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September 1998
What do you mean... HALLOWE'EN?
By Janet Beasley
Hallowe'en, to many families, may mean a time to shut off the lights, lock the doors, and not participate in any way. And if that is what you are comfortable doing....by all means stick with that!!
However...the Beasleys have taken a different approach on the matter. For them it is a time of outreach. Using the talents and tools that God has given them, they turn Hallowe'en into an opportunity for participants. Offering an eternal choice using "eye candy" has become the norm at the Beasley garage every October 31.
The first year was a small production they put together in their garage. It consisted of hanging a real nasty neon yellow set of waterbed sheets up for a backdrop, a black light, a strobe light, a smoke machine, a smoke spitting pumpkin, a small sound system, music, and Don interviewing "trick or treaters" live from the street.
Janet stood on a wooden box in costume doing her mechanical person act to hand out candy. On the box were taped some flames cut out of neon orange poster board with the scripture written on it: ...the wages of sin is death.
Up the side of the driveway were ten tombstones. Don had constructed these out of plywood. Janet painted them, and wrote a separate paraphrased commandment on each one.
Off to the side of the garage was a table with a stack of handouts that explained what hell is and how to avoid hell.
You ask why? The Beasleys answer: Why pass up an outreach where you don't have to advertise, and there are going to be people "attending" whether you're there or not?
After the first outreach attempt, the Beasleys saw a real ministry in using their technical talents, and "eye candy" they have in stock.
They found that the kids were very excited about walking right up and into a "live soundstage." While the kids were happy getting candy, the parents were busy picking up the handouts and asking Don life changing questions! These were questions with answers parents could share with their kids when they got home!
After trick or treat time is over, the Beasley's jump out of character and mingle in the crowd they have drawn. They give them tours of the backstage area in the garage explaining the tech side of the production. In addition, they continue to minister to innocent bystanders! The garage door does not come down until all questions have been answered.
The second year was dampened with rain. The Beasley's were not able to open the "Foggy Forest" theme they had worked so hard on all year long. Trick or treat had gotten primarily rained out, but by mid evening, there were a few sparse participants.
The doorbell rang, and with disappointment, the Beasley's answered the door. They placed the prospective candy in the "creepy critters" sacks. All at once, they heard the voice of a parent coming from the sidewalk...."Are you going to open your garage?" The Beasley's replied...."Sorry, but the rain and tech toys don't mix! Maybe next year!" The parent answered back..."Why don't you open it up tomorrow night? The whole neighborhood is waiting!?"
Well, needless to say, the moment was seized! By the next morning, the Beasleys had placed a sign in their yard that said "Foggy Forest - Open tonight from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m."
For not being Hallowe'en, the Beasley's were astonished with the turnout of 150 people!
The "Foggy Forest" set was a little more extensive than the original attempt the year before. The "Foggy Forest" dawned a backdrop made of three 10' x 14' sections of black duvateen hung from a custom ceiling cable in the garage. A13' x 17' dead tree / back lit full moon mural hung in front of the garage door. The "fog log" hung above the 6' x 7' opening of the mural, allowing fog to drop on the "brave pioneers" who dared to enter the garage, or should we say "Foggy Forest."
There were fluorescent hanging decorations, a fire pit, a strobe light, a smoke breathing pumpkin, and 2 pumpkins with an egg strobe inside each. Janet performed as the mechanical hot pink fluorescent skeleton handing out fluorescent wrapped candy. The orange poster flames with scripture were present once again, and an 8' wooden tree cut out painted up with both brown and neon blue paint for bark.
Don put together a bounty hunter's costume. He used an army green sweatsuit, football shoulder pads, an umpire's chest plate, hockey pads, hockey gloves, wrestling shoes, a cape, a huge fake gun made from PVC pipe and a toy gun, and an actual "Star Wars" bounty hunter full head mask.
The Beasleys had written and designed "Wanted" posters. These wanted posters looked like the old west type, but had an interesting reward on them! They read (paraphrased): WANTED - "Your Soul" - REWARD - $Eternal Life - If you have any information regarding "Your Soul" please contact headquarters. The church's phone number was used as the headquarters.
As the bounty hunter, Don handed the "Wanted Posters" out to future prospects. Along with "on the spot" ministering, many kids and parents were asking for extra "Wanted Posters" to take to friends and family they knew needed an eternal choice presented to them.
What the Beasleys like and want to make known is, anyone who has creativity, perseverance and access to "eye candy" can participate in this type of outreach event for very little money.
The more you want to do, the more preparation, planning, and finances you will need. Try to utilize what you have first, before trying to dump a lot of money into your first year. Make sure if you are an amateur, you don't plan too much for you and your crew to handle.
The Beasley's always enjoy shopping the thrift stores for costumes, props, and set pieces! (hint hint!)
The garage you pick should be one that is in the midst of a good sized subdivision! Most homes out in the country do not get the high volume activity of trick or treaters.
What a fun project, for you and your family, a youth group, a singles group, or any group, to produce and work as a team!
You can make it as simple or complex as you want! Just remember to keep excellence at the forefront of your production! Like any church or evangelistic production, God's name and reputation are on the line. A hokey display, especially at this time of year, can turn people away.
The Beasleys steer clear of violence and graphic scenes in their presentations, but this is their personal preference. There are Christian haunted houses that will use graphic scenes to display reality to their "victims."
When done tastefully, it will open up another opportunity for presenting the real need in everyone's life for Jesus. This type of display is more for the older crowd, and not recommended for the trick or treat age.
With any production, there is a possibility you will take flack from both believers and non-believers. This maybe so a little more, because it is such a controversial issue to some. "MULTI-TECH" respects that, and would never ask anyone to participate in a production in which they would feel uncomfortable.
"To Do Hallowe'en or Not to Do Hallowe'en".....that is the question!?!? You can make your own decision, and do what is best for you!
If this Hallowe'en thing is your style, and it sparks interest in you, please don't hesitate to contact "MULTI-TECH" owned by Don & Janet Beasley. They are always willing and able to equip you with ideas for your Hallowe'en vision. "MULTI-TECH" also sells costumes, and make-up for just such occasions, as well as other church productions.
Be sure and stop by the "MULTI-TECH" booth at Inspiration '98 and see some of their "eye candy" at work! They will also be available to answer questions you may have regarding small church productions, homemade lighting, and more!
As always, "MULTI-TECH" wants you to have fun...and enjoy your journey down the technical road! May all of your productions, large or small, be a success!
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