Events 

DREADWORKS Haunted House  

As a massive Halloween fan, I’m always looking for the latest attraction to fill the thrills and chills needed to make the most out of the spookiest season of the year, so of course I was excited to stumble upon DREADWORKS Haunted House, a brand new Halloween nightmare attraction that combines live dark fantasy theatre with captivating, spine-chilling immersive experiences.

This creative endeavor was crafted by the team at Somnara Studios, and at the helm of this project is CEO and co-founder Alexander Baxter. Alexander is an award-winning Canadian writer, director, and producer who also acted in DC Legends of Tomorrow as well as Prime Video’s The Man in the High Castle.

I had the chance to ask Alexander about Dreamwork's first year on the Halloween scene, what it’s been like transitioning from Movies, TV, and Theatre to in-person experiences, and of course, what Halloween means to him.

Hearing from Alexander, and getting a better understanding of the passion behind this huge undertaking makes me root for the team at Somnara Studios even more. Being in this space, as someone who observes and doesn't partake, you begin to see that a lot of these passion based projects can at times be thankless, but as someone who grew up having scary movie nights and jump scares with the family being a pseudo love language in its own right, I root for those who are willing to take on projects like this.

Now on to the questions...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRR: What inspired you to open up a Haunted House?

Alexander: Honestly, it’s always been about merging my love for storytelling with immersive experiences. I wanted to create something that wasn’t just scary but cinematic—where people feel like they’ve stepped into a movie world. Dreadworks was born from that desire to blend my passion for dark fantasy and horror with live, interactive theatre.

Having come from working at the scariest corn maze for 4 years as Creative Director, I found my passion for Halloween reinvigorated, which really pushed me to dive deeper into the holiday. That passion led my team and me to break out on our own, and with the incredible support of the City of Surrey and the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, we were able to bring this vision to life. Their encouragement has been key throughout the entire process, and it’s been amazing to have them on board for the journey.

What has the transition from Film, TV, and Theatre to in-person immersive experience been like?

Alexander: It’s been exciting but also a learning curve. In film and TV, you create these crafted stories, but once they’re done, they live on-screen. With an immersive experience, it’s about engaging people live, in the moment—every visitor becomes part of the story. It keeps us on our toes because every night is a new experience with new interactions. 

The biggest shift has been adjusting to the spontaneity and real-time feedback from the audience—it will always be an exciting challenge. Having trained under Stephen Atkins in immersive theatrical storytelling, this transition was one of ease, as the foundations of my artistic career were founded on the very premise of transporting audiences into the world of the theatre.

You’ve created fully realized realms in The Black Spire, Celestial Gardens, Echoing Valleys, Labyrinth of Shadows, and of course - The Dreadworks Factory. What was the brainstorming session like during the creative process? Did you use any movies as inspiration?

Alexander:  Brainstorming is chaos—but the best kind. We throw every idea on the table, no matter how outlandish. We ask: “What if?” a lot. Movies like Pan’s Labyrinth, Beetlejuice, Lord of the Rings, and Prometheus definitely shaped some of our design—there’s this blend of beauty and grotesque that I really resonate with. 

The goal was to make each realm feel like a distinct universe, with its own rules and story, almost like a dark fantasy version of Disneyland. We want every corner to tell a story. 

A Haunted House is a huge undertaking. What are some things you learned now that you wish you had known before?

Managing crowds is an art form. Maintenance is a 24/7 task. You need a backup plan for your backup plan—things break, stories change, and the industry is always shifting. But honestly, those unexpected moments are where the magic often happens. 

There is nothing I wish I had known before in all truth, as the story and scares, even if they were different on night one from now, have evolved into full terror being allowed to breathe and shift with what guests enjoy more. 

What are some of your favourite horror movies / Halloween watches?

Alexander: Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Shining—those films are masters of atmosphere. I’m also a fan of Hereditary and The Witch for their slow-burn storytelling. Around Halloween, I usually rewatch The Nightmare Before Christmas—it’s nostalgic and just puts me in the right spirit. It’s not all horror though; I like a good balance of eerie and fun.

What are your fears or things that scare you? Did you incorporate those into any aspect of the experience?

Alexander: Fear of the unknown is a big one for me, which show up a lot in the realms we design. 

The idea of being trapped or hunted by a fantastical creature is pretty unsettling, and you’ll notice that theme throughout Dreadworks—whether it’s narrow hallways, labyrinth-like paths, or characters that seem a little too close for comfort. I wanted to play with fears that feel primal and universal.

What are your favourite Halloween memories? 

Alexander: Growing up, my mom was a special effects artist, so Halloween was like a sacred event in our house. My nana would spend weeks building the most elaborate costumes and my mom would go to town on the makeup and fx. I remember one year we turned our whole front yard into a haunted graveyard. 

The whole family stood till in the yard, playing fake waiting for trick-or-treaters to arrive, and then we would chase them out—it was such a blast. Halloween is such a strong rooted tradition in so many of our lives, and I'm hopeful that Dreadwork will reignite that in so many of us that have moved away from the season as we got older. 

We designed the scare band system to allow each guest to tailor the experience to their level of fear, opening the door for anyone and everyone to enjoy our Halloween masterpiece. Halloween isn’t just a holiday for me; it’s a chance to fully live in the worlds I love creating.

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Thank you for reading, and to the Somnara Studios Team for their time,
and of course - Happy Halloween!  

Dates: October 02 - November 03, 2024

Venue: Cloverdale Fairgrounds
Where to Buy Tickets: www.dreadworks.ca/parks-and-ticket-info

Promo Codes:
Student night: SPOOKYSCHOOL20
(Every Wednesday for Students with a valid student ID for 20% off General Admission Tickets)

Thanksgiving Week Sale:  SPOOKYFAMILY10
(Valid for Families until Friday October 18th for 10% off on General Admission Tickets)

Group Rates: 24GROUPDREADSCARE
(Valid for groups of 10 and more for 10% off on General Admission Tickets)