For years, Haunted Playground has been a fun community event that occurs every October a few weeks before Halloween. Every year, the playground has been outdone with midway games, inflatables, homemade food, and even a haunted maze. But who’s behind the curtain of these spooky happenings?
The North Reading High School Masquers have organized and set up the Haunted Playground for many years, an autumnal staple of the town. On Saturday, October 17, the Masquers will take to Carey Field and turn it into a Halloween wonderland for all ages. The set-up is an all day activity – from putting up tents, staking in tarps, and loading and unloading trucks. During the event, NRHS students also get a great opportunity to apply for community service and help the games and food tables run smoothly. Actors in the musical get to test their skills by being placed in funny SNL-like skits that run with “tour guides” in a small section of the field and audience members can also watch a short performance from The Dancing School during their tour.
Senior Sina Nickerson who has been a four-year Masquers member of the Haunted Playground recalls her first one. “My first Haunted Playground was actually held inside since it was raining that day. We set up skits in the aux gym, food in the cafeteria, the inflatables and haunted house in the gym, and games on Main Street. I was a Sanderson Sister, and we were part of the scavenger hunt that year. I remember it was very loud, and even a bit hot since there were so many people in the school. It was very overwhelming, but so cool to see so many people who were just there to have fun, whether they were coming for their first time, or they did it every year. Being there really made me realize the impact that we had on people. The event is some people’s family tradition, and they count on it as a fall staple every year to go with friends and family. We make childhood memories, and are probably in many strangers’ camera rolls.”
When Sina was asked about her most recent Haunted Playground experience she said, “My most recent Haunted Playground was outside last year, and believe it or not, it was even more magical. Doing the event in the dark adds another element of mystery, and it makes it even easier to fall into the haunted world that we create. It makes it harder to spot mistakes, and easier to believe the makeup. It feels like we are transported into a whole different world. And it makes it very, very cold,” she adds. “But despite the location of the event, the results are the same, and so is the spirit. There is a real air of comradery between everyone running the event. You have a mutual understanding of getting the job done to run such a huge event. And at the end of the day, it’s nice to look around and share a feeling of success and pride with the people around you.”
Despite how professional it may seem, Haunted Playground is primarily run and organized by students. Although, it also requires lots of greatly appreciated help from staff and parent volunteers from throughout the community and NRHS. The planning that goes into the event is quite extensive and involves talking to business before the school year even starts. Sophomore Underclassman Representative Officer of Masquers, Corrina Benedict was interviewed about the planning and preparation of this event, with all of the Masquers officers doing their part to organize before October hits.
“Planning Haunted Playground started as soon as I became an officer at the end of the 25-26 school year. We worked throughout the summer, contacting businesses and people we had previously worked with in advance to make sure the event was possible. As we got closer to the event, we collected the materials we already had were stored in various storage containers around North Reading and in the school. As we got even closer, the real planning started,” she says. “The officers and crew chiefs were all put in charge of a certain section of Haunted Playground for setup and we all reviewed how we would set up, and what we would need for it.”
Students who are members of Masquers (including cast, crew, and stage band) are also divided up into specific sections of the Haunted Playground to operate for the night. Some kids are assigned to set up tents for skits in the left side of the field
While others are tasked with creating and decorating the infamous spooky Haunted Maze in the center. The setup is a long day of loading trucks and carrying equipment to and from the school while everyone does their part to create a magical nighttime experience.
Corrina was also asked about her experience as a guest at Haunted Playground before she became an integral part of organizing it, citing the many times her and her family visited the playground. “I have gone to Haunted Playground for as long as I can remember all the way back to when it was at the Martin´s Pond location. It has always been a magical night from when I would go with my parents as a younger kid to when I would go with my friends in middle school – from the games and skits to the food and concessions, it was always a super fun event I looked forward to every year. Being a part of Haunted Playground as a Masquer has been so fun because I get to hopefully be part of the amazing magical experience for everyone else!”
The Haunted Playground is a beloved Masquers tradition and helps to raise a majority of the funds for their annual fall musical, which is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this year. With such a demanding production from a set and effects standpoint, Haunted Playground is a key profiter in the fundraising for the company. Of course, it’s more of a gift to the community than anything else and the real reward is far less material than the funds; the Halloween memories and smiles on the kid’s faces while they wander around the spooky field is the real treat.
Sina Nickerson was also asked why Haunted Playground is important to have; “Not only is the event a huge part of the Halloween season for the community– a way to bring magic into people from towns all over– but it’s also tremendously important for Masquers as a club. The Haunted Playground is one of our largest fundraisers for the musical, and if anyone has seen a show, they know that we have a pretty large budget. It’s also an excuse for people to practice acting who may not have large roles in the musical, and get a chance to play their own character and make it unique. For me, it was my first true Masquers experience that taught me how to work hard: saying yes to any job I was given, learning lines short notice, working long hours, and importantly, not complaining when it was tired– because everyone else is tired too, and that’s not going to get the job done.”
Come support the NRHS Masquers at their annual Halloween fundraiser: The Haunted Playground on October 17th at Carey Field from 5-9pm!
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