Behind the screams

As autumn is upon Cincinnati, leaves begin to change colors, the air becomes crisp and large, chainsaw-wielding men jump out at unsuspecting groups of people. The Halloween season has arrived and with it, the return of The U.S.S. Nightmare, Newport's only floating haunted house.  

The U.S.S. Nightmare has been frightening customers for 12 years now, a tradition as strong as it ever was.  

Docked right at Newport on the Levee, the haunted riverboat provides 35 rooms and 20 scenes for the voyagers who climb aboard.  

With characters such as clowns, dead crewmembers and the infamous Freddy Kreuger, there is a little something to scare everyone. 

However, there is much more involved with operating the Nightmare than what meets the eye. Behind the scenes, people work for hours making sure that all aspects of the Nightmare are perfect. 

On any given night, 35-40 people work on the Nightmare, the majority of which are actors.  

As each actor comes to work at about 4 p.m., they first check their scene assignment, proceed to get their makeup and costume and then await instructions before the doors open at 7 p.m. Usually dinner arrives after makeup and costume, leaving some ghastly frozen bodies to eat hot dogs without smearing their bloody face paint.  

All of the actors come from many different areas and most of them have other jobs elsewhere. Some work for Proctor & Gamble, local police departments. Some are nurses and schoolteachers.  

There are also five or six UC students who work on the U.S.S. Nightmare.  

First-year students Josh Gilbert and Adam Dressman are two of these students.  

One dressed as a clown and the other a demon of sorts, the business management students love spending their time terrifying others. 

Both Gilbert and Dressman agree it is a great place to meet people and have fun. 

The ironically friendly atmosphere that the haunted house possesses is apparent.  

While the 30 or so actors are getting ready, the 10 security workers are helping out as much as possible, whether it be with dinner, makeup or making sure chainsaws are functioning properly.  

This close environment is a testament to Allen Rizzo, the man who created The U.S.S. Nightmare 12 years ago. As an employee of B and B Riverboats, Rizzo wanted to create a different kind of haunted house experience.  

His combination of a haunted house and riverboat has worked splendidly, and has been implemented elsewhere such as Pittsburgh and Louisville.  

Rizzo has also made sure that his family has been involved with the Nightmare.  

His wife Glenna is involved with most of the behind the scenes work that The Nightmare requires. Many more of the Rizzo clan stay involved with the boat, but the most integral part of the Nightmare is eight-year-old Joey Kempe. 

Grandson to the Rizzos, Kempe spends his nights making sure all actors are in position, all technical aspects are mistake-free and everybody is working hard. But even though he works with the Nightmare, he still cannot go through the haunted house itself.  

However, Kempe does console other children his own age who are too frightened by the Nightmare, visiting them in the BW-3 Chicken Coop, a new addition which provides solace for those faint-hearted individuals who cannot make it through the haunted boat. 

Tickets are $12 per person, but only $5 to go in again after the first time.  

Also new this year is something from sponsor Johnny Rocket's, a R.I.P. pass that is $15 and permits you to cut in line.  

The U.S.S. Nightmare is open until November 1, from 7.until 11 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and until 1 a.m. every Friday and Saturday.  

A special matinee will be held on October 26, from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.