The Haunted Basement to Form Independent Project

The Soap Factory and its longtime downstairs resident The Haunted Basement have announced the next evolution of the Haunted Basement as an independent project.

For the past decade, the Haunted Basement operated as a program housed and managed by The Soap Factory. The annual thrill attraction has evolved into a marriage of installation art and theatrical set design, providing environments for performers of all stripes to confound audiences as part of an immersive, horror-fueled production. In 2016, the Haunted Basement and The Soap Factory celebrated the ten-year anniversary of the project with its highly successful "HBX" performances.

Earlier this year, The Soap Factory announced it would be undergoing a year-long renovation to its historic building, providing an opportunity to envision the 2017 Haunted Basement program being delivered in other locations. This exciting conversation led naturally to a discussion about program independence and growth, an opportunity which the HB creative team grabbed.

The Haunted Basement is led by Creative Director Christopher Barton, Director of Production Sarah Salisbury, and Operations Director Walker Friend. The trio, along with the Basement's team of designers and performers, look forward to creeping into its second decade, balancing its new direction with the same mission of creating a unique, artist-based horror experience.

"The Soap Factory's basement was a star performer in its own right - creepy, dark, and full of twists and turns without any of us having to add a thing," said Creative Director Christopher Barton. "It was that supernatural quality that made The Soap Factory such a great setting for our project. We're excited to see where this next step takes us, but we're going to miss running our performances in such a gorgeous space."

"The Soap Factory has, and will always be, a place for experimentation and risk-taking. It is a huge success to see a program grow beyond The Soap Factory and take flight on its own," echoed the Soap's Executive Director Bill Mague.

More details about the Haunted Basement, including news about this year's production, are forthcoming.

For more information about the Haunted Basement, visit hauntedbasement.org.