Printer-friendly version
By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson
Photos courtesy of Julia Young (pictured left)
Oct. 20, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – East County resident Julia Young, a project manager for a logistics organization, has a hobby. She’s a horror actor -- with experience, via attending and acting, going back to Knott's Scary Farm, the Dos Picos Park in Ramona, to this year’s Scareventures called Fright Nights at Alesmith in Mira Mesa. Young grew up in Santee and still lives in the East County.
In an interview with East County Magazine, she provided behind-the-scenes details on how she scared up such an unusual sideline.
Q. How did it come about for you to become a horror actor?
A. My first haunted maze was in the early ‘80s at Knott's Scary Farm. Each year I went, I fell more in love with it. I was fascinated by the scenery, the actors, the fun being scared.
My journey started as a volunteer actor to a paid actor.
My older brother has been putting on a haunted maze at his house for many years. My kids and I began as scare actors there. I don't remember the exact year I started but thinking about 2008.
My son was a Boy Scout and for several years we would volunteer with his Boy Scout Troop as scare actors at Dos Picos Park in Ramona, who put on a yearly haunt. A few years ago, our Scout Troop Sponsor Organization, El Cajon Elks, partnered with Scareventures.com to create the Haunted Lodge maze. My son and I worked as a scare actor there for a few years.
Now I work with Scareventures.com at whatever maze they have that year. This and last year Scareventures.com partnered with Alesmith Brewery in Mira Mesa and that was Fright Nights.
Q. What’s your part and costume?
A. Scareventures.com likes to change their maze concept every few years. Fright Night's theme is the Zien family's secret ingredient to their Evil Dead Red beer (which Alesmith sells). I'm the daughter Fran Zien (Frannie) for the second year. There is a backwoods southern atmosphere with a farmhouse, barn, stables. My costume is a farmhouse dress with apron to reflect that.
It is important to note on special days there is a Trick or Treat Trail especially for the kids. They walk through the maze, but the lights are on and the music kid friendly while they stop at various candy stations.
Q. How you are trained?
A. No professional training, just years of experience as mentioned above. Though I am used to performing in public... acted in school plays, beauty pageants and talent shows my early teens, and I dance hula shows (my cultural heritage).
Q. What reactions from attendees have you have seen already?
A. Our maze is very interactive. My part is one of those that stop the people and talk, joke, riff with them. I start with a scary persona, but then throw in jokes, to put them at ease, and lighten the mood. Then I change my demeanor to more serious and frightening, before I then jump-scare them again. We've had two nights out of seven completed and have had great reviews.
We, the actors, come out to the brewery tasting area after the maze is over and we can grab a beer, laugh with the folks still there, and take pictures with them. We've been told directly how much they've enjoyed it.
Q. Who is the toughest to scare in your experience?
A. Not everyone screams; some look surprised they were scared and laugh because we got them. We love both reactions since it is true, honest, and fun which is the intent.
The toughest scare is the person who is frightened but is trying not to show it. They display an exaggerated bravado, commenting things like 'that looks fake' or is loudly dismissive with their 'that wasn't scary.’ Not everything scares everyone, but that level of dismissiveness always confuses me. They paid money to have a good time, why not just enjoy it for the simple enjoyment it can offer. Of course, it is not real, but it is an experience meant to entertain.
Q. Explain the site where you work.
A. Alesmith Brewery is a great venue. They have a large clientele normally, which come into the maze. It made sense the owners of Alesmith and Scareventures.com chose the maze to center around a seasonal beer.
Q. Dates and times it runs?
Q. Costs? And website?
A. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/
Q. Are there bracelets that kids, or adults, can wear that signals NOT to scare them?
It's a haunted maze, so no. Meant for older children and brave adults. But the kids trick or treat trail is a great way to go through with the lights on to experience the vibe without the spooky.
It's hard to give those who are paying to be scared the experience they deserve and paid for, when someone in their party doesn't want to be scared.
Q. How have people reacted to your being a horror actor that know you?
A. They are surprised when they find out for the first time, but not 'surprised.’ They think it's cool.
And for me it's a great way to have fun with my young adult children.
Q. Good pay relatively speaking?
Q. No, (laughter) less than minimum wage. But there is a special relationship we cultivate with our fellow 'monsters' that makes us a family in a special way.
Q. Do you do your own make-up and hair?
A. Yes, I do, and we help each other.
Q. Explain more about your character and what Kris Golojuch does:
A. Kris Golojuch, aka Scareventures.com, designs and builds the maze. He has a good idea of the characters in each area. He provides us enough of the character, so we get the feel, he tells us what character we are (some folks just do jump scares) and then he trusts us to build the dialogue we use. We each figure out how we approach the character, what our names are. We work with each other to build our storylines off each other.
I enjoy showing both a scary and funny persona, so this is how I play it. I decided last year to be the single daughter who is looking for a husband and play off jokes with this. But sometimes I am looking for a girlfriend and some of those jokes changed a bit for this. Jokes like... you look like a player, but I'll be your coach, and you can run drills all night. I do alter some of what I say my when kids are there though.
Kris Golojuch is a La Mesa resident and grew up here, so it's a local business.
Recent comments