When most people think of Omaha, Nebraska, they picture tractors and cornfields, or perhaps the campus of college football’s Cornhuskers: but Omaha is also home the of an 18-year haunting tradition. Rated the area’s “Most Haunted Attraction,” this 123-year-old three story Victorian Manor has been a popular Haunt of the people of Omaha - both the living and the dead.

After a successful career as a corporate trainer for the California-based Disney Studios marketing department, Liz Foral moved to Omaha in 1992. “I traveled 5 times a year for Disney to develop and train the Disney image, and Omaha was a frequented base,” recalls Liz. “I was born in Chicago and had always enjoyed the Midwest.”

After being a Disney “cast member” for 10 years, theater was in Liz’s blood and soon the local chapter of the Special Olympics recruited her as an actor for their annual Haunted House fundraiser. For the next 4 years Liz devoted her time and personal money to the event until the opportunity arose to create an event of her own. Along with artist Wayne Sealy, Liz bought a rundown dilapidated residential building in a run down part of downtown Omaha for the measly sum of $9,000. The three-story structure was full of debris and a refuse from drunks and drug users. Little did Liz and Wayne know at the time that it was also the home of a few real ghosts.

While both of the new partners had a true love for theatre, Liz brought business management experience to the partnership, and Wayne brought artistic talents, construction, and design knowledge. Working together on the design, the partners created Mystery Manor and developed a storyline telling the tale of William Hall, which definitely has a Disney’s Haunted Mansion feel to it.

Built in 1887, this once magnificent dwelling was the home of William and Greta Hall. The meeting place of the elite of Omaha, it was dubbed Hall Manor by those who frequented its confines. The happy times ended on October 23, 1929 when the stock market crashed. By the end of the day, his vast fortune gone, William Hall was a broken man pushed over the edge…and quite insane!

So Enter, If You Dare!

For the first few years, half of the gross income from Mystery Manor was donated to the Special Olympics, but it was soon realized that to be able to produce the quality of attraction desired, more of the profits would have to be reinvested into the show.

Every Year, New Codes
Like many Haunts around the country, the Manor is facing the ever tightening of the code compliance each year of operation. For 2001, fire exit signs were required both above each exit door and 8 inches off of the floor to the left of the same door. This new wrinkle is designed to help patrons caught in a room filled with smoke, but the cost of battery backed-up exit signs and electrical wiring for an attraction that has been in operation for almost two decades was hard to swallow.

From the start, Liz and Wayne did not want to be just another warehouse haunt, shoving patrons through the attraction just to make money. “We truly wanted to entertain people,” explains Liz, “and want them to get their money’s worth.” For the price, Mystery Manor is a Haunt lover’s bargain. Not to mention the place has real ghosts!

Real Ghosts
“While conducting research on the history of the building,” recalls Liz, “I found that the house was a bordello in the Union Pacific days of the early 1900’s and one of the “ladies” was murdered in the house.” Rumor has it that she has been there ever since. Actual ghost busters have investigated the mansion and determined that four separate entities or spirits reside there. The first is a red haired woman named Grace, who died in the Manor of unknown causes. Trudging through some paperwork, Liz felt a cold breeze and sarcastically said to the empty room, “Okay, if there if anyone in here with me, have something fall off the wall.” Suddenly, a CD in its box mysteriously drifted down off of a shelf and landed in a hat turned upside down below the bookcase.

The Spirit of Grace’s 9-year-old son William also Haunts the hallways of Mystery Manor. Very mischievous, William peers through windows, hides tools and causes chaos. "One time, while all alone in the Manor, an artist painting the walls of an autopsy room decided to go out side for a cigarette break," recalls Wayne. “Returning to the room, he found the tools, paint brushes and paint that he had been using laid out in a straight line. All except for the hammer, which was missing and was later found in the tool room.” Missing items always seem to show up in their prospective spots.

The third spirit is Harry, who in life was William’s father. Quiet and reserved, Harry never causes problems, but does like the blinds closed. On several occasions the office door blinds have closed by themselves within a two-minute time frame. The last and most mysterious spirit of the Manor is known as the Guardian. No one knows who or what this specter was in life, but in death it is very dark and wears a hooded cloak. Its gender unknown, it only watches, protecting the Manor and its guests. “Last year, I was in my office with Wayne [Sealy] discussing the need to sell Mystery Manor and move to a larger building,” recalls Liz. “All at once a heavy glass on top of the bookcase arched in mid air and shattered less than an inch from my toe.” Needless to say, that subject will not be brought up again… at least not within earshot of the building!

Not only is the Mystery Manor crew not frightened by these spirits, the staff and actors generate a brand of fright themselves. The historic yet antique articulation of the Manor augments its extremely narrow, claustrophobic and creepy feel. Only one room in the Manor is square and this helps to create the unique confusing layout that is the Manor.

The Construction Crew of Bill Fenton (16 years), Eric Hillesland (5 years), Bob Catrair (16 years) and Bruce Lundy (2 years) handles annual construction changes, while Rodger Riley (15 years) designs and oversees the wall art and decoration. Between one and three rooms of the Manor are completely changed each year. In 2001, the focus was on building a stage outside of the Manor and new to the inside was the Doom Room complete with a large Telsa coil. The manor’s master of electronics and timing controls is Mike Ward (17 years), and Winston Jones (3 years) designs the great soundscapes. Rick Holbert (16 years) acts as a liaison between fire and building departments and the attraction.

Monster College
The Manor management feels that educating and training the staff and actors plays as important a part in entertaining the patrons, as is the design and decoration of the Haunt itself. An attraction is only as good as its worst monster, and the strength of Mystery Manor is its quality acting core. In mid July, the Manor hosts an open call for actors known as Monster College. During this 30-hour course spread over 5-weeks, Monster College Facilitator Eric Von Rhodes, (who doubles as a make up artist during operations) introduces the actors to all facets of the Manor including general guidelines such as Safety of the Patrons, Safety of the Actors, the Actors’ Areas, Safety Checklist Prior to Opening and After Closing and Common Courtesy. Fire Safety procedures are discussed in-depth along with fire evacuation procedures and the locations of fire extinguishers. The Manor has nine exits in the haunt, 3 on each floor and before graduating, the actor must know which exit is closest and how to lead the patrons to safety. Each season the actors must perform 2 live fire drills. The average exit time to clear the attraction is 56 seconds. Other Monster College topics include cleanliness of the actor area (clean mirrors, makeup tables, etc.), incident documentation, and how to respond to emergencies and accidents, actor breaks, how to fill out a Food Slip (actors are provided food during their shift and must fill out a form), smoking procedures while on breaks, the length of breaks on a given night, how many actors are in each area, cross training between positions and punctual attendance.

The last topic of discussion during the Monster College agenda is acting. A great deal of time is set aside to help actors create their own character, costume and make up standards. The motto of the Manor is “A scary house is a silent house,” and the actors are instructed to keep quiet. This means no talking at all between the actors, to the customers, or even to themselves. The only time talking is allowed is when the character’s role calls for it. In one session of the Monster College, Eric takes the would-be creatures to the Old Market, a collection of restaurants and shops near the Haunt, to demonstrate scare techniques on unsuspecting shoppers. “The public thinks we are all nuts,” explains Liz. “At first they are angry, but they don’t seem to mind once we explain that we are training our monsters.” Practicing on real people is a great way to hone the skills and acting abilities of the students, and teaches them when to handle a problem themselves and when to alert the staff.

Before being promoted to working the outside positions of the event, the actors must prove their ability to “discern” the proper way to handle the public in each instance. Before becoming a Line Monster, an actor must know how stay in character while thinking on his feet, and be able to deal with all personalities types of patrons personalities and situations without getting him or herself into trouble. By the end of Monster College, the core of actors has been boiled down to the 60 needed for operation. Trained and ready for opening day, the actors are well equipped to handle any situation, quietly and safely.

Supported by long list of sponsors, including McDonalds, Spencer Gifts, Pizza Hut, Ibsen Costume Gallery, Kinkos, Buffalo Wild Wings, Doubletree, National Indoor Karting, Dr. Pepper, AMC Theaters Chieftain Van Lines, Bakers Supermarkets, Cinema Secrets and First Data, the “for-profit” Mystery Manor still donates a good chunk of proceeds and all concession sales to Prevent Blindness Nebraska and Youth Care, two local non-profit organizations.

As with any operation of this size, Mystery Manor did not become an Omaha tradition without the help of a strong staff and crew. The Mystery Manor “Fright Crew” consists of a staff of 27, and a cast of more than 50 volunteer actors that work the inside and outside positions of the attraction. It is the job of the back of house staff to get the actors made up, in costume, and in place for the grueling 24 day run. Staff make-up, prosthetic and airbrush artists, up for the task are Joe Giles (3 years), Tracy Hernandez (5 years), Eric Hillesland (5 years), Todd Seibe (8 years), Paul Miller (5 years), Stephanie McConachie (5 years), Bruce Lundy (2 years) and Rick Baker (14 years). The Back Room Manager is Michele Sell (17 years), and Mark Sealy (???) handles wardrobe. The Ticket Booth is managed and staffed by Marsha Peal (9 years), and Mike Awsiukiewicz (9 years). The security crew consists of Linda Hauptmann (5 years), along with Todd, Paul, Bob Catrair (???) and Bruce. “These people are the backbone of what we do,” boasts Liz Foral, “Without them, there would be no Mystery Manor!”

Take A Tour
Seen from 5miles away, quad searchlights illuminate the skies. “Funny how this has set a precedent,” warns Liz. “Customers think that if they do not see the lights in the skies that the Manor is not open.” The excitement of the event is apparent even from the outside. On the weekends the Manor is complete with live bands playing from the balcony. Security staff, dressed as monsters, roam the grounds along with local police officers. A fire twirling baton wrangler and the Roach Coach concession trailer complete the scene.

Rather than a Haunted House-type attraction, Mystery Manor is known as the “Haunted Theater of the Midwest.” Entertainment value is heavily stressed even at the loss of throughput. This entertainment does not only surface within the house, but is equally apparent outside of the building. “First impressions are lasting!” declares Liz, “ and our line waits average about 45 minutes.” While waiting to enter this frightful abode, customers are being startled and humored by the many wandering Line Monsters. Bobo the Clown, played by Steve Sell, is not so much scary as he is a true entertainer complete with four-color hair, a custom clown outfit, red nose and airbrushed on pointed teeth. “Bobo will ride pieces of cement as if they were surf boards, literally chase cars down the street by running after them and just startle the heck out of patrons,” explains Liz. “Gotta love it when a couple arm-in-arm, are standing in line and from behind and between their heads pops Bobo’s head.” Purely obnoxious and bothersome, Bobo softens the crowd up for the blasting they will get inside the attraction.

As patrons get closer to the entrance of the attraction, the creepiness really starts to sink in. Uncle Charlie, a corpse-style hand puppet, flirts with and attempts to gross out women patrons just before they go into the Manor. Charlie’s master, played by Bill Fenton, is Diablo, an evil horned figure that without warning will slap a lit lighter into his mouth. Like Bobo, the public is frightened by the Diablo character. At the entry, prior to buying your ticket, Wayne is dressed in his the old man with an ax character, threatening all who cross his path. His has dark eyes, tattered suit, and 5-inch platform shoes, make him a towering 6' 7" tall. An alka-seltzer tablet in his mouth creates a foaming drool as he stalks the patrons.

Once the ticket is purchased, patrons climb up skull-lined stairs (that still have their original carpeting from 120 years ago) to the hallway that brings them into the nightmare that is Mystery Manor. Entering a long narrow blue hallway, you are welcomed by Nevermore, the taking raven who is perched on top of a skull on a bookcase. As the group lines up against the sidewall of the hallway by the Hallway Mistress, the light from the chandelier dims out and a blue spotlight beams on the raven and skull. The raven speaks and the skull answers as they tell the story of Greta and how she passed away. Suddenly the hallway becomes completely dark and through a torn 3-foot hole in the wall, patrons view the ghost of Greta, the madam of Hall Manor. This Pepper’s Ghost illusion is quite a crowd pleaser, and patrons are heard to say “That was sweet, how did they do that?” In the midst of the oohing and ahhing, a monster pops out from a secret door in the bookcase below the raven and chases the group into the next scene.

Exiting through the door at the end of the long narrow hallway, the patrons enter William’s study. Thunder and lightning demonstrate their power as flashes of light and sound come from behind three stained glass windows behind a desk at which William, the madman himself, sits. Patrons are urged to stand directly in front of the desk by a Haunted Room Greeter as the corpse of William explains who he is and how he still desires to destroy life. Arising from his sitting position the animatronic character, over 7 feet tall, warns patrons not to enter his nightmare as the wall sconces dim and a fine green light centers on William’s face. Slamming open the top of the desk a live actor dressed like the animatronic pops up as the group of patrons fly back out of reach. As they search for an exit the bookcase behind them slowly opens. Realizing it is the only way out, the patrons enter the dark corridor.

Ducking under a large skull with lighted red eyes, patrons enter the twisted nightmare of William Hall. First up are the Caverns of the Cave, with walls custom-made of textured blown materials to simulate rock formations. Patrons climb a stone ramp as they approach the Snake Pit. Crossing over a broken dilapidated bridge, patrons peer down into a pit below them that seems to go down forever. Snakes and a live actor are seen moving in the bottom of the pit. The illusion is done with a steal grate over the broken-away flooring and a mirror at a 45-degree angle allows the actor to be under another part of the bridge and not beneath the building floor.

Just as the group gets their balance back, with their attention on the floor, the snake pit wall opens up and a creature startles you from the side. Extremely edgy and full of dread, patrons have to duck again to escape through the twisted cave passageways. Nearing the tunnel exit patrons are caught near a Scarecrow with six-inch tube fingers that brush against them as they pass. The Scarecrow gurgles viciously as he fires an air cannon, propelling the stumbling group into the swamp. Landing on what feels like a muddy marsh, patrons walk across a waterbed while watching an animated Greta peering through a clear section of a flesh-covered wall where skull-like faces stretch out of the surface.

No Victorian nightmare can be complete without a Phantom playing his steam organ, and as patrons turn they view a headless organist in finely dressed surroundings. As patrons watch the ghost, his mistress pops out of the heavy burgundy curtains that surround the organ. Trapped, the patrons have no place to flee until a large portrait on the wall opens and revels the exit. On the other side of this portal stands a castle façade, surrounded by blue light. An actor scurries about ducking in and out of the casket-lined stone walls, from one side of the castle to the other. What is painted to look like walls are really doors, and what looks like doors are just painted walls. Werewolves and bats surround a barbecue pit with the charred face of an actor atop a picked-clean skeleton (an interesting twist on the Distortions controller chair illusion). The pits’ next victim is seen waiting in the full-size cage next to the illusion.

Climbing up yet another flight of the 120-year-old, well warn crooked mansion stairs, patrons look up to see a black and white checkered area and a silhouetted figure peering down from above, which fades in and out of view with the flash of the strobe. Once on the third and final level of the Haunt, patrons enter the Checker Board Room. One of the actors’ favorites, this black and white checked zigzag-shaped space is lit by two non-synchronized strobe lights. Several pop out doors provide numerous opportunities for the actors to appear and disappear with a lot of space to ad-lib. The next room was called the Autopsy Room, but is now named Schneider’s Criminally Insane Asylum, in honor of a favorite cast member who recently passed away. (See dedication to Dr. Bob page??)

Air conditioning units make the space very cold and the smell of alcohol fills the air. (Achieved by hanging rag smelling of alcohol in front of a fan. Good ventilation is a must.) At the top of the wall, a large vent allows monsters to pop out at the patrons as they pass. Chains and severed heads hang from the ceiling of a jail cell. An actor lying diagonally on the autopsy table is hidden except for their head, which is made up to look like it was torn from the body during the autopsy, which still in session. What remains of the body is dissected and peeled open to reveal revolting veins and meat. Still coherent the head speaks to the group, luring them to the table. Suddenly, a doctor lunges through the bars of the cell directly into the patrons’ path. Scurrying in every direction, the patrons make it past the doctor and into the next room. On slower nights, patrons can be kept in this room for some time, going in circles with the use of an endless loop hallway and the padded cell elevator.

Low on themeing, but high on exit poll satisfaction, the next area is known as the Dot Room. Here not only are the slanted walls covered with dots, but the double-pitched floors are also covered. A skull on a stick flying out of the ceiling towards the group causes “pancakes,” (patrons hitting the floor). “What a thrill it is to see big football player-size guys roll down the floor and pile up in the corner,” beams Wayne, unsure how some people make it through the room at all. In the burnt hallway that follows, the hairs on the patrons’ necks raise as actors scrape long metal fingernails along the metal pipes. Filled with hiding places for the actors, the patrons can run, but they cannot get away from the creatures.

Corrugated metal walls signal the patrons’ entrance into Area 51. Refrigerated air fills the space and toxic waste monsters prowl for food. This is the home of Jawa, a simple baseball hat with two LED lights hanging from the brim where the eyes should be, a black drape covering the actor’s face and a black robe covering the rest. The actor just moves around mumbling like the Jawa creatures from the StarWars movie and the patrons get well out of his way. The room is dark enough that patrons are not sure how the effect is rigged, and his slick, quick actions and lack of real words gives them the creeps. The actor lures the patrons near the spark fence where he/she temporarily blinds them with sparks just before they enter an original Black Hole, the second favorite room in the attraction according to exit polling. Exiting the revolving tunnel, patrons think they are safe, until yellow warning beacons come on. As you enter the Doom Room all lights go off, and a carefully timed Telsa Coil sparks out 3 to 6 feet of simulated lightning. As if that was not enough, a Drop Bridge vibrates the patrons’ feet as the coil goes off.

If the patrons are still able to walk by this time, they now go down the ramp past the Predator prop and enter into the queue area for the room rated as the scariest room in the Manor, the Slide of Doom. The Slide Master, saddled with maintaining the safety of the slide is George Hallman, who very aggressively explains the strict procedures advising you what you must do to prepare for the plunge. Patrons must meet height requirements of 42 inches, and a yellow line is painted around the whole perimeter of the room for children and little adults who are not sure if they meet the requirement. Depending upon their height, a 7-year-old is about the youngest that will be allowed to slide. Patrons must cross their arms across their chest (Mummy like), keep their feet together, lay flat on their back and scream as they go down, and scream they do while plummeting down 65 feet in a cold enclosed twisting stainless steel slide. Cameras at the bottom of the slide show when it is clear to send the next victim.

By now most of the patrons have lost it as they exit the slide directly into the Clown Room. Everyone hates clowns and here, patrons encounter holograms, walls and floors painted with primary color and a staircase along the way to yet another slide (this one is only 7 feet long), this time exiting into the Tool Room. At the base of the smaller slide the sound of running chainsaws and a spark fence quicken the pace of patrons as they run out the exit the building right into Chainsaw Alley, where a saw-wheeling maniac chases patrons right past the Porta Potties, (in this alley there is no peace for the wicked…or full bladders).

"We must be doing something right," joke Liz and Wayne. “The lines last year wrapped two blocks long!” Even with a down economy and the tragedy of 9/11, Mystery Manor was able to pull off a banner year with over 27,000 in attendance, “Much to our surprise,” adds Liz, with one billboard, a small schedule on the Top 40 radio station and 96,000 coupons distributed by her many sponsors. The only thing different for 2001 was a small purchase on the Hispanic Radio station, which did very well. Even the ghosts seemed happy!

So the next time you watch the Cornhuskers on television or see a John Deer commercial, remember that farming and football are not the only traditions in Omaha, Nebraska. There is also a 12-decade-old Victorian Manor, complete with a haunting Mystery, and real ghosts to prove it.

Dedication
This year Mystery Manor will be dedicated to the memory of Robert Schneider Jr. (or Dr. Bob to the Manor crew) one of our core actors who passed away this year. Robert is remembered as a big-hearted man, driven by his tender and consoling actions. Dressed as Dr. Bob, Robert spent a great deal of time visiting children's cancer wards and entertaining children all around the Omaha Metro area, as well as support and volunteerism for the Summer Games for Special Olympics. As his "Doctor of Monsterology" character, Bob always carried a doctor bag filled with an enormous supply of gumballs that looked like eyes. Everyone who entered Mystery Manor during his rein was given or thrown an eyeball…or three. He will be remembered for his those eyeballs and his giving personality. We will miss you Dr. Bob! Thank you for your wonderful memories.