A caped figure emerges from the darkness on a galloping, wide-eyed horse with vapor shooting from its nostrils. It suddenly stops at the group, and the man reveals himself as the Headless Horseman. He dashes away and from a distance, the crowd can see him jump onto a ridge silhouetted against the night sky.
That's just one scene from the haunted trail that incorporates characters from classic literature rather than gory mass murderers from horror films. Fright Trail runs from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Oct. 31 at Tablerock Amphitheater. The half-mile walking trail includes iconic scenes from works like "Dracula," "Frankenstein," "MacBeth" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." KCEN 9 meteorologist Andy Anderson, who also trains horses, plays the Headless Horseman every year.
"He puts as much authenticity into it as possible," said Donnie Williams, Tablerock board president.
Williams performs as "Alice in Wonderland" author Lewis Carroll and guides people between the bridges guarded by ogres in the Enchanted Forest. Along the way, he explains the story's origin, taking visitors by the famous tea party. They encounter fairies that try to persuade the group to hand over the gold nuggets given at the beginning of the trail.
"We try to make it interactive that way," Williams said.
Fright Trail has operated for 10 years, and the idea came after the Tablerock board attended an outdoor drama conference in Ohio where a group did a Psycho Trail. Director Jackie Mills liked the concept but wanted a family friendly experience.
"I didn't want it to be too scary or gory," she said.
The annual event requires almost 60 actors and behind-the-scenes volunteers from age 5 to 80. It takes about 25 to 30 minutes to go through the trail, and the scenes last about two minutes.
Williams said Fright Trail offers an alternative to scary haunted houses, and children will remember H.G. Wells' "The Invisible Man" and William Shakespeare's Weird Sisters.
"I think it's, perhaps, a great conversation starter if anything," he said. "We want to give people an opportunity to experience the old classics that we should never let go of."
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Fright Trail
WHEN: 7:30-10 p.m. Saturday, Sunday & Oct. 31
WHERE: Tablerock Amphitheater, 650 Royal St. in Salado
ADMISSION: $5 for adults, $3 for children
