Inside Green Bay Fear

Darkness sets and the woods get crooked. Screams erupt from the shadows and children cry. Shawano Manor looms in the distance of this twisted forest with glowing lights and frightening faces. If you haven't been scared yet this Halloween season, be sure to check out the vamped up version of Shawano Manor, now called Green Bay Fear. Located on Bond Street, near the Rock Garden banquet hall, Green Bay Fear is doubled in size and full of new story lines. Based on a real-life ghost story, Green Bay Fear is a re-creation of the glorious estate and story of lumber tycoon Jaden West. After his mutilating death in 1894, it was a typical who-done-it story. Later accusations were made against fellow saw mill workers who envied his money, the constable acquired his estate. While in the house, his hair was said to have turned from pitch black to ghost white after the first night. The constable became obsessed about spirits. The crime, still unsolved, gave the house an illusion of being haunted. A few years back, the state of Wisconsin wanted to demolish the house to restore the wetlands. Working hard with the state to obtain permission to relocate the mansion from Shawano lake to the corner of Taylor and Bond Street, the house was recreated to include the horrors that it was supposed to have many years ago. Shawano Manor is a non-profit charitable organization, donating primarily to the Beja Shriners. The Beja Shriners are an organization supporting Shriners Hospitals for children. All of the actors and make-up artists for Green Bay Fear are volunteers, and many of the costumes are donated to the house. The attraction is sponsored by companies including Robinson Metal and Smet Construction. Banners and signs are also donated. Though most of the money from the haunted house goes to support the Beja Shriners, some of their profit is also donated to Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College's Criminal Justice program and other charities in the Green Bay area. Last year alone, Shawano Manor donated just less than $30,000. David Oshefsky uses money from previous years to buy new costumes, props, and to advertise. Combined with artifacts from the original Shawano Manor, the props are used make the house a realistic re-creation. More than half of the props used in the house are from the original Shawano Manor. These artifacts were salvaged by Oshefsky before crews had the chance to demolish the haunted mansion back in 2000. David Oshefsky, owner of Green Bay Fear says "Our house has more quality and theatrics than most houses in the area." "Everything in the house is well placed and thought out." All the actors in the house create their own skits. New people are volunteering for the attraction each night. The set actors for each Halloween season have classes they can attend all year long to help develop new scare tactics and skill. As well as this, each actor brings something of their own to the table. The house is open every Thursday through Saturday night until Halloween. Green Bay Fear is a unique house because it's in 3-D. Using ChromaDepth 3-D system specialized paints gives the house some variation. "It's not just blood, guts and gore," says Nikki Oshefsky, team leader for the actors of Green Bay Fear. "I like to refer to it as walking through a dream." With extended story lines and expanded rooms, Green Bay Fear elicits screams from even the manliest of attendees.