September 5 Vallejo/Vacaville Arts and Entertainment Source: ‘Just be yourself’: Fright Fest actor offers advice to new ghouls

Every year around Halloween, Kyan Larsen sheds his good-natured persona, dons a ghoulish mask and steps into his seasonal role as a “scare actor” at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Larsen is just one of hundreds of actors, makeup artists and gatekeepers who are hired each year to help facilitate the park’s annual Fright Fest.

As the park prepares for yet another season, they’re hoping to find over 200 new recruits. Online applications will be followed by an audition call on Sept. 7 and 13 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the park.

The job description? Scare guests.

While acting experience is not required, Larsen had spent some time on stage but it was “nothing quite like this.” For one, this role found Larsen. The Six Flags employee was already working in the park as a show host when he was approached and asked “if I wanted to do any scaring.”

Three years later, Larsen’s performance became infamous among guests who were spooked by his signature look. “I would wear this giant pig mask and I would be under this animatronic barrel that would pour and then I would jump out at people,” explains Larsen.

Larsen’s masked character sometimes worked too well at terrorizing guests, something which scare actors are trained to watch for. When guests indicate they are unable to handle the situation, Larsen says it’s important to back off. “At times you do have to break character and make sure they’re doing alright,” he said. This is where the mask comes in handy for Larsen who can easily remove it and reassure frightened guests with a smile. His coworkers in full make-up have a harder time convincing guests of their humanity.

Larsen has noticed that it’s mostly the older guests who are prone to scaring easily. Teens and younger kids aren’t as phased. One night after his shift, Larsen was walking in full costume and “a little girl came up and hugged my leg when I was in the pig mask.” It was a nice reprieve from his typical reactions and Larsen commemorated the interaction by taking a photo with her. “It’s not just about scaring,” he said. “It’s also about having great guest interactions.”

The veteran scarer is hanging up his mask this year to take on a new role: house lead. In this managerial position, Larsen will be less focused on causing mayhem and more focused on running a smooth operation. He will be ensuring actors get their breaks on time and handling any bad interactions with guests.

“I’m definitely going to encourage anyone new in my area to step up and do their own thing,” said Larsen.

“Just be yourself, really,” says Larsen. “You get to come here, make a character, scream at people and let out a little bit of that pent-up aggression,” he laughs. “It is a great stress reliever to be honest.”

After applying online, scare actors will be asked to show their best scare during auditions. The panel will also give further direction to “act like a certain zombie” and other acting notes “so they can see how far you can as a potential ghoul,” said Marketing Supervisor Elizabeth Ramirez.

“The makeup artists do their own thing with the make-up, but other than that you have free reign on creating your backstory, the house’s story or the zone’s story,” said Larsen. “It’s super fun,” said Larsen.

Prospective scare actors who are over 16 are encouraged to apply online at careers.sixflags.com.

Originally Published: September 3, 2024 at 5:19 p.m.