The Department of Theatre is hosting its eighth annual Haunted Auditorium Friday-Monday.
The public is invited to this urban legends-themed haunted house that will transform four of the five floors in the MSU Auditorium. The entire production is run by nearly 80 students who serve as designers and actors.
Mike Merluzzi and Melanie Vandenberg, junior theater majors and co-producers of the Haunted Auditorium, have been planning since August to prepare for this year’s event. While the annual production entertains visitors, it also gives students the opportunity to prepare for future careers in theatre.
“A lot of the designers for the Auditorium are actors who have never had experience designing before,” Vandenberg said. “This gives them a look into the various aspects of theater and enriches them in the other options they have when it comes to acting.”
According to Merluzzi, the Haunted Auditorium also helps students explore different genres of acting, while becoming more familiar with the program.
“We learn how to act in comedy; we learn how to act in Shakespeare shows; and now we learn how to act scary,” Merluzzi said. “It’s a way to hone our skills.”
“For many freshmen in the department, it is their first introduction to other students outside of their classes, and it gives them an opportunity to contribute on a level playing field with the upperclassmen,” he said. “Even for those who have been in the department for a couple years, it's seen as a fun and rewarding community building experience.”
The Haunted Auditorium is a fundraiser for the MSU stART program, which provides grants to senior theater majors. The grants support student trips to popular acting destinations such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Last year, the event raised more than $30,000.
“While it is a fundraiser, it is also an artistic collaboration and putting together a quality project is by far most important,” Merluzzi said.
Haunted Auditorium Schedule:
• 8-11 p.m., Friday
• 8-11 p.m., Saturday
• 9 p.m.-midnight, Sunday
• 8-11 p.m., Monday
Tickets are $15 at the door. A full walk through of the Auditorium will take approximately 15 minutes.