The annual Stayton Ghost Tour and Chocolate Walk has taken on an eerie twist this year.
Because of COVID, the popular event has been turned into a movie, The Stayton Ghost Tour and Historic Walk, to be shown at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16 at the Star Cinema. The special video will also be shown online Oct. 17-13.
Produced by Revitalize Downtown Stayton, Santiam Heritage Foundation – Brown House, and many local actors, the ghostly presentation was recorded and directed by Gene and Sonja Percy of Pixie Forest Films.
“It would never have been possible without them,” said Juli Bochsler, Ghost Tour chair. “Many local businesses are standing behind the film such as Pacific Power, Santiam Hospital and The Box. Some local businesses have unique commercials in the film, and it will be fun to see them on screen!”
According to Bochsler, ghostly entrepreneurs take the viewer through the early buildings and history of the original town of Stayton.
Based on a concept by Trisha McClain and written by Bochsler, the historical drama follows ghosts around Historic Downtown Stayton to tell the story of the city’s founding in 1872, through the business and building entrepreneurs of the 1910s, and into the fires of the Works Project Administration project of the 1930s.
Local actors, old photographs and maps lead viewers through the “good times and not so good times of the town,” Bochsler said, adding, “While this is mostly a historical fiction film, some poetic license has been taken for entertainment value.”
Steve Poisson, RDS president, said director Sonja Percy and cinematographer Gene Percy have done the impossible.
“They have created a virtual scare using a historical timeline and local actors against the background of our beautiful downtown buildings,” he said.
Narrator Wendy Stone, president of the Santiam Heritage Foundation – Brown House, agrees.
“Though the screen play is loosely based on history, you get a real feel for how the town was built and who built it,” she said. “The performances are spectacular, and it’s our good fortune to be working with Gene and Sonja Percy from Pixie Forest Films. We are confident the public will embrace ‘Stayton Ghost Tour and Historic Walk.’”
The movie stars the late Mike Nielson, Mark Nielson, Bryon Morris, Glenn Hilton, Paul Nelson, Colleen Rogers, Mike Aus, Steve Poisson, Jacob May, Wendy Stone, Josh Baumgartner, Priscilla Glidewell, Rick Stone, Janet Thompson, Rachel Loop, Katie Patty, Ed Stiner, Glenn Hilton, Tristan Porterfield and Nolan Porterfield. Costuming by Mary Wallace gives good credibility to the entire production, Bochsler said.
“We’re so happy to be teaming up with Revitalize Downtown Stayton and the Brown House and their long history of bringing quality through thoughtful events to the core of the city,” said Jeff Mexico, owner of Star Cinema.
Advanced tickets are $5 and on the day of the showing, donations will be accepted, if any are seats left. Tickets are on sale at the Star’s website.
A 24-hour viewing may also be purchased for $5 from Oct. 17 through Oct. 31. The link will be available at downtownstayton.org and brownhouse.org.
“We have just started advertising,” Bochsler said. “There is a buzz in the air as people are excited to see their…
[t]own on the big screen!”
