I’ve been working at the Harrodsburg Haunted House as an actor since the start of this month, and it has received a LOT of publicity this year; particularly by the Harold Times local newspaper. It made headlines just a couple of weeks ago, where a photographer for the newspaper interviewed me about what goes on at the Haunt, and just yesterday we filmed a commercial as we marched into the house while people waiting in line to go through cheered us on. We’ve been working really hard, doing a great job, and it shows. I’m very proud of our efforts!
Yesterday was also the second time this month I was in the newspaper, only this time, it was in the form of a letter to the Editor; a complaint. Here is what was said, compliments of Melissa Snooks, word-for-word:
“I think, at times, political correctness has gone too far, but when I read the recent front page story about the Harrodsburg haunted house, I don’t think it goes far enough.
There is an actor portraying a woman, whose jealous boyfriend is assaulting her over and over and a woman who has killed her baby. So, since when does domestic violence belong in a haunted house?
Can you imagine a child whose parent had been the victim of domestic violence going through that house and re-living it? And, the teen girl, whose boyfriend is hurting her, thinking she deserved it because she went out with another boy? I think it’s inappropriate of the haunted house and the H-T for reporting it.”
…Well, gee. I didn’t know I’d made such an impression on her that she’d go so far as to say my performance had been dynamic enough to cause a child to re-live a traumatic experience! Quite frankly… I’m both flattered, and humbled. 
Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t condone domestic violence in any way, shape, or form; nor would I endorse it. Quite the contrary, I am actively against it. Also, the last thing I want to do is deeply disturb an innocent child, or somehow convey the message to a teenage girl that she deserves to be beaten for cavorting with other men (though this does raise my brow). So why would an actor, such as myself, portray characters with these elements? Art. Simply put. Why is there violence in movies? In comic books, and videogames, and music? It’s not always necessary, but sometimes it’s an imperative to the plot. Had the person writing this complaint actually listened to the exchange that transpired between my co-worker and I (which we made audibly crystal clear), she’d know that he “assaulted” me, because I murdered his wife, condemning her for witchcraft (though I understand the mix-up, as the newspaper had previously misconstrued the scene, describing him as a “jealous boyfriend”).
For those who are curious, I’ve actively played two different roles for the Harrodsburg Haunt — a mentally ill woman, moaning and sobbing as she cradles a dead baby in her arms, and a woman who puts an accused witch to death by hanging (who, in turn, gets strangled herself by the husband of the woman who’d been killed). The latter of the two seemed to have gotten far more attention as visitors came through; at one point we even got cheers and applause for our performances, so I think it’s safe to assume that the vast majority of the customers were entertained rather than offended, and walked away from the experience satisfied that they’d gotten what they paid for. I would also bet every penny I own that no teen girl who bore witness to our scene would put two and two together and say, “Huh. Well, I guess this means it’s okay for my boyfriend to beat me!” I mean, c’mon; let’s get real here… At any rate, we did do away with dead baby skit. But we’re keeping the alleged “domestic violence.” I’d say that’s a pretty fair compromise.
And, for the record, even if it were domestic violence, where our portrayal is indeed disturbing, I would still say that it should be kept anyway. We have people of all ages visiting our Haunted House. It’s up to the parents to discern whether their child is emotionally and mentally prepared to be subjected to various scenes of horror. When you come to a Haunted House, that’s what you should expect to see. Period. Granted, I will say that we DO have a system set up to where, if a child is sent in with a flashlight, this means we make things less scary (ie; instead of being strangled to death I am put to sleep by magic).
…Sure, you complain when a woman is strangled by a man, but what if it were two men? Or what if I strangled him? I don’t mean to be overtly presumptuous, but I’d also bet the complaint would have never been written. And for goddness’ sake, no one’s whined about the butcher scene!! How is a mutilated dead body sprawled out over a cutting board more acceptable than our skit?!
*sighs* Oh well… The show must go on~! 
I am also currently collaborating with Senshuu, as a crossover between Lovefeast and 
