By ANNABELA LOPEZ
The Tower
One cold late night in October, you decide you want to eat at a diner. Not just any diner, but the new 24-hour diner that has just opened.
You’re greeted by a waitress, and she guides you to your seat.
Once your food is served, you realize something is off. The waiters are acting weird, people are staring, and the food tastes ...
Odd.
There's something different about this diner, but you can’t figure out what.
Not until you find out you’re next on the menu.
This is the backstory for Manteca High’s annual Haunted House, which opens on Monday, Oct. 26. “Cannibal Diner” is hosted and produced by the school’s Thespian Club.
The haunted house happens every year in Manteca High, and the club leaders and participants work hard to make it entertaining and attainable to people who come to visit. Visiting the attraction is a way to get into the spirit of Halloween and a way to spend time with friends. Multiple people participated as actors or guides in the Haunted House and one of them being club leader of the Thespian Club, Oliver Corral.
Oliver Corral is the president of the Thespian Club. They say the secret to the haunted house’s success – and theatre, in general – is the people.
“I have been interested in acting in theater for pretty much as long as I can remember,” Corral said, “but really what got me into theater is the people.
As Halloween approaches, the haunted house isn't just a way to celebrate the spooky season but another chance for the young actors in the club to show off their acting, planning, and organization.
The theme of the haunted house is a “Cannibal Diner,” where waitresses guide you throughout the house as scarers jump at you and hope to make you their next meal.
The club came together to choose the theme like they do every year. They all work together and include everyone to figure out what’s best for the event.
“We present it to the club,” Oliver said, “and then the club votes on the top three that they think are the one that they think is the best option, and then that is our haunted house.”
To pull this off takes months of organizing, and the behind-the-scenes work deserves to have light shone on it. There are multiple rehearsals. An agenda is created, and the club leaders look over it and figure out any scheduling issues. Their main issue is making sure the actors are comfortable with their roles and feel prepared.
The director Dawn Coyan, the school’s theatre teacher, makes sure they have the space they need and provides oversight and support as Corral and the club’s members plan, build, and rehearse.
“My favorite part of organizing is definitely seeing all the rooms come together…” said Oliver, “…hearing the clubs talk to one another… because you get to see them all just be excited to just create and be creative, and I really find that amazing.”