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25 October 2012
GHOST WALK: Poly’s theater students participate in the Skull Walk Tour at Riverside’s annual Ghost Walk.
By Kira Roybal, Staff Writer
Are you intrigued by ghost stories? Do the terrors of the night pique your curiosity? Do you find it impossible to resist dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”? If you answered yes to or smirked at any of these questions, then Riverside’s 21st annual Ghost Walk is the place for you. The city’s cherished event, presented by California Riverside Ballet, will take place on Friday, October 26 and Saturday, October 27 beginning around 5 p.m. and ending at 10:40 p.m.
Ghost Walk’s tours will wind you through some of Riverside’s oldest and most historic buildings, like the Municipal Auditorium and the Old Coroner’s Morgue. Six different tours are available to haunt you, but the only one that includes Poly’s expertise is the Skull Walk Tour, which takes you, the curious adventure seeker, through the Loring Building, the statue of Eliza Tibbets, the Downtown Emporium and many more attractions.
Preparing for Ghost Walk was no small feat, mind you. First, student directors Haley Yarbrough (11), Rachel Nygaard (12) and Elyse Thomas (12) read through each of the ghost stories submitted to California Riverside Ballet and picked their top three favorites to perform. Then, open auditions were held at Poly’s Little Worth Theater and the directors made the final cut for selecting actors. The dedicated cast and crew rehearse daily during fifth and sixth period. They will practice on location the Sunday before Ghost Walk and then the next weekend will be the grand debut.
The stories submitted to California Riverside Ballet for Ghost Walk are usually based on the history of Riverside; factual and fictitious characters unfold their tales at historic locations throughout the city. Some of the Skull Walk Tour’s stories include “Laughter at Midnight,” which will be performed at the Downtown Emporium, and “El Cuco,” which will be performed at the Mission Inn Annex.
Poly’s theater director Chris MarkerMorse assures that the tour will not just be an oral reading. “Over the years, it’s moved from a story-telling to a theatrical narrative […] it’s really more character driven than narrator driven,” MarkerMorse said. Don’t worry, tour-takers—the dramatic flair of theatrical performances, such as costumes and make-up, will be included.
Another interesting aspect of the Ghost Walk tours is how the stories and the set come together. “[The stories] are pieces of theater created specifically for the space,” MarkerMorse explained. Ghost Walk is a bit unorthodox in this way; traditionally, the space, or set and stage, is created for a particular play or other performance art.
Sure, the audience will have a blast at Ghost Walk, but so will the student directors and cast behind the magic. “It’s amazing because it’s a form of art,” Haley Yarbrough said. “Scary is my favorite kind of acting.” That’s lucky for us considering that it is almost Halloween, but how scary is it? “It’s kind of a goofy scary,” Yarbrough explained. You’ve been warned, everybody: prepare to laugh.
After enjoying the Skull Walk Tour, be sure to explore the rest of Ghost Walk. Entertainment includes a DJ, performances by Kristi’s Dance School and musical acts by groups like the Riverside City College Brass Quintet, Cover Me Bad and Pure Atoma, an all-teen band playing on Main Street Stage on Saturday. Also, don’t forget to check out the rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and the games at the Midway Carnival. Tickets are only 15 dollars and group discounts are available. Be sure to grab your tickets right away because sales end four hours before the event.
Performances at Ghost Walk are just one aspect of the event. One of the other rewarding aspects is “being able to bring people into this and to let them see what our schools are doing,” student director Rachel Nygaard (12) stated.
Ghost Walk is a cherished symbol of Riverside. It’s an authentic and original event only found in one city. MarkerMorse said, “it’s different than any other kind of Halloween activity. It’s not a haunted house […] but it’s not like Disneyland either. It definitely gives you the Halloween chills.”
Photo Contribution by crballet.com