During the wonderful season of creepy spiderwebs and skeleton decor this past October, adults and kids alike were jumping for joy in anticipation of the celebration of the most terrifying holiday- Halloween! Carving pumpkins, lighting bonfires, and Trick-or-Treating are some of the most popular activities for Halloween, but certainly not the scariest. That title may be bestowed upon the most spine-chilling, hair-raising, blood curdling, attraction: haunted houses, such as Long Island’s best, the Gateway Haunted Playhouse.
The history of haunted houses is not very extensive- only dating back to 1915, when an English fairground premiered one of the first “ghost houses” as an early type of commercial horror attraction. Halloween has Celtic origins going back 2,000 or so years, but the popularity of haunted houses only spiked during the Great Depression era celebrations of Halloween, with the promotion of these amusements to prevent pranking teenagers from sabotaging public property. This alternative to vandalism kept boys off of the streets while also entertaining them on Hallow’s Eve.
Today, the typical haunted attraction averages around 8,000 guests per Halloween season. The rates per ticket range anywhere from $10 to $45, charging as much as $75 each at the most popular locations in America. There are over 1,200 houses across the United States, though only around 10-15 major venues on Long Island.
Located in Bellport, one of these is Gateway’s Haunted Playhouse- also known as the Performing Arts Center of Suffolk County. It is Long Island’s oldest professional theater, at around 74 years of age. Usually, this is the destination of many Long Island regulars and theatrical enthusiasts- but during the fall months, spooky season draws in even bigger crowds.
Gateway started out as a modest 70-acre farm in Bellport, purchased by Harry C. Pomeran in 1941 with the intention of building a resort hotel. Over time, his family made use of the land itself, raising animals and harvesting crops. Harry’s children also began entertaining hotel guests, singing, performing skits, puppet shows, and playing the piano, which inspired local residents to come see the performances. This entertainment evolved into bigger productions and so the first play, The Taming of the Shrew, was put on in 1950.
As these plays went on, Gateway’s focus on educating the next generation of actors became a huge endeavor. Students and apprentices came to the residence to be trained in theatrics, taking classes to become performers, directors, and technicians. These classes continue today as kids and adults partake in lessons to become better actors and actresses.
“I am a student of the Gateway acting school and working at the haunted house was an opportunity that they had presented to us students,” says Patchogue-Medford senior Abby Caravella. “I love getting to work with my friends. [And] it’s also a great way to let out your emotions.”
Each year, the crew at Gateway designs a new theme, walkway and characters for the haunted house, sometimes inspired by this history of the property’s progression.
Kate Marin, another PMHS senior who performs at Gateway, explains how “[Some] themes they do somehow connect to the history of Gateway. Like, the first year I did the haunt, the theme was ‘The Farm’, and in 2023 they did the ‘Haunted Hotel’.”
This year’s haunted house theme was not related to Gateway’s history though, and instead was “Camelot”, based off medieval Arthurian legends.
Gateway runs these themes from the last weekend of September until the first weekend of every November, varying with some horrifying nights for all ages and their “Not-So-Scary Halloween Adventure” times for kids and meeker parents earlier in the day.
For $40/$50 (online/at-the-door price), the house really can be a terrifying experience, even for those who enjoy horror or are brave enough to try it.
“I have seen people – like grown men, bigger than me- that scream HIGHER than me, and then run out of there, frozen in fear,” says Kate Marin.
“Those are the best reactions,” she adds.
This could be due to the many elements of the trail, from the scare artists and props, to lighting, fog machines, certain smells, and a dark atmosphere full of suspense. Masks, makeup and costumes play a huge role in the fear factor when it comes to interactions between the patrons and actors.
“The environment of the haunt helps fuel my haunt character; you know… remembering that I’m in some gross makeup that makes me look like I’m diseased and injured… we’re in an environment that is strange and weird, so we can BE strange and weird,” says Kate.
“Staying in character can be difficult, especially during the late nights […but] the key to being successful is to just let go of other people’s opinions and just be as crazy as you want to be without any judgment,” Abby shares.
So next year, when you’re searching for a crazy Halloween activity to scare your pants off, look no further than the Gateway’s Haunted Playhouse in Bellport.
