From bursting out of clown stomachs, being kicked in the face, and sleeping to the sound of screams, Sentinel High School student Teia Nash has seen it all. Having worked in the local haunted house for years before its closing in 2021, Nash was eager to spread the news that the attraction will be returning just in time for spooky season.
The Spartan Scoop took the time to interview both Teia Nash and Dustin Mennie, also a long time scarer, separately to get their perspectives on this exciting news.
Mennie, friend of the owner, explains that the Missoula Haunted House has been around for many years, preceding its location at the fairgrounds. The creator Richard Davenport began the whole affair in his backyard in 2011. The house would then run for another ten years before shut down.
After the first wave of COVID-19 and becoming a father, Davenport decided to retire from his days of spooking and scaring community members. Holding several storage units of gory props, he began selling the oddities. Then, with the last of it in line to sell, something held him back, says Nash.
Suddenly, Nash, and what she considers one big haunted house family, received word that Davenport would be bringing the house back.
My mom said people would walk by and scream because they were so scared of me, and I just slept through it all.
— Teia Nash
The excitement seems to bubble off of Nash as she sits ready to get the word out about the scare season she has readily awaited. From her sparkling eyes and wide smile you would never guess this is the same girl who will be screaming in your face just weeks from now.
When asked how she got involved in the scaring business, Nash noted she was following in the family footsteps. “[Richard Davenport] had a sign up for volunteer work, and so my sister…did it the first year it was held [at the fairgrounds] and she thought it was so fun. So my mom and I went in, and we’ve done it every year since. Now we’re part of the team.”
While also appreciating the close bond shared at the haunted house, Mennie states that his favorite part of the whole venture is the adrenaline rush that comes from scaring others. “It might sound a bit unusual, but there’s something fascinating about having the power to evoke fear in others and witnessing their genuine reactions.” He finds the artistry it takes to create the haunting scenes and characters at the haunted house sort of wonderful and “…so much fun.”
Nash reflects very fondly on even the most chaotic of moments working at the haunted house. Although she has no recollection of it, there was one year in particular that her mother still laughs thinking about. “[The theme] was like a mental asylum and my mom was in…a cage and I was her child…I was like nine or ten and I was so tired [that] I fell asleep underneath a table. My mom said people would walk by and scream because they were so scared of me, and I just slept through it all.”
There have been many other incidents that the whole Nash family has experienced. Teia Nash found herself with a shoe to the eye once while chasing a group on all fours. On top of that her sister has had to escort patrons out after peeing their pants from fright.
On a sillier note, Dustin Mennie recalls an incident so unexpected that he broke character like never before. Posing as a zombie sitting dead on a park bench, Mennie patiently awaited the arrival of patrons who would wearily walk past him waiting for the scarer to strike. In this instance a mother and son began the fear-filled walk past Mennie when he then leapt up in anticipation of screams. “The kid was startled as expected but the mother responded, completely unfazed, by looking at her son and saying, ‘See, that’s why you stay in school!’ I immediately broke character and burst into laughter.” Mennie still finds this occurrence funny today.
So what kinds of rooms can we expect to soil ourselves in this year? Nash says the theme will be a mix of things, or as Davenport has phrased it “Everything scary.” Rooms filled with clowns, spiders, and maniacal surgeons are to be expected. Additionally, the Missoula Haunted House has been relocated from the Llama Building to the much warmer Culinary Building where two floors of frights await.
Mennie explains that it takes a lot of hard work to put together a project like The Missoula Haunted House. One of the most challenging aspects being the need for new and creative ideas each year. “The haunted house’s effectiveness hinges on a combination of factors, including the setting, lighting, atmosphere, and carefully choreographed scares. Each of these elements demands not only creativity but also significant labor to bring them to life.”
Even when the ideas come together perfectly, they don’t always pan out logistically. “Sometimes, despite having ambitious ideas, practical constraints like time can force us to make sacrifices. It’s not uncommon for set designs and choreographed scares that we had envisioned to not make it to the opening night due to time limitations.”
Although all involved are excited, the usual team is on even more of a time limit this year. With a later than usual decision to start the house up, it’s go time. “We used to start [planning] in the summer,…and we would be in the building [setting up] by September. This year we’ll be in the building on October fourth so it’s crunch, crunch, crunch time” stated Nash.
A large part of the set is reused annually including costumes, wood pallets, and tarps. However, with many of the original props sold, the team will have to work to rebuild the collection to its former glory.
As for why people enjoy coming to the haunted house and being chased with chainsaws, Nash has no clue. She theorizes the mix of different types of fear is what people come for. “I just…yell and scream in peoples ear, [but] my mom [is] very good at whispering scary things…stuff that makes someone unsettled. She’ll sneak up behind you and [say] ‘I want to wear your skin’ and people freak out.”
When it comes to the casting of scarers Nash says the whole process is very relaxed, if someone wants to run around and go crazy chasing people then they can do that. “As long as you do your best and get people scared, that’s all we really care about.” Although it does stand true that scarers are not able to touch those traversing through the house. That said if you know Teia Nash you might just get a slightly creepy hug mid scare.
Mennie mentions that the ultimate goal of the haunted house is to enrich the Halloween experience of the community and that by doing so, “…we not only craft enduring memories for our guests but also cultivate a feeling of unity and shared delight during this unique season”.
Nash and Mennie would like to let readers know that tickets will be available for purchase at the haunted house itself. And that you can also receive updates on the Missoula Haunted house via their Facebook page @themissoulahauntedhouse. They look forward to hearing your screams starting October 13th!
