“You're actually watching a scripted play with different scenes and skits in each of the rooms of the historic Poe House. So you get guided through. And what makes it fun, of course, is it's after dark, it's at night. And we have the actors from the Gilbert portraying members of the Poe family, and they do different Halloween scenes, including customs, poems, and music that would have been appropriate for the time period of the early 1900s. So you're kind of traveling back in time to a Halloween 100 years ago, over 100 years ago.” Megan Maxwell, the education coordinator of 1897 Poe House at the Museum of the Cape Fear Complex, said.
The tour is played out like a scripted historical theater show. Actors from the Gilbert Theater will give the night tours even more realism. One of those actors is a local fan-favorite, James Dean. Dean recently was in “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.” He's also played Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” in the past. He will be taking on the role of Mr. Poe this year.
This will be the eleventh year that the Museum has held these ‘spooky’ Halloween tours. It first started as a free and small event with actors who mainly improvised as there was no script. Two years into that, a script was finally written and every year it changes.
“I try and change the script up every year so people that come every year don't see the same thing," Maxwell said. “So this year we have a new script, new scenes, new actors. So if you’re a repeat visitor, it's not going to be the same show. You're going to see something different this year.”
The tours are family-friendly; however, it is dark and spooky. Parents must make their own judgment on whether their child can handle it. The $5 tickets must be bought beforehand; however, if the tour is not sold out, there may be tickets at the door. Tickets are only good for the time slot purchased.
Guests should arrive at least 15 minutes before their tour time. Check-in is at the front table in the front yard.
“It's going to be a little dark because we like it spooky. So when people come up, they get a program, they check in, they can relax on the front porch until it’s their tour time and then they’ll have guides that lead them through the house, so they'll get an introduction about what to expect. And then we’ll start the show,” Maxwell said.
There are two nights left for the tours — Oct. 27 and Oct. 28. Tours will run on the half hour each night and will be limited to 15 people per tour. Touring hours begin at 6 p.m. and finish at 10 p.m.