WestBeat

Meet Captain Thomas Skybourne. ✈️👻

Here lies Captain Thomas Skybourne (1902–1936) — he always wanted to go farther than anyone before him. Eventually, he succeeded.

Miles was an aviator with an eye on the horizon and very little interest in anything already printed on a map. If there was somewhere no one had flown before, he considered that less of a warning and more of an invitation.

On his final flight, Miles radioed that he’d spotted something extraordinary just ahead.

Then the signal went dead.

Neither Miles nor his aircraft was ever seen again.

Technically, he still hasn’t landed.

These days, if you happen to hear the faint hum of an engine somewhere over the graveyard, look up. You just might catch Miles peering through his goggles, map in hand, still trying to figure out exactly where he ended up.

Celebrating 10 years of SCAREolers and 11 spooky seasons, we’re introducing this year’s happy haunts one portrait at a time. 👻

Where do you think Miles’ final flight actually took him? 👀

Meet Mourna Lott. 💐👻

Here lies Mourna Lott (1873–1901) — she said “till death do us part.” Death was apparently listening.

Mourna planned the perfect wedding: the dress, the flowers, the veil, the vows… and a lifetime with the man she adored.

Exactly what happened that day has been lost to time.

Some say the groom never arrived.
Some say he did.
Some say neither of them ever left.

Whatever the truth, Mourna has been in tears ever since.

These days, she can still be seen drifting through the halls in her wedding gown, bouquet in hand, forever waiting for the happily ever after she was promised.

She does, after all, mourn a lot. 👻

Celebrating 10 years of SCAREolers and 11 spooky seasons, we’re introducing this year’s happy haunts one portrait at a time.

Would you dare attend Mourna’s wedding? 💍👀

Meet Thaddeus James Gracey. 🎩👻

Here lies Thaddeus James Gracey (1748–1789) — he never missed a step. Until the last one.

A distant relation of the Gracey family, Thaddeus was rarely known to miss a gathering — particularly one with a ballroom, a well-dressed crowd, and sufficient opportunity to be admired.

On the dance floor, he was impeccable. Every minuet, every turn, every carefully practiced bow executed without so much as a misstep.

Unfortunately, after one especially successful evening, Thaddeus attempted something considerably more dangerous:

He walked down the stairs.

It turns out dancers can dance; walking not so much.

These days, Thaddeus is much happier back in the ballroom, where the steps are choreographed and the staircase can be safely avoided. 👻

And this particular happy haunt is also where the story of the SCAREolers began.

TJ Dawson conceived and co-founded the SCAREolers in 2016, helping shape the sound, style, characters, wardrobe, and wonderfully macabre world the group has inhabited ever since. Ten years later, he is also the only current member to have performed in all 11 spooky seasons.

Perhaps that’s one advantage to playing the dearly departed: when you’re already dead, there’s very little danger of aging out of the role. 💀

10 years of SCAREolers. 11 spooky seasons. And apparently, still no one has installed a handrail.

10 years of SCAREolers. 11 spooky seasons. Countless hands behind the haunting. 👻🖤

Today marks 10 years to the day since the SCAREolers sang our first set at Downtown Disney. Oct. 4, 2016, we stepped out with no idea what the next decade would hold. One Halloween idea became something far bigger than we ever imagined.

It was not built it alone.

To every singer who stepped into these costumes, learned these arrangements, found a character & brought this strange world to life: thank you. Whether for one season or many, you are forever part of this story.

Genius wardrobe designers Alexandra Johnson & Adam Ramirez along with wardrobe from Broadway’s The Addams Family, designed by the brilliant Julian Crouch, gave those Ancestors an unexpected new family of their own.

Makeup designer Denice Paxton spent the better part of a decade turning the living into the dearly departed, with wig artists Kathryn Scott & Peter Herman.

Arrangers Daniel Thomas, Abby Carlson, Matt Carlson & Marcus Carline, plus music directors Jake Tickner, Marcus Carline & Abby Carlson, gave these ghosts their sound.

Original sound designer Julie Ferrin, current designer Kyle Cole, first engineer Matt Carlson, current engineer Ander Abril & every technician between kept us sounding alive while looking decidedly otherwise.

To every photographer, videographer, designer & collaborator: thank you. Special love to Niko Montelibano & Allison Sheppard. Together, we’ve taken the SCAREolers’ visual storytelling somewhere new.

To everyone who watched, filmed, shared, brought friends, returned or helped someone discover us: thank you. Halloween a ca****la was unusual when we began. Being one of its early voices has meant so much.

Special thanks to Stan & Tara Freese. In 2016, Stan asked: could we create an a ca****la group for Halloween?

Apparently, yes.

To everyone who passed through this wonderfully strange little mansion:

Every one of you left something behind in the halls.

10 years later, they’re still singing.

And apparently… they’re still dying to entertain you. 👻🖤

Meet Brunhilda Bellows. 🎶👻

Here lies Brunhilda Bellows (1897–1934) — she always knew how to bring down the house. Her final performance was no exception.

Brunhilda built her career on enormous roles, enormous notes, and an even more enormous belief that no audience had truly gotten its money’s worth until the rafters shook.

During one particularly enthusiastic performance of Die Walküre, Brunhilda reached her final note and held it just a little longer than necessary.

The audience gave her a standing ovation.

The balcony joined them.

These days, Brunhilda can still be heard singing somewhere beyond the ballroom — proof that even in the afterlife, the show isn’t over until she says it is. 👻🎶

And this particular happy haunt holds a very special place in Scareolers history.

Jeannette Dawson, co-creator of the SCAREolers, originated this character in our very first season. While she’s been on a hiatus from performing with the group as life took her in a new direction — including becoming a nurse — we couldn’t imagine celebrating 10 years of Scareolers without inviting her back to step into the character that started it all.

Thank you, Jeannette, for coming back to haunt the halls with us once again — and, more importantly, for helping create something that’s still singing ten years later. 🖤👻

And who knows… perhaps this isn’t the last time we’ll hear that familiar voice echoing through the halls.

After all, it wouldn’t be an anniversary until the lady in the horned helmet sings.

Meet Sally Slater. 🎀☂️👻

Here lies Sally Slater (1859–1887) — she never lost her balance. The rope lost its nerve.

Sally made her living high above the crowd, parasol in hand, smiling sweetly while everyone below held their breath.

She was graceful, fearless, and perhaps just a little too trusting of old rope.

One evening, Sally stepped out for what would become her final performance. What happened next is best left to the imagination… though those who were there do recall something waiting rather eagerly below.

These days, Sally still takes to the high wire whenever the mood strikes. After all, she’s always had a taste for performances that stretch on and on and on… 👻

Celebrating 10 years of Scareolers and 11 spooky seasons, we’re introducing this year’s happy haunts one portrait at a time.

Would you have the nerve to take Sally’s final walk? 👀

Meet Lily Vane. 💐👻

Here lies Lily Vane — she spent her life trying to catch the perfect gentleman. In the end, she only caught her death.

Lily was the belle of every ballroom she entered — beautifully dressed, endlessly admired, and never in any hurry to settle for just anyone.

Her dance card was always full, save for one final waltz she reserved for someone truly special. Unfortunately for Lily, no gentleman ever quite lived up to the occasion.

Some say she danced every dance as though it might be her last.

As it turns out, one of them was.

Now Lily spends her afterlife gliding through an eternal swinging wake — still beautifully dressed, still holding out for the perfect partner, and still saving that final waltz. After all, there’s always room for one more on her dance card. 👻

Celebrating 10 years of Scareolers and 11 spooky seasons, we’re introducing this year’s happy haunts one portrait at a time.

Would you dare put your name on Lily’s dance card? 💃🏻👀

Meet Jeremiah Flintwood. ☠️⚓️👻

Here lies Jeremiah Flintwood (1671–1712) — he always said he’d die for treasure. The treasure took him literally.

Jeremiah spent his life chasing gold, stealing maps, and insisting there was no such thing as too much treasure.

Then one glorious day, he finally found the haul of a lifetime.

Unfortunately, while hoisting a particularly impressive chest aboard ship, the rope snapped.

Jeremiah got the gold. The gold got Jeremiah.

These days, he still keeps a weather eye on every treasure map he can find. Apparently death has done very little for his priorities.

Celebrating 10 years of SCAREolers and 11 spooky seasons, we’re introducing this year’s happy haunts one portrait at a time. 👻

Would you trust Jeremiah with your treasure map? 🗺️👀

Meet Felix Van Pelt. 🧭🔭👻

Here lies Felix Van Pelt (1878–1911) — he came for the pelt. The pelt came for him.

Felix was a celebrated explorer, hunter, and enthusiastic collector of things that probably preferred not to be collected.

With his field glasses never far from reach, he spent years scanning jungles, ruins, and distant horizons for the next great discovery.

On his final expedition, Felix finally spotted the rare beast he’d been searching for.

Unfortunately, it spotted him too.

These days, Felix still keeps watch from the other side — though he’s become considerably less interested in trophies.

Celebrating 10 years of SCAREolers and 11 spooky seasons, we’re introducing this year’s happy haunts one portrait at a time. 👻

What do you think Felix saw through those binoculars? 👀

Meet Josephine Banks — better known around camp as Prospector Jo. ⛏️👻

Here lies Josephine Banks (1837–1855) — she finally struck gold. Unfortunately, it struck back.

Jo headed west with a pickaxe, a gold pan, and absolutely no intention of letting anyone tell her prospecting was “men’s work.”

She could swing a pick harder, pan longer, and outlast nearly every man in camp.

In the end, Prospector Jo lived exactly as she intended — chasing fortune right up until fortune got the last word.

These days, she’s still searching for the mother lode. Some habits are harder to bury than others.

Celebrating 10 years of SCAREolers and 11 spooky seasons, we’re introducing this year’s happy haunts one portrait at a time. 👻