night.

If you are curious about what horrifying imagery you can expect inside the theater, Vadney suggests you “just come out and brave the experience to find out exactly what it is.” Although the theme is known, Vadney says any further details are limited because “we don’t like to let out many of our secrets.”

For around seven years, Stage Fright has been produced by the students of Alpha Psi Omega, Gannon’s honorary theatre fraternity. Stage Fright is a “student driven” event that requires plenty of hard work, as well as some fun.

When asked what kind of preparation goes into putting on this haunted house, Vadney answered “hours of planning, details to work out, safety to consider, but also the theme is the biggest part.” Although there will be different spaces, with different terrors to move through, the whole experience must flow smoothly together. Obviously, the amount of creativity and brainstorming that goes into the design is immense, but do not forget about the execution. They have to make their frightening vision come to life, and have gathered volunteers to act as various goblins, ghouls, and others of that sort.

Certainly, these talented students are not going to all this length only to scare you silly. In fact, they are raising funds for the ICTF, or International Collegiate Theatre Festival, Scotland Experience. This is an incredible opportunity for Gannon students to travel, expand their horizons, and perform across the globe in August of 2017. The cost to experience Stage Fright is $3.00 per person, or $5.00 for two people. Go out and get scared while supporting a great cause.

Stage Fright is a great way to fully immerse yourself in the Halloween spirit. Professor Vadney says that her favorite part of being involved with this holiday tradition is “seeing people’s reactions after they make it through the experience.” Whether you are a laugher, a crier or screamer, come out to Stage Fright at Gannon University’s Schuster Theater to get your fair share of the scares.