What It’s Like To Be An Actor Behind the Factory of Terror’s Haunts

The Factory of Terror’s long hiring process yields big scares every Halloween season.

by Lydia Koszegi | Oct. 29, 2026 | 11:05 AM

Photo courtesy C. Brielmaier, Rogues Hollow Productions, via Factory of Terror

In the 25 years since it opened, Canton’s Factory of Terror has mastered the art of fear and has risen to be one of the largest indoor haunted houses in the country. On top of offering multiple different themed attractions, Factory of Terror also has five themed bars as well as a dance club.

The real stars of the attraction, however, are the scare actors. Factory of Terror employs around 100 actors to populate the different attractions on the property.

Around 75% of actors from the previous season return, according to Jenn Frank, a cast manager at Factory of Terror. While some lifers return every season, the Factory hires new actors every year.

Becoming a scare actor is not a quick process: The Factory begins its hiring process in the summer. After clearing a background check and their first interview, applicants are invited back to perform a series of improv games with other applicants in front of the four house managers.

“It's not really to push them on their acting. It's just seeing where they're at, and what level of comfortability they have with dialogue,” Frank says.

Photo courtesy C. Brielmaier, Rogues Hollow Productions, via Factory of Terror

The house managers are all responsible for a specific themed area and select applicants that best fit their attraction. Massacre on Mahoning tends to look for actors who are good with dialogue, while The Forsaken Asylum of Dr Morbidius looks for those who have mastered creepy physical movements.

After the second round of interviews, applicants are hired, assigned to their attraction and begin their training.

“When you're hired, and you join the haunt community here, it becomes like a family.  We have each other's backs,” Frank says. “We train our actors for the situations that they may come into.  I like to make sure they're fully prepared for what kind of guests they're going to have come through their scene, and how to react to those situations.”

Six weeks before the season begins, actors attend improv and acting classes to sharpen their skills. They go through training on procedures, rules and how to handle guests. During training, new actors will be sent through the attractions while veteran actors attempt to scare them.

“It helps to let them see what it's like to be in the show,” Frank says.

The workday for actors begins at 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturdays. After the actors check in and grab their costumes, they get in line for makeup. Getting a single actor in full makeup can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. A team of makeup artists, using alcohol based makeup that is airbrushed on, gets all of the actors ready.

Frank also works as a scare actor at times, moving between the queue lines and different attractions when she has free time.

“What it takes is finding that love for haunting and entertainment. It's a really great feeling when my actors come out after a show, and they have big smiles on their faces and say it was an awesome night,” she says. “Even if they're not the greatest actor, I think if you're having fun and you have the passion for it is what makes an actor great.”