Kennywood - Scare Actor

0911 Festival Fun Parks, LLC; West Mifflin (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 12,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedule

Cross-train across departments

Free park admission

Job summary

Kennywood is seeking a Scare Actor to bring its Halloween experiences to life in haunted mazes, scare zones, or roaming roles. You will perform frighteningly realistic acts, stay in character throughout shifts, and engage guests with energy and creativity.

Requirements include passing audition or training, being 18+, and availability for evenings, weekends, and holidays. Prior haunt experience is a plus but not required.

Qualifications

• Ability to read, write, and speak fluent English; Spanish or other bilingual skills are a plus.
• Must successfully pass audition and/or character training.
• Must be at least 18 years old to comply with Pennsylvania Child Labor Laws.
• Ability to work flexible schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to work 20+ hours per week, when needed.
• Reliable transportation to and from work for your scheduled shift.
• Must comply with grooming standards, uniform and/or costume requirements.
• Ability to immerse in role and remain in character throughout the performance.
• Must possess strong cardio endurance, energy, and performance stamina.
• Be playful, outgoing, and convey a positive, guest-centric attitude.
• Ability to follow direction, multi-task, and work as part of a fast-paced team.

Responsibilities

• Entertain guests with frighteningly fun performances by delivering realistic and scary performances.
• Consistently remain in character during scheduled shifts.
• Effectively scare guests as they move through scare zones and haunted mazes.
• Greet and interact with all guests in a scary, engaging manner.
• Maintain safe interactions and follow park safety standards.
• Use props, lights, or noises to enhance the scare experience.
• Maintain a clean and safe work environment.
• Respect park policies, procedures, and labor laws.

Skills

Fluent English

Job description

Our story began 75 years ago when the Herschend family discovered wonder deep in an Ozark Mountain cave—and chose to share it with the world. Today, Herschend is the largest family‑held themed attractions company, with over 40 leading attractions and immersive experiences that reach audiences worldwide. While each brand offers something unique, all are united by a shared purpose: Bringing Families Closer Together by Creating Memories Worth Repeating®. Our passionate hosts make this purpose possible through everyday acts of love and service—what we call Heartspitality®—the intersection of heart and hospitality. As an equal‑opportunity employer, we strive to provide environments where every host, guest, and partner feel welcome, valued, and loved. We firmly believe that words and actions matter, which is why all individuals are to be treated equally and with respect. Kennywood is a National Historic Landmark with over 125 years of experience in fun! Kennywood has an unmatched mix of more than 40 modern attractions and one‑of‑a‑kind classic rides, including eight roller coasters, a Kiddieland with pint‑size thrills for the little ones, and more. Kennywood's rich history spans generations of good times and extends beyond the traditional summer season with popular Halloween and Holiday events. We are currently looking for a:

Kennywood - Scare Actor Roles & Responsibilities:

Do you like to scare people? Do you like to do scary make‑up? Do you love Halloween? If you answered “YES” to these questions, then we have a position for you! A scare actor will help to provide the guests a unique experience by working in a haunted maze, a scare zone, or as a roaming actor. This position plays an integral part of making the attractions come to life!

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Entertain guests with frighteningly fun performances by delivering realistic and scary performances!
• Consistently remain in character throughout the entirety of scheduled shifts, which involve walking, running, making noises, changing posture, or using props
• Effectively scare guests as they move through the scare zones throughout the park
• Greet and interact with all guests in the scariest manner possible
• Demonstrate control, restraint, and awareness to minimize the escalation of situations in which a guest may get overly scared
• Maintain a safe environment by keeping at least an arm’s distance between self and each guest, keeping escape routes clean, and following all safety standards
• Use a variety of props, lights, or noise makers to enhance the scare experience
• Maintain a clean and safe work environment
• Comply with all park policies, procedures, and labor laws
• Proactively monitor assigned areas and quickly identify and elevate any safety hazards or other risks to the proper authorities
• All other duties as assigned by leadership

Language:

• Ability to read, write, and speak fluent English; Spanish or other bilingual language skills are a plus.

Education and Experience:

• No education requirements for this position; just a passion for scaring! Previous haunt experience preferred, but not required.

Requirements:

• Must successfully pass an audition and/or character training for this role
• Must be at least 18 years of age to comply with Pennsylvania Child Labor Laws
• Ability to work flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays (including Halloween, if open)
• Ability to work 20+ hours per week, when needed
• Must have reliable transportation to and from work for your scheduled shift
• Must comply with all grooming standards, uniform and/or costume requirements
• Ability to immerse in role and remain in character throughout the performance
• Must possess strong cardio endurance, physical story‑telling abilities, and performance energy
• Must be playful, outgoing, friendly, and convey a positive, guest‑centric attitude
• Must possess effective verbal and non‑verbal acting and communication skills
• Ability to follow direction, multi‑task, and work as part of a fast‑paced team

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand, walk, and remain on feet for majority of the workday
• Ability to wear assigned costume for extended periods of time
• Ability to frequently stoop, twist, kneel, bend, squat, or reach above shoulders
• Ability to perform in costumes that may have limited sight lines
• Ability to carry, push, pull, lift, and hold objects weighing 30 pounds or more

Working Conditions:

• Frequent exposure to outdoor and indoor areas of the park
• Subject to extreme warm or cold temperatures during the autumn months
• Frequent exposure to the variable outside temperatures (both in and out of costume), including high heat, cold, direct sun, humidity, dust, rain, snow, ice, and other weather conditions
• Subject to frequent interruptions, constant repetitive motion, high noise levels, flashing lights, strobe lights, dark and shadowy environments, and heavily populated areas

Team member benefits:

Working at Kennywood is about making people happy! It’s about being independent and having fun, making new friends and earning extra money while doing so. As a Kennywood employee, you can be the smiling face that makes a great first impression for incoming guests, a cook that serves up tasty treats and culinary delights, or a ride operator that keeps guests coming back for more thrills! There are many exciting seasonal job opportunities available to take your summer job to new heights!

Perks & Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Ability to cross‑train and learn unique skills across various departments
• Free admission to Kennywood and other parks on your days off
• Invitations to exclusive company-sponsored employee events throughout the season

We're not just in the attractions business; we're in the people business- and that starts with our own. Our 20,000+ hosts across North America are the heartbeat of our diverse and growing company. In keeping with our company values, we nurture a balance between work and family, strive to promote 70% from within and support each host’s efforts to develop a fulfilling and rewarding career