By: Eli Dickey

Step into the darkness this October, as the Encore Drama Club transforms the Atkinson 

Auditorium into… Kino Der Toten: Theatre of the Dead! A nightmarish world. Every corner hides a terror, every shadow whispers your name.

This is a student-led event hosted by the Encore Drama Club, which was founded last Spring as a student-project-focused extension of the Department of Theater and Dance.  Kino Der Toten: Theatre of the Dead was the ghastly scheme of Elijah Dickey and Leigh Rice, and will be built and run by Wesleyan students. Some will be scare actors, others will focus on costumes and makeup,  and most will help set up and create special effects.

“We just want to give those who want to do theatre a place to do theatre, and we think we got it,” John Spellman, the President of Encore, said in an interview. Created with students and their creativity in mind, Encore has many theatre workshops, events, and shows scheduled for the school year. Keep an eye out for signs and posters on campus and posts of social media for updates!

The goal that Encore Drama Club and Elijah Dickey– the creator of Kino Der Toten– have for this haunted house, is to raise money for students to attend this year’s S.E.T.C. (South Eastern Theatre Conference). S.E.T.C., established in 1949, is one of the largest and longest-running theatre conferences in the United States. It is a great opportunity for students to audition for shows, participate in workshops, and network with agents, companies, and organizations to find work in the theatre field. We hope that the profits from Kino Der Toten will help Wesleyan theatre students pay the admission fee, so that they can have the opportunity to attend S.E.T.C.

Last year’s Atkinson haunted house was a horrifying success, despite being created in a very short amount of time, with a very limited budget and not many hands on deck. Now, with the existence of Encore, more volunteers, and some prior experience under our belts, this year’s production will be even better!

Meet us outside the security office on campus on October 30th and 31st and November 1st, 2025; admission is $5 per person (profits are going toward S.E.T.C.!). Don’t forget to bring your friends, your courage– and someone to hide behind– as we explore the theatre of the damned!

Photo by: Leigh Rice