USS Nightmare
USS NIGHTMARE II 2000-Millenium Cruise To Hell!
"I've spent the evening on the Nightmare a few times," explains Joe Busam. "Once it was for security during Riverfest, but another time was during a huge storm back in June. The ship was tossing and turning like crazy!" Well, you may not get to experience this great effect yourself (depending on Mother Nature) but you will see just about every other effect on board America's premier Haunted Steamboat, the USS Nightmare II (Nightmare I moved up the Ohio to Pittsburgh 3 seasons ago, and there are tales of cities soon to experience the terror...)! Joe himself is a prime example, wearing special blue contact lenses that give him an otherwordly look. The converted pipeline dredge William S Mitchell provides a huge venue for the technicians and actors of the Nightmare. It is 286 feet long, 76 feet wide, and displaces 1362 tons. Built in 1933, the Mitchell was saved from the scrap heap by Alan Bernstein and converted into the Nightmare by Allen Rizzo. Legend has it that this "death ship" broke loose from its moorings one night while the Captain was below decks tending to the mysterious Pier 51, while the cowardly night watchman failed to inform him (he feared being cast into the boiler pit). Many lost their lives that night but continue to walk the decks and corridors of the Nightmare even after death...a modern day "Flying Dutchman".
The House Of DOOM! visited the Nightmare II on press night a couple of evenings before the official opening. While waiting for the Master Of Ceremonies, legendary Cincinnati TV horror host The Cool Ghoul, to open the Nightmare to visitors, I talked to Tim Eversole of BB Riverboats about some of the new features for 2000. "The Nightmare has totally redone a lot of the rooms and added new areas. There are also new sections of the ship that have been opened up to the public. There are lots of new effects and animations, and the trail through the ship has been totally altered. We've spent over $100,000 on improvements for this year. We also might have Doug Bradley (the Cenobite "Pinhead" from the Hellraiser movies) doing a personal appearance later on in October." Joe Busam also reminds me that their lead makeup artist, Kenny Niederbanmer, has worked on several major movies in Hollywood including the X-Files movie. "Next year, we hope to have Carus Waggoner doing some things on board with puppetry".
About this time, I spot the Cool Ghoul (Dick VonHoene) walking along the gangplank leading to the Nightmare. He stops to check out the huge Ex Mortis Stalkabout vampire that is "guarding" the entrance to the attraction and moves along to the second deck.
While it has been about 25 years since the Ghoul has been seen regularly on local TV, he hasn't lost a step-or his trademark laugh! He mixes information about the sponsors with some of the ship's new features-the Catacombs, the Chamber Of The Nile Queen, the Brig, the 3D Vortex, and the Decontamination Chamber. He then turns things over to Allen Rizzo, the President of the Nightmare, who makes the Cool Ghoul an honorary Captain. The Ghoul replies, "I may not be able to drive the ship, but I can drive you crazy!" The spirits haunting the ship are then called out, lining the top two decks of the ship...at least 40 strong. They raise the colors of the Jolly Roger and then disappear back into the rotting cabins and holds of the ship. As fate would have it, the previously sunny day suddenly sees storm clouds build on the horizon, the wind kick in, and the temperature drop! You can't buy those kinds of effects!
Then it's time to tour the new and improved Nightmare II. The first room sets the tone for the entire ship...a great mechanical effect (which you'll have to see for yourself) followed by an appearance from the Captain. Even the makeup on the Captain is a quantum leap forward from last year (check out his photo following the article). After that the same great mix of animations, actors, special lighting and sound effects, and room detailing presents itself over and over. There are no empty rooms, no slow areas, no shoddy makeup or costuming. The Bilge has creatures hiding in toxic barrels as well as vomiting into them. Huge snakes lie in wait inside the dredge pump and there are tortured victims everywhere. The Cargo Hold is more an area for live actors, with Michael Myers of Halloween making a surprise entrance. There is also a graveyard with zombies that fly out of their caskets and a large (real!) boa wrapping up a victim. The Swamp is infested with werewolves and evidence of their kills abounds. After a climb through the side wheel bay (scant feet above the mighty Ohio River), you enter another dimension. Here you will find all sorts of Alien creatures and the 3D Vortex...this version is one of the most disorienting around! The Fun House mirror maze follows...good luck finding your way out! If you do, you will see the Rat Lady with her scurrying little pals. The Crypt is an amazingly detailed area, with glowing caskets, vampires, dead bodies, and the vault of the Nile Queen. After a trip through the Galley you will likely not have much of an appetite. The Brig follows, complete with cells and execution chamber. A trip down through another side wheel bay brings you into the engine room, complete with some Hollywood favorites and a leaping werewolf. The Generator powers the Doctor's lab, and then it's off to the Circus. As would be expected, the actors here are real 'clowns'. All in all over 50 rooms, 40 actors, tons of animations, and a half hour tour!
How's this for a PARTIAL list of animations? Toxic barrels, dredge snake, psycho vision, vomit barrel, flying corpses, Lurker in the swamp, striking werewolf, flying werewolf, alien babies, undead body bags, body parts, failed experiments, and Killer Klowns! No expense was spared in acquiring these professional enhancements.
Costuming for the live actors is perfect, down to details such as footwear and headgear. Hollywood quality makeup is in evidence before you even get inside (on the line monitor). You won't see many masks but will see fantastic character makeup and prosthetics. The actors hit their spots well and are very enthusiastic (some standouts are the Mad Doctor and his female Creation, the Rat Lady, the cooks in the mess hall, the 'real' werewolf, and of course the Captain!
There are all sorts of great lighting effects, not just strobe lights but spots, laser lights, chaser lights, you name it. Sound is equally impressive...almost every area has custom sound geared to its theme with additional sound effects thrown in.
Room detailing is impressive and extensive. A lot of the original equipment from the Mitchell is used and is very atmospheric and creepy.
After leaving the attraction, I talk with Nightmare President Allen Rizzo. He tells me of some of the plans for the future of the Nightmare. "With a permanent ship, we can continuously add to it and open new areas. We're not afraid to put money back into the ship to make it bigger and better every year."
Tim Eversole later tells me about a new feature that will be in operation this year. "It's called a Haunted Technician Interactive Station. It will usually go into operation about 30 minutes after we open. Using it, someone waiting in line will be able to control something inside the ship and scare a customer taking the tour. You won't be able to tell where it is on the ship (so you might be startled by it yourself later!)." With luck, you can see the look on the face of your victim! Other interesting features will include the torture room with "body piercing", and the actor doing this is truly a sight to behold.
Stem to stern, this is a professional attraction. They have the best promotional artwork, big name sponsors, expensive props, Hollywood production values, good acting, and a one of a kind floating taste of hell. Any haunt fan will want to start their tour of Cincinnati's attractions here. And if the spirits of the Mitchell have their way, you might be ending it here too!
The Captain Welcomes You Aboard!
The Dredge Pipe Snake Comes Out To Play...
Only one of the many surprises in this room!
Even The Zombies Get Seasick On The Nightmare!
Exotic Beauty In A Horde Of Hellish Creatures!
The Rat Lady REALLY Loves Her Pets...
RARE, that is!
The Chamber Of The Nile Queen
The Mess Hall Lives Up To Its Name!
The Chef looks a little TOO happy with his job!
Werewolves Attack From The Bowels Of The Machinery!
The Ship's Physician Is A Hands-On Kind Of Guy!
If you're not careful, he'll take your hands off too!
USS Nightmare is located at the Covington Landing entertainment complex on the Ohio River in Covington, KY. The entrance is directly to your left upon entering the plaza. It is open Wednesday through Sunday, September 22-October 29 (also open Monday the 30th and Tuesday the 31st), 7 PM-1 AM on Friday and Saturday and 7-11 all other days. Cost is $10. There will be specially priced $5 kids matinees from 4-6 on October 15 and 22 (Sundays). Discount coupons are available at I-Wireless, Bigg's, and Halloween Express. For more information call 292-2458. Presented by BB Riverboats and sponsored by WKFS (KISS 107 FM), WXIX-FOX 19 TV, I-Wireless, and
Zoomtown.
2003
USS NIGHTMARE-All Shore Leave Is Eternal!
This year, the USS Nightmare Haunted Steamboat faced its stiffest challenge ever. The new competition moved in on the Ohio River right across from the rusting hulk of the converted 286 foot long river dredge William S. Mitchell and proceeded to terrify everyone that came through the attraction. Scenes of mayhem were so intense that many people were unable to make it through to the end. It was truly a horror, becoming even more unbearable as the days went on, and huge crowds of patrons still paid up to $100 or more to experience it. What was this new venue? Great American Ball Park, home of the clueless Cincinnati Reds!
But rest assured, the Nightmare is still the best thing on the Ohio River that's SUPPOSED to be scary. Anchored directly south of the new baseball stadium and behind the Newport On The Levee Complex (and I might add, real close to Hooters!!!), the Nightmare begins its 11th season of haunting the fog ridden riverbank. On preview night we stowed away aboard the ship with Captain and President of the Nightmare Allen Rizzo along with several of his swabs.
"Well, we almost didn't have a preview night" says Allen while pointing to a huge beam sticking about 4 feet out of the ship. "Earlier with all the river flooding there was only about a foot showing, and if it would have risen a few more feet we would have started floating away (once the ship's hull cleared the mooring beam). Luckily things are back to normal".
As normal as it gets around here! Just in the immediate area are mountains of debris from the "collapsed" superstrucure, a coffin containing TV monitors manned by departing customers scaring those still inside, and a huge vending machine containing severed limbs as well as "gumballs".
Further away a skeleton plays the piano on the second deck, Nightmare Landing provides chills before even coming on board, and pictures are being taken in front of the huge winches forward of our position. The Mitchell would be an incredibly cool and spooky place all on its own, and becomes a world unto itself after the attentions lavished on it by the Nightmare's technical crew and cadre of actors. While the Nightmare's official room list has only 23 entries, these are actually areas-there are way over 50 rooms and dark hallways to confound, frighten, and amuse the hauntgoing public.
Joining Allen and myself are ship technicians Brian Robbe (sound and construction), Tony Dimuzio (animatronics and effects), and Steve Schreibeis (lead makeup and security). These guys got their starts at some of the biggest haunts in the area (most notably THE Haunted House-now the Dent Schoolhouse, Terror In The Country, and a great little known one year haunt in Brentwood Plaza) and were ready to put their skills to good use when signing on board. If the mark of a good haunted house is the enthusiasm of the people putting it on, it's obvious why the Nightmare is outstanding! Other haunts are discussed with nary a negative word, the recent history of the Nightmare is brought to light, and the new features are expounded.
Allen explains that the original USS Nightmare (the much smaller USS Wake Robin) has moved from Pittsburgh to Louisville and renamed itself the Frightliner. Brian plans to visit it over the weekend and experience the two story slide again! Another haunted ship in northern Ohio is discussed (The Nautical Nightmare), which brings up an interesting point. Turning these great old ships into haunts rescues them from the scrap yard and keeps them alive for more people to experience and enjoy (although it ain't a pleasure cruise!). The group is also excited about the upcoming Tall Stacks event across the Ohio. The Nightmare will be offering a discount when you show a Tall Stacks ticket stub (week of Tall Stacks only).
As always, there have been new areas opened up within the Nightmare and others have been changed around. The Pharaoh's Vault has been expanded and creates an interesting dilemma for all who enter. The freezer has doubled in size (more room was needed for the carcasses piling up on board) and has overrun the brig. The brig in turn now is on the second deck walkway. Last year's hidden maze has been brought into the main path and is more bizarre than ever with shifting walls. More of the ship's displays, engines and machinery have been uncovered as well. You still get to experience the "ship of fools" (ie Psycho Circus Clowns) along with the dredge pipe eel and many other favorite scenes from years past, all in a swirling haze of fog, special lighting, and custom sound. The Nightmare is also 100% handicapped accessible (although there are rumors that the ball pit has swallowed more than a few wheelchairs-the creatures firmly believe in being equal opportunity destroyers).
The Nightmare is also far and away #1 in the Tristate when it comes to interactivity and innovation. The Chicken Coop returns (where fearful patrons too overwhelmed to go through can relax and control effects that scare groups going through), along with several coffins on deck that contain scarestations that do the same thing. This year, you can even enter the brig and personally pull the switch that electrocutes William S. Mitchell! Where else can you have this much fun for $12?!?! Some lucky patrons will experience the VIP room where you can control several effects as well as music, and there's even a DVD player! I enjoyed "dropping the bomb" on several groups with Brian and Tony, even after I found out that the glass fronting the room wasn't two way and eeryone could watch me acting like a big goof!
This year, the Nightmare brings us their new innovation in technology-The Dreamulator. At a certain point in the tour, you will be asked to push a button on a console to select the nightmare that will become your reality. Everything in the next few rooms depends upon your choice. It's very cool, and I've never heard of another haunt doing this.
And of course, staffing the ship are enough actors to fill a theater. These ghouls know their stuff and will appear from nowhere time after time. Great costumes and makeup help to bring their characters to life...err, death? Maybe un-death?
The Nightmare is also the newest entry in the HOD's Cincy Haunt Hall Of Fame-whether you like room detail, atmosphere, tour length, lots of scary actors, make up, good costumes, effects, or animations, you'll find it on board. The Nightmare has never rested on its laurels. Every year since the first it has expanded and has introduced new techniques.
As I leave the cursed death ship, I notice several ghouls trailing behind scurrying on board the adjoing barge, but not one of them sets foot on shore. It seems the only shore leave granted is the eternal kind...where you have to be carried off in a box. Maybe all that time shipbound is what made the Chief Engineer snap and commit all those unspeakable deeds on the Captain...come on down and see for yourself!
The Pharoah's Vault
Kinda like a roach motel-you can check in, but it's harder to check out!
To Serve Man...
...is the motto of the Nightmare's Food Service Staff, and they take it literally!
The Crew Cemetery
Seems to be quite a few premature burials...
Raiding The Crew Cemetery
The Nightmare's Research Station believes in recycling old crew members.
All Burned Up
An exploding boiler victim impatiently awaits their turn with the ship's medic!
The USS Nightmare is located at the Newport Waterfront complex on the Ohio River in Newport, KY right by the Newport Aquarium. It is open Wednesday through Sunday, September 26-November 1. Hours are 7 PM-1 AM Fridays and Saturdays (Midnight on Fr Oct 31 and Sa Nov 1), 7 PM-11 PM all other nights. Tickets are $12 or $15 for the special RIP Express No-Waiting Pass. Call (859) 261-8586 or visit www.ussnightmare.com for information, coupons and other discounts. Presented by BB Riverboats. Publicity by KISS 107 FM.
2006
USS NIGHTMARE-Here Thar Be Balls, Matey!
The HOD!!!'s preview article on the USS Nightmare caused something of a stir in the local haunt community. The title, 'The USS Nightmare Has No Balls!', clearly referred to the event's long running Ball Crawl, which was removed primarily at our instigation (so feel free to blame us if you liked it). We were SHOCKED to learn that many people who glanced at it thought it meant...well, something else! Anyway, we're happy to let you know that on board the Nightmare-here thar be balls! Several were spotted inside the vines enveloping the cave that formerly led away from the Crawl, and Allen Rizzo (the Nightmare's manager and Captain) informed us that they still see them floating in the Ohio from time to time. However, balls of another sort were on display during the Pickled Brothers sideshow during media night when Allen displayed his mad skillz as a fire-eater (while adding his weight to Travis Fessler's demonstration of the bed of nails, no less!). While it appeared for a few seconds that the Captain would set the tent afire (impossible, since it's been heavily flame treated), he pulled the feat off with a dramatic flair. Later, he even repeated it in a command performance for the HOD!!!'s cameras. What a ham!
If the manager can put on a show like this, you can only imagine what the remainder of the attraction is like! The Nightmare (rated as one of the '13 Best Haunts In America' by Hauntworld Magazine and featured in USA Today) doesn't disappoint. Whether you're a fan of animatronics, acting, set dressing, sound, light, costuming, makeup, or venue, you'll find it here. There are well over 60 scenes on board the 287' former USS Mitchell, with anywhere from 35-40 actors creeping down its rusty corridors during the half-hour tour. Along with the removal of the Ball Crawl (and the insertion of a new clown area), you can look for the return of Michael Myers to the ship and a couple of major new effects, one involving the event's key animatronic, the 13' Imapler. It's interesting how the Impaler is used this season. When passing directly in front of him, he's at rest. A short while later while passing beneath him, he comes to life, moaning and thrashing violently. Much later, the Imapler is seen from a new venue-far, far above. This is the Feeding Balcony, from which Captain Mitchell was reputed to have pushed crew members to their deaths at the snapping jaws of the massive beast. If you lean over just a bit, you can see the corpses of half eaten crew members hanging from the boiler pipes...try not to join them!
Michael Myers is now located in a new section of the ship-the part that takes you to the space behind the walls (formerly the home of Captain Mitchell's evil twin-wonder where he's holed up now?). Michael pulls some wicked disappearing acts, and will appear directly behind you as if by magic (the claustrophobic corridors are far too narrow for him to pass by unseen). The actor here put the built in passages and hidden doors to excellent use, even surprising us at one point.
Last year's major addition, the Cargo Hold, continues to be the most striking area of the ship. It's crammed with the Captain's extensive collection of oddities and antiques, and the Mitchell's pipes and equipment form a natural labyrinthe. They also provide cover for some of the haunt's best actors and character makeup. Steve Schreibeis, in charge of the Nightmare's makeup, has worked hard over the past few seasons to upgrade the make-up and costuming. There are crew members with steam-burned faces, copious lacerations (which are held together with zippers!), spikes and bolts rammed through their cheeks, and more. They leap down from the overhead pipes, appear from between displays, crawl along the floor, and are relentless in their pursuit of trespassers. A new character, the Night Watchman, teams up with Captain Mitchell for some grisly fun involving a poked out eye-these two have some of the best character makeup and costuming you'll see anywhere.
Even the actors with basic makeup are memorable, such as the cooks on the top deck screaming for boiling water-or the ship's doctor, pulling along the hauntgoer to see his new creation-"All hand built, and it only took 3,000 crewmembers to make him!" The Vampire Overlord and his Pet return, anchoring a macabre area fraught with menace (for starters, the Overlord controls access to the Feeding Balcony). The Pet cowered behind a coffin as we came by with a light, but at the same time looked coiled and ready to spring. The actor had the mannerisms of a predator animal down perfectly. The clowns at the end pop up all over and one performs an absolutely hilarious (but disturbing) 'Happy Clown Dance'. The Rat Lady, a longtime Nightmare standard, has an eerie intensity. We were a couple of rooms away and turned to find her still staring bullets at us long after we had left her scene.
They all have an outstanding venue to perform in. The ship is detailed to the extreme-both with its original massive pieces of machinery, antiques, and specialty props. The pantry, already highly detailed, saw $1000 worth of gory props and set dressing added this year. Likewise, the Mitchell Museum (the first scene entered) had over $1000 spent on new items (many of them antiques from a closed Friday's eatery). Make sure you say 'Hi' to Ryo the skeleton there-I think he's using his new hobby of photography to pick up chicks, but at any rate you can buy a copy of the picture he takes of you at the end of the tour. There's the Meat Locker, The Galley, the exterminators, the sidewheel wells (where only a rusty grated catwalk stands between you and a long drop into the waters of the Ohio River), the Tombs, the Ship's Sick Bay, and more. For a real treat, check out the details in Ana's Room (Ana is Captain Mitchell's homicidal daughter). A large stuffed Panda features a huge scar on its forehead and golden letters sewn across its belly state 'Dady Killz'. Child's artwork posted on the walls display demented images and messages. All the toys appear normal at first glance, but upon closer examination are just...wrong. This sort of detail permeates the entire ship-there are layers upon layers of things to discover every time through.
The sound and lighting have also become a priority the last few seasons. Brian Robbe (construction/design, and the scariest being on board) explained that "...each scene has its own custom sound. The loops run up to 15-20 minutes before they repeat, so you can go through a scene several times and not hear the same thing twice. We also try mixing up the lighting-we try to gear it towards the mood of the room. A few still use strobe lights when called for, but we have chaser lights, floods, pins, moving lights (the Cargo Hold), and everything else we can think of." Colored lights in conjunction with strobes and fog create a sterling effect, making the view from the Feeding Balcony memorable.
One of the best things about Media Night in the ship's Mess Hall (available for private rental) is hearing stories of other haunts and ancedotes form years past on board. This year's winner has to be the tale of the biker on the event's swaying bridge who had his bell rung (yeah, guys, THAT bell) by a 12 year old soccer player and was knocked unconscious. He just happened to have on a T-shirt that read "If you can read this, I must have fallen off the barstool".
This gave Allen Rizzo the inspiration for the T-shirt worn by World Record Holder Erik Kloeker during his breaking of the upside-down juggling mark (which reads in upside down script, "If you can read this, I must be juggling!"). Erik obliterated the previous best during the Nightmare's first night of operation. He's part of the Pickled Brothers Sideshow, a old time carny event (complete with exhibits such as the Fiji Mermaid, two headed monkey skull, 13 legged tarantula, a board from famous serial killer Ed Gein's barn, and the infamous 'What Is It?') that runs alongside the Mitchell. Erik performs feats such as driving a nail into his skull, setting off animal traps with his tongue, and juggling axes and machetes. Now, Erik is immensely entertaining and a nice kid, but my favorite cast member of the show is the lovely escape artist Hannah Bel (sorry, Allen!). Just between us guys, most girls run off in a panic when you break out the straightjacket-but Hannah proved to be quite the enthusiastic one when we were given the singular pleasure of strapping her in! Of course, to our chagrin, she managed to find her way out of it within seconds. Hannah also introduced a new feature to the show-walking on broken glass (not to mention jumping up and down on it). Travis Fessler, the event's ringmaster, added his 'mental floss' trick complete with a Madagascar hissing cockroach inside his head, sword swallowing, the bed of nails, and fire eating and breathing (Travis will eat fire over a hundred times on a busy evening). He was also Allen Rizzo's mentor in the art of fire eating, and swears that the photo at the top of the page will get him killed by Glenna Rizzo (Alan's wife). The event's parrot, Circe, also added the perfect touch to Allen's display by breaking into laughter when he was finished!
Yes, indeed, it can now be said of the Nightmare, "Here thar be balls, matey!" With a half hour of the most impressive characters around in an unmatched venue with Hollywood level production values, it provides a unique experience that's sure to please hauntgoers from across the Tri-State. And if you see a guy wearing the 'Captain' nametag with a slightly singed mouth, be nice and direct him towards the water dispenser!
2007
THE USS NIGHTMARE: Dining Out On The Romantic Ohio!
Walking into the Captain's Dining Room on the USS Nightmare is probably a lot like walking into the dining facilities for Officers on any other large ship. There's a chandelier, a piano with other musical instruments for the Ship's Band, elegant wallpaper and fixtures, sideboards for laying out food, and a large round dining table with expensive cutlery and dinnerware-all lit up by the rays of the moon reflecting off the rolling waves of the Ohio River. Why, if it wasn't for that picked apart human skeleton laying in the middle of the table, it'd look completely normal! As is, it's something of a die-ning room! The question brought to mind, however, is if the Captain's dinner is here...where's the Captain? That's when we noticed one of the doors on our right moving ever so slightly. When we approached it, the Captain's Butler burst out of the door while the Captain did likewise from a door on the left. They quickly escorted me into the next room-a precarious openwork metal balcony over a deep pit with the 13 foot tall Impaler lying in wait at the bottom. The Butler and the Captain discussed my qualifications as an entree, asking me to turn around so they could get a better look. After some discussion, it was decided to save me for the Captain's daughter Anna (a decision the Impaler didn't seem to care much for), and we reentered the dining room through another door. Having worked up an appetite, the Captain jumped on the table and began to tear through the scattered limbs on the table. These he quickly discarded in favor of the 'juicy parts' handed him by the Butler. The Butler crowed, "Nothing but the best for my Captain!" I took the chance to proceed to Anna's quarters and wonder about dining out on the romantic Ohio!
The press book for this year's USS Nightmare claims that it's the event's seventieth season. Well, that might be true for a lot of the ghosts on board on board the converted 1930's steam dredge USS Mitchell, but in fact it's the seventeenth season for America's Premier Haunted Steamboat. From its first incarnation as the Nightmare I (which was sold to another group and ended up sinking during a storm, where it lies in wait on the bottom of the river for its chance to scare the hell out of some future archaeologists), BB Riverboat's annual event has been a major factor in the Cincinnati haunt scene. It's been featured as one of America's Best Haunts in USA Today and been the subject of features by haunt publications such as Underground Entertainment and Hauntworld. It's known for being on the cutting edge of trends in haunting and has never been afraid to be the first to try out new techniques and ideas. Over the years, it's been the first in the area to use scare stations (where customers control effects from outside the haunt), the Dreamulator (a machine that gives the hauntgoer the choice of monsters that will appear ahead, or in its current setup what the soundtrack will be-metal or classical), 3-D scenes, the Chicken Coop (where people too scared to go through can control effects and scare their friends), an onsite themed party room (the Mess Hall), Season Haunt Passes, Reentry Passes, photos which through the magic of digital technology put the hauntgoer into a myriad of scenes aboard the Nightmare (see http://www.mybbriverboatphotos.com ) and lots of other innovations. On October 1st we visited the Nightmare's Mess Hall Party Room for reviewer night, where we were joined by our friends from Haunted Cincinnati, Ohio Valley Haunts, Haunted House Tour, City Blood, and two newcomers-Jessica Noll, a reporter from the Kentucky Post site (who also acted as Anna during the course of the evening) along with the Nightmare's Webmaster. There we sat down with the Nightmare's real Captain, Allen Rizzo, along with longtime 'Officers' Brian Robbe and Steve Schreibeis to see what else is new for this year.
"The Captain's Dining Room was our biggest change," said Allen. "In order to do that, we uprooted all the coffins from the Vampire's Lair and set up a new scene with them right after the Galley. Since we wanted to emphasize the role of the Captain and his family, we also expanded Anna's area and gave her more of a role". Anna this year appears in several rooms, sometimes with as many as three actresses playing her (including Allen's granddaughter, who calls herself 'Hanna' in the role). There's a very simple but effective scene that takes place at Anna's dressing table (you'll know it when you see it) where she manifests and then appears a few seconds later in physical form. The actress playing her tonight is outstanding, being in turn playful, flirtatious, psychotic, and murderous, making all kinds of inappropriate suggestions for games to play. In fact, she's so good she's going to be interviewed in character by a local weekly enetertainment newspaper. The Captain's evil twin brother also returns, still lurking behind the walls in secret passages, only coming out when the actual Captain is sleeping (giving the crew the impression of a Captain who never sleeps). Rounding out the Mitchell family is the Captain's aged mother-we're not sure, but we THINK that's her lying in the bed between the Dining Room and Anna's room. This is the first year the Captain has really been able to have the spotlight to himself at the Nightmare-heretofore, he was usually hanging out with the crew in the engine and boiler rooms.
But the Captain can't run the ship by himself. There's a large crew consisting of shiphands, cooks, and laborers in the Engine Room, Boiler Room, Cargo Hold, Sick Bay, Pantry, Galley, and Dredge. Most of them are grossly disfigured, either by abuse at the hands of the Captain and his brother or by the exploding boilers and other machinery when the Mitchell broke free of its moorings and careened down the river (a real life event-the Nightmare screens a video of it in the queue line). There are faces half burned off, bolts driven through heads, slashed faces, eyes drooping from sockets, and many more devastating injuries on display. Some of the crew have even underwent strange transformations-the Galley Worker in the pantry has a nose that looks like the one on the pig he's chopping up. And there're things in the lab that we surmise were crewmen at one time-but who can tell for sure? More on that in a moment.
In many ways, the passengers booked on board are even worse than the crew. There's the Carnival Troupe-you'll find them all over. From the Carnival Sideshow, the Rat Lady is right at home, relaxing with all the new furry friends she found in the bowels of the ship. Interestingly enough, when we previewed the Nightmare a few weeks back, there were local rodents trying out for parts-several river rodents were spotted scurrying across the deck towards the scene in question. Also from the Carnival is the group of Klowns that are practicing their act in the hold. The Pirate Klown here (even though he didn't reprise his 'happy pirate dance' from last year) is a study in frenzied activity-leaping down from overhead platforms, running up steps and going over the bannisters, jumping onto props-he's a blur of motion and as twisted as they come. One of the other Klowns has wandered off to the second deck and begun work on a funhouse-with a vortex tunnel, wind tunnel, and a claustrophobia tunnel where the hauntgoer must squeeze through a hall that has no opening, Yes, really. Located directly before the Carnival is the temporary lab of a research scientist. There are any number of ungodly beasts on display here, some with extremely elaborate makeup jobs. The creatures tend to lurk in the background, advancing upon hauntgoers and trailing them but never getting too close-always being a threat and never letting their prey relax. But perhaps the most imposing of the passengers is the Vampire Overload and his cargo of coffins. This longtime Nightmare actor has a very low key but extremely effective demonic makeup job, and uses an eerie voice along with subtle facial gestures to create an air of power and menace. His Pet (located a few rooms down) is one of the most impressive looking characters to be spotted in any haunt (check out his photo above this article) and has bestial behavior down pat. He also has a bizarre sense of humor, lightly slapping a crawling corpse in the face and telling it to stop. There are also some stowaways-especially in the area that became overgrown with plants when the ship ran aground. Not only are there backwoods denizens with chainsawslooking for food here, but there's also a new effect that is exceedingly simple-but also exceedingly effective. There's a creature lurking here in plain sight that you can't see even when you know EXACTLY where it is!
Allen Rizzo points out a crew manifest from the time when the Mitchell was a functioning dredge, and the ship required a minimum of 48 crew members to run. Interestingly, now that it's a haunt, it still uses about the same number to function. The actors on the Nightmare have begun to develop signature characters that return for each season, giving the event a solid cadre of seasoned ghouls to rely on. Rather than rely on just one acting style, they display pretty much every approach you can think of. The Vampire Overlord is subtle and menacing. The creatures in the lab are bestial and stalk their victims. The crew members tend to use the in-your-face approach. The Klowns use an insane, babbling frenzied style. The Captain and his family interact with the hauntgoer, making them a part of the show. This mixture works better than haunts that rely on just one method (be it in-your-face or theatrical)-as there are many types of monsters and ghosts, one would expect them all to act differently.
The actors are the ones that make the show on a nightly basis, and it's up to Steve Schreibeis and his eight makeup chairs to ensure that they're up to looking the part. Many of the Nightmare's makeup artists have moved on to Hollywood and gotten jobs working on major productions (like Pirates Of The Caribbean). Several makeup artists left after last season, leaving Steve to wonder where he would replace them-but if anything else, the makeup techs on board this year are even more experienced and developed than before. One has worked on quite a few horror movies and another is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Film Board. The intricate makeup jobs on display this year bespeak the quality of their combined talents more than anything. Whether it's character makeup, theater makeup, monster makeup, or over the top gore and wounds-it all looks great.
And as always, the ship itself is the real star. At nearly 100 yards long with two decks and three levels (with a twisted and battered superstructure left over as a reminder of the Mitchell's wild ride), the rusting hulk presents an eerie silhouette against the Cincinnati skline at dusk. There's an absolutely overwhelming amount of detail, not the least of which is the original ship's machinery. The massive dredge, the coal fired boilers, the huge engines, the paddle wheel wells, and all the pipes, conduits, catwalks, niches, and other gear on board just can't be bought at the Transworld Haunters Show. Brian Robbe sees to it that the ship looks like it is still functioning-large clouds of fog everywhere in the ship simulate the smoke and steam that burst pipes and a damaged engine would produce (rumor has it Brian has a hidden website detailing his secret fog techniques). Lighting highlights each scene-the Captain's Dining Room has a shimmering light on the table that looks like moonlight refelcted from water, while the Researcher's Lab has strobes that simulate electrical arcing, with the Clowns having a wild array of colored lights. The soundtrack follows suit, giving each area individualized sound tailored to meet its specific scare needs. And what the ship didn't provide, the Nightmare's crew has-every room is stuffed with high end props and detailing, from antique autopsy tables to deli meat slicers to animatronics such as the dredge pipe snake, the 13' tall Impaler, and a new prop that rips open its own head to reveal a leering skull beneath (and before opening night had a hilarious soundtrack running with it). There's so much here, even a dozen trips through the event wouldn't be enough to catch it all.
In fact, the Nightmare proved this in a unique way-tonight they trotted out 'Spot The Animal' night. Brian gave the haunt reviewers a list of 15 animals among the many that are located on the Nightmare and asked them to identify where on the ship they're located-the winner received a item from Captain Mitchell's personal museum on board the Nightmare (this is the first room you enter, and is loaded with items and documentation from the USS Mitchell's history-it's a shame that the queue line doesn't run past it to give hauntgoers a good look at all the cool items it houses, ranging from fist sized beetles to vampire extermination kits and 19th century books). Naturally, with the Fearless Leader's amazingly mad observational skillz, we crushed the competition and walked away with the grand prize. Well, actually, our mad observational skillz were pretty wretched-we were only able to get 6 of the 15 animals correctly, missing things like a 10 foot long dragon and any one of several locations holding cow skulls. But hey, it was good enough to win, so we're not complaining. Our prize was a cool shrunken head in a sealed jar, who we've christened 'Chimmu' (in honor of old time wrestler Pampero Firpo's shrunken head) and sat on our hard drive to keep an eye on the HOD!!! For those of you who'd like to play along at home, here's the complete list: dog, cat, panther, dragon, bat, Fiji fishing birds, monkey, cow, chicken, goose, crow, raccoon, tarantula, alligator, and fireflies (or lightning bugs, as I like to call them). It just goes to show how much there is to take in on board from a visual standpoint!
The Nightmare is also one of those attractions that does things right. When a local haunt closed their doors in the face of a customer they had already sold a ticket to (leaving him with a bad taste in his mouth) and wrote it up on the HOD!!!'s message board, Brian asked if I could get the guy's email-the Nightmare wanted to give him some free passes to erase the bad experience he had at another haunt.
Review night ended with Allen Rizzo relaying more stories about life on the Nightmare-our favorite involved him hammering on the hull with a sledge to seal a pipe-with answering sequences of hammering coming from the bottom of the hull 30 seconds later. "This exchange went on and on," said Allen. "It was probably just a log butting up against the bottom of the boat. I don't believe in the supernatural, but still, things happen that make you wonder..." Several ideas for the future of the Nightmare are floated-Steve relates that a movie giving the macabre history of the ship (for viewing by hauntgoers waiting in line) is in the planning stages. The Nightmare's sister ship in Kansas City (an immaculate twin of the Nightmare used as a museum) might be used for the 'before' section of the video. Brian wants to implement an after hours hardcore night where the actors can touch patrons, be more aggressive and curse to their heart's content-but from the look Allen's giving him, I wouldn't count on it anytime soon! With that, it was time to close up the Mess Hall and head for home-hoping that we could sneak past Anna and avoid dining out on the romantic Ohio!
The Captain's Daughter, Anna
Why are all the cute haunt chicks always such wack jobs?
The Vampire Overlord
This long time Nightmare classic character might be thinking, "I wake up after a year and find out the Captain moved my scene-and my Pet ran off too (see picture 3 for his current location)!"
"How Would You Like That Sliced, Sir?"
Some haunts don't like to use blood. The Nightmare's not one of them!
The Night Watchman Takes Charge
"Hey, you! The stowaway with the camera! Yeah, you-turn that thing off-NOW! You're slated for dinner with the Captain..."
The USS Nightmare is located behind Newport On The Levee. It's open Wednesday through Sunday, September 19-November 1 (not open Sunday September 21, Wednesday September 24, or Thursday September 25). Hours are 7 PM-1 AM Fridays and Saturdays in October, 7 PM-Midnight Fridays and Saturdays in September, 7 PM-11 PM all other nights. Tickets are $16 with $20 RIP Pass also available. Re-entry pass on selected nights is $5. $3 discount coupons available at select locations and http://www.ussnightmare.com . Group rates available for 15 or more people (online sales only).
The Nightmare has also teamed up with St. Rita's Haunted House and Junction Nightmare to form The Dark Triangle for a special three haunt combo package-see http://www.thedarktriangle.org for more details.
There is also a special Lights On Matinee for children on Sunday, October 26 from 4-6. Kid's Matinee is $6.
You can also rent the Nightmare's Mess Hall party room for groups of 20 or over. You get an unlimited VIP (no waiting in line) admission to the show for 2 hours (7-9 any day or 10-Midnight on Friday and Saturday), use of the Mess Hall (and it's scare station, audio equipment, and video equipment) for that time, and free pizza and soft drinks. Cost is $25 per person, with an extra hour costing a flat $100 for the group.
Call (859) 261-8500 or visit http://www.ussnightmare.com for information, coupons and other discounts. Presented by BB Riverboats.
On Wednesday, October the 19th, 2006 the USS Nightmare played host to The HOUSE OF DOOM!!!'s Guest Actor Search winner, Tim 'The Boogeyman' Harris of Kentucky. Since the contest was decided by random drawing, we didn't know quite what to expect. Tim proved to be all you could look for in a haunt actor-tall, mid-20's, energetic, and in his own words on his entry, "I'm SCARY, baby!" Talk about prepared-Tim even showed up with his personal gear for the gig including an elaborate fur-collared cape. After undergoing the attentions of the Nightmare's skilled make-up crew, Tim didn't waste any time getting right to work. En route to his scene he ran across several hauntgoers emerging from the Nightmare's sidewheel housing and proceeded to scare most of them right back into it!
Being placed into the Nightmare's expansive 'Vampire Crypt' gave Tim the advantage of being among several excellent members of the Nightmare's regular living undead to get him settled in and help him out. How'd he do? Well, here are some reviews received through email from our 'guest critics' that we recruited as they were leaving the attraction:
Dani from Covington:"...he was all over the coffin rooms and him and the other vampires were all over my friends and me..."
rog316 said:"...I was impressed they could keep up their energy when it was so hot inside. I couldn't believe how many hiding places there were and they used all of them..."
Aimee told the HOD that "...the monsters in the coffin room were SCARY! And BIG!"
D'ante was pleased that "...the vampires did a good job of scaring my girls but not going overboard and giving them nightmares later..." So it seems that the guest actor search found the right man for the job!
Steve Schreibeis was working in makeup tonight and said, "It's good to see someone get the spot that obviously is enjoying themselves so much. He'll fit right in with our regular cast, and the actors in our regular cast have been the best group we've had in years!"
It was a great evening on board Greater Cincinnati's premier haunted attraction. It was a balmy night with a slight breeze and an excellent view. Watching the makeup crew of the Nightmare at work was a show in itself. At one point a pretty young lady drug a galley ghoul out on deck to spackle him with blood (no doubt wanting to spare the makeup room walls).
We also had the pleasure of aiding Allen Rizzo with the Nightmare's new exit poll. This is an exit poll with a twist that literally left the first hauntgoer it was tried on diving for cover on the deck! And this was BEFORE the air pressure for the 'mystery prop' was doubled! We're just sorry we missed the group of sorority girls that was due to come through.
So once again, thanks to Tim for doing such a great job. And as always, thanks to our friends at the Nightmare for making it happen...Allen and Glenna Rizzo, Brian Robbe, Steve Schreibeis, and the outstanding cast and crew.
