Foxboro Jaycees / Orpheum Theatre 2006 Haunted House IS back!

by Robert Gillis
Published in the Foxboro Reporter and www.FoxboroJaycees.org 10/2006

Combining forces.

In 2006, the Foxboro Jaycees and the Orpheum Theatre are combining their talent and experience to produce a 1930s-era haunt, located inside the Orpheum Theatre, Foxboro Massachusetts. This is the 18th year the Jaycees have presented a haunted house, and we are delighted to combine forces with the artists and actors of the Orpheum Theatre to bring Foxboro its best haunted house yet.

This is no children’s haunt; this is no slapped-together haunted fun house. We are a live-action show with dozens of performers and a crew of nearly 100. We combine eighteen years of Jaycee haunting expertise and the impressive professional creative talent of the Orpheum cast and crew to produce a very impressive professional haunted show.

We WILL scare you, entertain you, and make you laugh. ...And very likely, we will scare the daylights out of you.

Although the haunt takes place in a theatre, this is NOT a SHOW where you SIT and WATCH the stage. You will tour the entire theatre with your ushers…

…If you dare.

Where is the Orpheum Theatre?

This is NOT the Orpheum Theatre in Boston. We are located in Foxboro. The Orpheum Theatre is the pink building located at 1 School Street Foxboro, directly next to Bethany Church and the Foxboro Fire Station on Foxboro Common. FOR DIRECTIONS CLICK HERE

Tell me about the Orpheum Theatre Foxboro.

The Orpheum Theatre was originally built in 1926 as a silent movie house. Through several owners and a conversion to a three-screen theatre in 1984, it continued to show movies until it was closed in 1989. The Foxboro Regional Center for the Performing Arts (FRCPA) was established in 1993 and purchased the building with the purpose of renovating and operating it as a functional live performance theatre. The theatre re-opened in September 1994 and housed several local community arts organizations, including Bay Colony Productions.

Bay Colony Productions was founded in 1999, a local community theatre organization dedicated to promoting the performing arts in the area through both high quality performances and devoted educational programs.

In October 2004, Bay Colony Productions purchased the Orpheum Theatre from FRCPA. Bay Colony continues to conduct business under the name of the Orpheum Theatre and presents professional quality stage plays, musical theatre, dance, musical events, youth theatre programs, charity events and concerts, movies and family entertainment.

Today, Bay Colony Productions at the Orpheum Theatre is recognized, respected and well-known throughout the area as a source of entertainment, education, cultural impact and influence in the community.

Orpheum Theatre Foxboro

Located at 1 School Street Foxboro

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 266, Foxboro, MA 02035

Box Office: 508-543-2787

Web Site: www.Orpehum.org

or http://www.baycolonyproductions.com

Tell me about the Foxboro Jaycees.

Part of the worldwide Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycee) organization founded in 1918, the Foxboro Jaycees were chartered in 1961 and are a dynamic and enthusiastic group providing civic service through the organized efforts of the people of the community. They promote the welfare of Foxboro and its citizens through active, constructive projects. The Jaycees provide their membership training in leadership, make lasting friendships, and learn managerial, project and people skills.

The Foxboro Jaycees are responsible for over one hundred Foxboro community service projects, such as the annual haunted house fund-raiser (Since 1989, Foxboro's original haunt) the 5K fun run for charity, the summer concerts on the common, Senior Appreciation Day, National Family Night Out, sand for seniors, Easter egg hunt, pancake breakfast to benefit Foxboro Youth Basketball, Founders Day activities, student essay contests, as well as Christmas activities such as Santa on the common, decorating the common with Christmas lights, and far more.

They built the Foxboro Common bandstand, the Booth Skating Park and the Payson Road Playground.

The Foxboro Jaycees donate money to over 26 different charities, needy individuals, athletes and human service organizations. They donate thousands of dollars each year to the Foxboro Discretionary Fund, Founders Day fireworks committee, Foxboro High School college bound seniors, South Foxboro Community Club and various sports leagues in Foxboro.

Around Foxboro, they are also actively involved helping other worthwhile causes. They are the number one rated Jaycee chapter in the state of Massachusetts.

Their haunted house is their biggest fundraiser of the year and ALL (yes, ALL) of the Jaycee haunted house proceeds go back into the community. By visiting their haunted house, you help them make possible our multitude of community services, as well as scholarships, donations, and far more.

Foxboro Jaycees

PO Box 169, Foxboro, MA 02035

508-543-0712

Web Site: www.FoxboroJaycees.org

Is the Jaycee/Orpheum haunted house scary?

Our haunt is VERY scary. On previous Jaycee journeys through the scary haunts, we've encountered evil clowns, misguided doll-makers, long dead kings, crazed camp chefs, extraterrestrials, jealous husbands, cheating wives, vampires, murderers, raving corn farmers, ax-wielding mayors, bizarre counterparts of the New England Patriots, doctors wielding chain saws, killer chemists, serial killers, and even more terrifying encounters with supernatural beings like Dracula and the Devil himself. We've encountered ghosts in taverns, nautical museums, and movie theatres. We've witnessed stabbings, hangings, mutilations, and cold-blooded killers. Around us, the walls move, the floors have fallen, the ceilings have collapsed.

We have been repeatedly told we're scarier, and more fun, than most haunted houses out there.

So your haunted house is not recommended for children?

That’s right, it’s not. Our haunted house is VERY SCARY and VERY intense, and we don’t “tone down” the scare if little children are in the group - it’s not fair to the others in the group who waited in line and paid their money to be scared. Over 18 years of haunting, our experience has been that children under 10 cannot handle the intensity and fright, and MANY, MANY children have had to be escorted out before the tour ends. We’re not kidding - this happens a lot. There are always exceptional 6 and 7 year olds who love the SCARY haunt, but our experience shows that kids under 10 usually are not able to handle the haunted house. And please note: There are NO REFUNDS once you have entered the haunt even if you cannot finish the tour. Parents, you know your kids best - if you think they can handle it, being them along, but in general the little ones won’t be able to handle it.

This haunt takes place in a theatre. Do we sit down and watch a play?

No. This is a walking tour throughout the entire theatre with frights and horror around every corner. You will not be sitting for this show. Your ushers will guide you in groups.

Can I buy tickets to the haunted house in advance?

Yes. Contact the Orpheum Box Office at 508-543-2787.

What are the dates and hours of the Jaycee/Orpheum haunt?

CLICK HERE to go to the Foxboro Jaycees website for this year's schedule.

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I'm hungry.

That's more of a statement than a question. The Orpheum features a full concession stand featuring candy, popcorn, soda, and many other goodies.

Where are the...

The Orpheum features very clean, very nice restrooms.

What about parking?

Like all Orpheum shows, parking is where you find it (and free) along Foxboro Common and the nearby streets and lots. Please do not park in private driveways, or in the reserved fire official spaces across from the fire station.

The Jaycees used to run their haunt at the camp. Why did Camp Lincoln Hill close?

Before the 2004 haunt opened, the town of Foxboro mandated that due to insurance regulations, all unoccupied / abandoned buildings were to be demolished. The Jaycees were told that 2004 would be the last year we could use the land at Camp Lincoln Hill, as the cabins would be demolished sometime in 2005. We endeavored to make the final haunt at the camp our best; the 2004 haunted house was our most successful at that location, bringing in nearly 8000 visitors over 13 nights. No mean feat, considering how many people stayed home to watch the Red Sox win the World Series. We successfully ran our 2005 haunt at Walpole Mall as a daytime “kid-friendly” and nighttime “Scary as Hell” haunt, and now are delighted to return to FOXBORO for the 2006 season.

Do you use strobe lights in your haunted house? Fog machines?

Yes -- please be aware that we use strobe lights and fog machines. Some people cannot tolerate strobe lights.

Has a Foxboro Jaycee ever been convicted of murdering an unruly haunted house patron?

Convicted? No. Unruly patrons are politely and gently escorted out of the building. On a completely unrelated note, please stay away from our dumpsters.

Where are this year’s lists of haunted house guides, committee, rooms, actors, sponsors, etc?

CLICK HERE

I used to work at another haunted house. Can I work at your haunt?

Please contact us using the information listed above for information about helping us / acting in the show. Please note this is VOLUNTEER effort and no one is paid for working at the haunted house.

I need directions. How do I get to your haunted house?

CLICK HERE

Did you make one of those really cool haunted house web pages with all those incredible graphics this year?

CLICK HERE for our full-graphics page of the 2006 haunted house.

Click here to contact the Jaycee Webmaster: robertxgillis@aol.com

Click here to go to the Foxboro Jaycees web site main page

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