‘Field of Screams’ marks 34 seasons of mastering the scare
by Joseph Szadkowski · The Washington TimesMOUNTVILLE, Pa. — Nestled on the outskirts of a historic borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, exists one of the scariest places on the planet during select parts of the year.
Returning for its 34th season, “Field of Screams” is the diabolical creation of brothers Gene and Jim Schopf. Built on their family’s 35-acre farm, the horror park boasts more than 1.5 million guests during its frightening existence with four major attractions.
The brothers make no mistake about their intentions on any given night that “victims” visit their hallowed grounds.
“The bottom line, we’re scaring people. But, with the scares, we want to entertain them; they both go hand in hand,” says co-owner Jim Schopf.
“There’s a huge increase in people attending haunted attractions. The novelty of it is still there, but we have to evolve because people are used to getting scared. So, our job is also to impress visitors because we want them to come back every year.”
No matter how entertaining the production design is, the key to a successful horror attraction still lies in the scare actors’ commitment to the craft.
It is something the Schopfs understand with the evolution of their in-house Scare School that has existed for the past dozen years.
“We build all of the attractions, but the actors bring it to life. So, Scare School was born out of the need for more intense training,” says Mr. Schopf.
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“We want to give them all of the tools and resources available to make the actors thrive at their job, and we have specific expectations for them to succeed.”
Held at “Field of Screams,” the full-day Scare School for new actors comprises eight learning stations, each lasting about 30 minutes.
Actors cover basics such as what to do on arrival, how to select a costume and how to apply makeup.
Then, the acting teachers get more philosophical with the lessons, such as what does it mean to be a character? What is the character’s background and motivations?
“We’ll give actors scenarios, make them think about it for 30 seconds and make them play it out,” says Mr. Schopf. “We ask them what makes your character and how you can improve on that?”
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Constructive criticism is encouraged within groups as each actor questions the other, asking what techniques were most effective and looking to extend ways to evolve their scare methods.
Now in his third season at “Field of Screams,” scare actor Josh Logan from York, Pennsylvania playing an asylum inmate this year has taught one of the stations and appreciates the school’s importance.
“I was training people on how to go out, get your scare, come back and still scare the rest of the group in a close area without others noticing, all important to the rhythm of the night,” says Mr. Logan.
He agrees with the Schopfs that the actors need to put the scream in “Field of Screams.”
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“I find a lot of love for it,” he says. “When you get people really scared, yeah, it’s nice and fun. You can even see the enjoyment in their faces when they look at the makeup, the costumes and the environments. And, just seeing the love everybody has for [“Field of Screams”] makes the passion to continue performing even stronger.”
The Scare School has been around so long that veteran actors can now train in a Scare University with more in-depth roundtables to analyze their craft.
“OK, you’ve acted here so long. What have your experiences been, and how have you modified your character to come back,” says Mr. Schopf. “The training gets everyone thinking about what the qualities are to be the best scare actor around.”
The result of a night at “Field of Screams” offers guests four attractions — Haunted Hayride, Nocturnal Wasteland, Den of Darkness and Frightmare Asylum — each featuring groups of focused actors bringing the horror.
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Here’s a brief look at each that always features a side order of chainsaw-wielding serial killers.
Haunted Hayride: The signature experience of the night loads up to 80 guests into a 35-foot-long, custom-built wagon pulled by a 1970s vintage tractor for a roughly 30-minute trip. The trip through a real cornfield conceals 10 stops in terrifying warehouse-enclosed living dioramas.
The R-rated hayride relies on high-level production design, visual effects and an unhealthy supply of scare actors.
The best from the ride delivering a strobe-light-defined assault by an army plucked from the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” harassing victims as they sit under decapitated bodies dangling from the rafters.
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Nocturnal Wasteland: A post-apocalyptic-style outdoor trail dares guests to walk .666 miles through and around a collection of rotted vehicles (including a split-apart, 50-foot private jet), a spooky forest, a thick fluorescent-green swamp and a massive Tesla coil, all filled with “Mad Max”-style lunatics, toxic inhabitants and traditional monsters.
Step carefully amid the fog and steam upon teetering walkways, stairs, catwalks and through a cage, sewer pipe and ornate rusted fence enclosures, as well as over the Haunted Hayride to escape the roughly 20 minutes’ worth of horrors. Expect an aerobic workout in the process.
Den of Darkness: A 3.5-story, Victorian-themed mansion actually transformed from an original barn built in the early 1800s sets the scene for a five-minute walk through a heart-stopping haunted house loaded with aggressive inhabitants.
Once again, this year the highlight remains an ornate, multi-floor dining hall area hosting a masked ball with life-size and bloodied human dolls seated at a table setting covered with a massive chunk of meat. Guests walk up the stairs past a skeletal candelabra and over a live swinging green-haired hunchback to get to a library with an elaborate ceiling of stained glass and a ghoulish librarian.
The 19th-century Victorian Den mocks Disney’s Haunted Mansion and plunges it into the depths of the depraved with every room, including crawling through an attic space (over a body no less). The Den is orchestrated to shock or unsettle and is very much worth taking the time to admire.
Frightmare Asylum: Let’s return to the Applegate Mental Hospital and Asylum and meet some of the very twisted, criminally insane with untreatable patients in a haunted house that defines “Field of Screams” scare actors’ credo.
Walk through a basement research lab defined by its pungent and rotting smells from vivisected and cut-open bodies, and witness live human experimentation to start the journey.
Next, wander through a five-minute gantlet of sitting rooms, showering facilities and attic spaces as doctors and inmates rant, scream, groan and verbally challenge as they roam untethered and harass guests to become permanent parts of the asylum.
Note: “Field of Screams” guests should also pay attention to the debut of the newest mascot — a bloodied and fluffy robotic weredog named “Killer.” The beast roams the grounds with a handler and can even stand on its rear legs.
This level of tech takes “Field of Screams” closer to a future where animatronics and artificial intelligence may redefine live horror attractions.
“It’s really exciting to think about what AI can bring to the industry, but they have their place,” says Mr. Schopf. “However, nothing replaces the real actors being able to scare.
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IF YOU DARE GO
What: Field of Screams
Where: 191 College Ave., Mountville, PA 17554
Fear factor (out of 5): 4 for adults; children younger than 10 need to stay away.
Hours: Open select nights through Nov. 7. The 2026 season runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October, with Thursdays added beginning Oct. 15; and Nov. 1, 6 and 7. Gates generally open at 6 p.m., although times vary by date, and attractions remain open until the last guest in line goes through.
Special events include the Extreme Blackout: an intensified, lights-out version of the attractions, taking place Friday, Nov. 13; and The Zombie Fun Run follows Saturday, Nov. 14.
The indoor Den of Darkness and Frightmare Asylum remain open in rain. The Haunted Hayride and Nocturnal Wasteland operate in rain but may close for lightning or severe weather.
“Field of Screams” also presents off-season holiday haunts, including Creepy Christmas, My Bloody Valentine, Sinister St. Patty’s Day and Halfway to Halloween; check the attraction’s website for upcoming dates.
Price range: The Scream Pass, which includes all four haunted attractions, ranges from $40 on lighter nights to $60 on peak October Saturdays. VIP front-of-line upgrades add $15 to $35, depending on the date. Prices vary by night, and advance online purchase is recommended because attendance is limited and walk-up admission is subject to availability.
The on-site ticket booth accepts cash only; two ATMs are available. Credit cards may be used to purchase tickets online.
Website: https://www.fieldofscreams.com
Contact the author
Joseph Szadkowski
jszadkowski@washingtontimes.com
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