By Tara Stanzione | Staff Writer
David Prata, operations manager of the Fortress of Nightmares, loves “haunting” as much as Michael Myers in “Halloween.” When he was just 13 he started building haunted mazes through the woods in his backyard. He did this every year until his parents told him that it was getting too elaborate – that’s when he found out the Fortress of Nightmares was looking for volunteers. Eight years later he is the founder of Hallowed Entertainment Group and in charge of the event. The Fortress of Nightmares is held at Fort Adams State Park in Newport and is open October 10, 11, 17, 18, and 24 – 26 from 6p.m. to 10p.m. Tickets are $15 and include admission to both the Haunted Officers Quarters and the Tunnels of Terror. Prata says they still need plenty of volunteers this year so if you’re interested in joining the fort for their 10th year of fear, sign up at fear.fortadams.org/volunteer.html
Q: What are your responsibilities as operations manager?
A: All of them! Every year myself and other volunteers put in close to 350-400 hours and from July through October. It’s like working a second full-time job. We have to organize a calendar in November and full-out planning for the following season starts in January.
Q: Four hundred volunteered hours? What motivates you to do it?
A: (Jokingly) I’m crazy. No, it’s fun. It’s something that I’m very much into, so it’s completely worth it. And it helps the fort. The Fortress of Nightmares is their largest fundraiser of the year generating around $30,000.
Q: When did this begin and how has it changed?
A: It started out 10 years ago, and I’ve been involved for the past eight. It started off as a walking tour at night and the next year they added different scenes all around the Fort. Then I got involved (chuckle) and we added the Tunnels of Terror.
Q: Can you describe what people should expect when walking into the Haunted Officers Quarters and the Tunnels of Terror?
A: It’s top secret! Okay, some of it I don’t want to give away, but you want to always be ready for machete wielding, warthogs, and furry beasts in the tunnels. Every haunted house has to have a chainsaw wielding maniac – so we have a chainsaw wielding maniac – maybe two! The Haunted Officers Quarters warms you up for what’s waiting for you in the dark tunnels. We want to make it another full length attraction, but there are restoration aspects that in the way.
Q: Where do you get your stuff?
A: The props and everything? It’s just searching online – you can get anything online. We don’t really go to Spirit or any of the Halloween stores because that’s kind of residential stuff. It just doesn’t hold up for our environment. Frightprops.com is a great place and I’ve made some connections on Facebook. One of the cool new props we have this year was hand designed and hand built by a gentleman in Pennsylvania.
Q: Can you tell me a story from past Fortress of Nightmares that has stuck with you – has anything funny happened?
A: (Laughing) So we always encourage the volunteers to keep track of this thing that we call “Code Yellow.” There was one year this woman was going through the tunnels and she legit had a code yellow. Most people are just like “Oh my God I just peed my pants, that was so scary,” but this one woman actually did… she was with her friends too. I felt bad, but then I was like, job well done.
Q: Have you ever had to get someone out?
A: Every night somebody will walk down one of the tunnels, turn around, and run the other way. We’ve actually had people curl up in a corner and say “get me out of here.” Mostly, to be honest with you, its guys. They won’t go running and screaming, but they’ll walk in and walk right out. They won’t admit it, but yeah, they’re terrified.
Q: Why do you think that Halloween is so big in society today?
A: From a commercial aspect, it’s a great money maker. It has a lot of history… it’s a fun holiday for us in America. It’s a time where you can be whatever you want, you know? I don’t have to be Dave; I can be a chainsaw-wielding maniac and not have to think twice. If I walk around with a chainsaw in public on a day like today, it’s going to turn some heads.
Q: Do you ever go through the tunnels or other haunted attractions?
A: I do corporate espionage every season, so I’ll go to all the surrounding haunted houses to scope out the competition and see what were up against. On a typical day that we are open I’ll probably walk through the tunnels about 10 times. Sometimes I’ll go through as security, sometimes I’ll go through as a customer – just to make sure everything is flowing okay.
Q: What’s your favorite part about Halloween?
A: This would be my favorite part. It’s always something that I look forward to every year – and I like candy just as much as the next guy. I always look forward to Hocus Pocus coming back on TV, favorite movie ever.
