Almost 20 years ago, we were sitting around watching training videos from a guy named Allen Hopps, taking notes, learning, and trying to figure out how to make our actors better. At the time, we never could have imagined where that would eventually lead.
What started with watching Allen’s training videos all those years ago has turned into something we never could have planned for. Allen Hopps and the Stiltbeast crew have become a genuine part of the Woods of Terror haunt family.
Every year, we have the privilege of bringing Allen in to work with our actors, and every year, he reminds us why we started watching those videos in the first place. Allen has an incredible ability to see potential in people. He doesn’t just teach actors how to scare someone. He teaches them how to understand their character, use their body and voice, command a scene, connect with guests, and most importantly, believe in themselves.
That last part is something we don’t think can be taught from a book or a video.
Confidence changes everything.
We’ve watched actors walk into training unsure of themselves and walk out standing a little taller. We’ve watched people who weren’t sure if they belonged in a haunt discover abilities they didn’t know they had. We’ve watched actors find their voices, become stronger performers, and completely transform the way they approach their characters.
And that’s one of the reasons Allen’s training means so much to us. He doesn’t just make better haunt actors. He helps make stronger people.
Every year, he pushes our cast to step outside of their comfort zones. He challenges them to think differently, to try something new, and to stop being afraid of failing. He creates an environment where our actors can experiment, make mistakes, learn, laugh, and grow.
For a haunt with more than 130 actors, that kind of training is incredibly valuable. Our cast is made up of people with completely different personalities, experiences, strengths, and comfort levels. Some have been performing for years. Some are newer. Some are naturally outgoing, while others have to work a little harder to find that confidence.
Allen finds a way to reach them.
That’s what makes him such a special trainer.
There is also something pretty incredible about seeing the full circle of it all. Almost 20 years ago, we were learning from Allen through a screen. His training videos were something we looked to for guidance and inspiration as we worked to build and strengthen our own haunt.
Now, years later, he’s standing in our haunt, working directly with our actors.
That’s a full-circle moment we’ll never take for granted.
And the relationship has become about so much more than training.
Over the years, Allen and the Stiltbeast crew have become friends, mentors, supporters, and family. They’re people we look forward to seeing. They’re people we trust with our cast. They’re people who genuinely care about what we’re building at Woods of Terror and about the people who make it happen.
That’s a pretty special thing in this industry.
The haunt world can be competitive. There are thousands of attractions, performers, builders, artists, and creatives all doing things their own way. But the best people in this industry understand that sharing knowledge and helping each other grow makes the entire industry stronger.
Allen is one of those people.
He gives his time, his knowledge, his experience, and his energy to our cast, and he does it because he genuinely cares about the craft and the people behind it.
We see the difference every year.
We see it when our actors step into their scenes with more confidence. We see it when someone discovers a new way to approach a character. We see it when an actor who was once nervous becomes one of the strongest performers in their area.
And sometimes, the impact goes beyond the haunt.
That’s the part that means the most.
When someone learns to trust themselves, become comfortable in their own skin, find their voice, and realize they’re capable of more than they thought, those lessons don’t disappear when the season ends. Those lessons follow them into the rest of their lives.
That’s the kind of impact a great trainer can have.
And that’s the kind of impact Allen has had on Woods of Terror.
So, Allen, if you’re reading this, we hope you know how grateful we are.
Almost 20 years ago, we were watching your training videos and learning from you from a distance. Today, we’re lucky enough to call you a friend, a mentor, and part of our haunt family.
Thank you for continuing to challenge us. Thank you for believing in our actors. Thank you for making them stronger. Thank you for helping them find confidence. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and passion with our cast year after year.
And thank you for being the kind of person who doesn’t just teach people how to be better performers, but helps them realize they are capable of so much more than they thought.
We are incredibly grateful for you, Allen, and for the entire Stiltbeast crew.
And we wouldn’t want to imagine our season without you.
Thank you, Allen Hopps and Stiltbeast Studios, for being part of the Woods of Terror family.
Bigger. Better. The Best.
