BATON ROUGE — Every October, thousands of thrill-seekers visit The 13th Gate in Baton Rouge looking for the scare of a lifetime. However, behind the terrifying experience is a dedicated team of more than 100 actors and crew members who make the haunted house come alive.

For those auditioning, it takes courage and sometimes a flair for the dramatic.

"Guts, you just have to have the stomach for it," scare actor Landon Heard said. "I love it. It's exhilarating to come in here every night and be a different character. It's exciting, fun, and energizing work." 

The actors perform for thousands of people, with a new audience every few minutes, and sometimes, new characters too.

"You're all going to die tonight," actor Alyssa Haddox teased during auditions, giving a glimpse of the thrills inside.

Haunted house owner Dwayne Sanburn says many actors return year after year, with some having more than a decade of experience, but the attraction is always looking for new talent.

"A lot of people are returning from years past. We have actors who've worked here for over 10 years, but we're also looking for many new actors," Sanburn said.

“It takes just a real passion for what you're doing. If you don't get any fun out of it, you're not cut out to be a scare actor in my opinion,” scare actor Christopher Carpenter said.  

Some candidates go all out, bringing elaborate costumes and creating their own scenes to impress the judges.

"This character here is the Face Lift. The character was made by CFX masks, but some special touches were put on by me," Heard said.

Sanburn stresses that experience isn’t necessary, though. Enthusiasm and a love for Halloween matter most.

"Anything you can do to stand out from the rest of the group will absolutely help, but the number one thing we look for is enthusiasm. If you love Halloween, that's what we want to see," he said.

Auditions for actors, makeup artists, and crew members will happen Friday, Sept. 5, through Sunday, Sept. 7.

The 13th Gate officially opens for the 2025 season on September 26th.