Behind the scenes at a Haunted Walk

EVAN WILLIAMS/FLORIDA WEEKLY Recent Florida State University graduate Milla Voellinger, a volunteer and performer, dressed as Elvira for the Haunted Walk. Sunset descended over the Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium’s pine woods on the opening night of the Haunted Walk. A disparate cast of volunteers worked for months to turn a half-mile loop, deep within the center’s 105 acres in Fort Myers, into an Otherworld.

Cape Coral native Marc Hawkins, an expert in creating stage sets, pirate festivals and medieval fairs for his company Travelers Hold, spent three months worth of Saturdays in the woods, building mazes, painting enclosed hallways, and installing lights and fog machines, to get ready.

“I spend a lot of time watching horror movies,” said Mr. Hawkins, 29. “It’s one of my favorite genres.”

The Haunted Walk is open every night through Halloween, and new volunteers are always welcome. The Nature Center’s board of directors decided to bring the Walk back after five years, to help raise much-needed funds. Andrew Lewis, 22, had come dressed as a clown.

EVAN WILLIAMS/FLORIDA WEEKLY Actor Edwin Millheim, right, was recruited to play Dr. Frankenstein at the Haunted Walk. “I’m just hoping to scare some people,” Mr. Lewis said.

Edwin Millheim, a professional actor with handsome eyes and a lunar forehead, had been recruited by Mr. Hawkins to play Dr. Frankenstein. As people around him had their faces painted, ate pizza or got into costumes, he suddenly broke into a booming rendition of his demented character.

“The person that recruited me said he wanted something over the top,” Mr. Millheim explained.

People on the Walk might see him in the “laboratory,” in his white coat, lit by a green light. The basic premise of Mr. Millheim’s character is a twist on the original tale, “Frankenstein.” He has escaped from his homeland to this Southwest Florida swamp, to take up his weird experiments again for the good of mankind.

“The first night could go really bad or really good,” Mr. Millheim said. “As with any interactive theater, you’re basically on your toes. Sometimes something you have planned may not go how you want, but it could be better than you intended. That’s the thing with improve acting, you just go with the flow.”

Fort Myers resident Tara Daltry helped greet people as they arrived and wrote their role for that night (“wanderer,” “clown,” “Freddy Kruger”) on a dry-erase board. Two students from Cypress Lake High School’s theater department showed up. Corey Robinson and Chelsea Morton, both 16, also hoped to scare people. He was a zombie, she a vampire. Ms. Morton planned to hide in the woods by the boardwalk and take people by surprise.

“I’m really good at staying still,” she said.

As night fell, many of the monsters went down to the boardwalk to stake out their territory and decide how to best scare people. The sound system set up in the woods was on, playing creepy organ music, “Purple People Eater,” “Thriller,” “Monster Mash” and other appropriate tunes. Volunteers patrolled the trail with bug spray and water for costumed ghouls.

The first night brought families and their children. Two Florida Gulf Coast University seniors, dressed as werewolves, hid in the woods, waiting, watching. It was a still, humid night and hot under the costumes. From somewhere, delighted screams pierced the air.

In the laboratory stage set, Mr. Millhiem scared one father and son so much they ran into a wall. He almost had to break character to get them out of there.

“I kept saying ‘to the left, to the left,’” Mr. Millhiem said.

After it ended at 9:30 p.m., a tired, sweaty parade of monsters made their way back to the meeting room. Their faces had makeup and fake blood smeared by sweat. Mr. Hawkins handed out lozenges to people whose voices were hoarse from screaming.

“This is definitely my favorite time of year,” said Milla Voellinger, a recent Florida State University graduate. She remembers helping scare people at the Nature Center in high school, too.

“I love dressing up,” she said, “and the whole adrenaline aspect of it.”

Peggy Egan, volunteer coordinator for the Walk, said people at the Nature Center are serious about scaring you.

“Since the beginning of September, we’ve been coming to meetings for like two hours every Thursday night,” she said, adding new volunteers are welcome every night.

Ralph Williams, president of the board of directors, said treasurer Chuck Reynolds and other leaders played big parts in this year’s Walk, the Nature Center’s 25th .

“We brought it back for financial reasons and we have 105 spooky acres, so why not?” said Mr. Williams, who stayed late the night before with a group, helping put in more strobe lights and fog machines. 

haunted walk

>> What: A scary, one-half-mile walk for all ages with ghouls, goblins, stage sets and classic movie monsters. For younger kids or the faint of heart, there is also a Friendly Forest, with a costume contest, a magic show, horse rides and trick-or-treating. >> When: Every night from 7:30-9:30 p.m. through Oct. 31. >> Where: Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, 3450 Ortiz Ave. >> Cost: $5 for member adults and $3 for member children 12 years old and younger, $6 for non-members 12 and younger. On Oct. 31 admission is $12 for all. >> Information: Call 275-3435 or visit www. calusanature.com