Behind The Haunt

In episode seven of Behind the Haunt, Bud sits down with Maximus, a longtime Dent Schoolhouse actor and member of the Ohio Haunters Association. Maximus shares how his passion for haunting began with yard haunts, eventually followed him to the Cincinnati area, and led him through the doors of The Dent Schoolhouse. He discusses his years of entertaining and terrifying guests as a queue-line character, as well as his involvement with special experiences such as Dent’s Behind the Scenes Tours. The conversation is filled with memorable moments from his time as a Dent character, lessons learned through years of performing, and helpful advice for both new and experienced haunters. And when it comes to surviving a long night of scares, Maximus reveals the most important secret of all: the key is water. 

In episode six of Behind the Haunt, Bud sits down with Aryn Fox to explore her creative journey through The Dent Schoolhouse. Aryn began as a makeup artist before becoming Dent’s makeup manager and eventually stepping into her current role as costume manager. She looks back at the many positions she has held, the projects she has helped bring to life, and how her responsibilities have evolved alongside the attraction. The conversation also steps inside Aryn’s creative process as she explains how she develops original Dent characters, finds inspiration, and transforms early sketches and ideas into costumes, creatures, and fully realized environments. Stay through the end for a new original cinematic tale, “The Night the Schoolhouse Wakes”—a spooky opening-night legend about a curious boy who stayed behind after the schoolhouse closed…and discovered what waits inside when the final bell rings.

In episode five of Behind the Haunt, Bud sits down with current queue line actor Alex Dickey to explore his evolution from performing inside the haunt to commanding the crowds as a standout queue line actor. Alex shares his personal path to Dent and breaks down what it takes to step into high-visibility queue line roles, where keeping waiting guests entertained requires a unique mix of presence, adaptability, and sharp focus. The conversation dives deep into character mindset, performance techniques, and the memorable moments he accumulated while interacting with crowds outside the main attraction. Alex also turns back the clock to discuss where his passion for haunting first took root in home haunts, leading into his ongoing tradition of building and running a full home haunt in his own front yard today. The show ends with a fan favorite song that has been heard pumping out of the old radios in the basement of the schoolhouse - "Charlie's Gonna Get Yah."

In episode four of Behind the Haunt, Bud sits down with former Dent Schoolhouse actor Dan Leopold—the man behind the unforgettable Fatso the Clown. Dan traces his haunting roots back to the charity attraction Dungeons of Delhi before sharing how he eventually found his way to The Dent Schoolhouse. For more than a decade, he brought Fatso to life, developing the clown’s distinctive personality, appearance, voice, and twisted sense of humor along the way. The conversation explores how Dan discovered the character, how Fatso evolved through years of performances, and what it takes to make a haunt character truly your own. Dan also opens the door to plenty of funny, frightening, and unforgettable stories from his many nights roaming the halls of Dent.

In episode three of Behind the Haunt, Bud sits down with Tyler and Nora Proffet of The Scare Factor and Team Zombillies haunt reviewers. With decades of combined experience visiting and reviewing haunted attractions across the country, Tyler and Nora share how The Scare Factor began, what goes into fairly reviewing a haunt, and how they turn a terrifying night out into a detailed score. They also reveal memorable moments from the road and what separates a good haunted attraction from an unforgettable one. The conversation then turns to The Dent Schoolhouse as Tyler and Nora recall their earliest visits, favorite scenes and characters, and the changes they have witnessed over the years. They also share what makes Dent stand apart—and what has helped it remain Cincinnati’s Halloween tradition for 30 seasons. We then end the episode with a cinematic audio telling of Dr. Dent and DS6.  This audio was taken from our 10 Ghosts Youtube mini series.  

In episode two of Behind the Haunt, Bud sits down with longtime Dent Schoolhouse performer Andy Becker—better known simply as Becker. Becker shares what first inspired him to become a haunt actor, his early roots at the now-retired Dungeons of Delhi charity haunted house, and the path that eventually brought him to Dent. After spending many years frightening guests inside the schoolhouse, he now brings his talents to the Monster Midway, where the scares continue beyond Dent’s doors. The conversation explores his evolution as a performer, memories from years of haunting, and the passion that has kept him coming back season after season. Becker also reveals his unusual secret for soothing a scratchy throat after a long night of screaming: the mysterious concoction known as Sour Soup. Also, we feature an exclusive Dent Schoolhouse music track at the end of this episode that was composed by Rachel Williams to embody the ghoulish trick-or-treaters at the school.  

In the premiere episode of Behind the Haunt, the interviewer becomes the interviewee as host and Dent Schoolhouse co-owner Bud Stross takes the hot seat. Bud shares his background, his journey into the haunted-attraction industry, and the story of how The Dent Schoolhouse became such an important part of his life. The conversation explores Dent’s history, its evolution, the people behind the screams, and what it means to celebrate 30 seasons of Cincinnati’s Halloween tradition. Stay through the end for an original cinematic audio tale—and the first chilling tease of a mysterious new character coming to the schoolhouse. He may promise you the moon and a pocket of maybes…but if you see his shadow, it may already be too late.