A HALLOWEEN PROM THAT OPENS THE GATES TO THE SPIRIT REALM

A once-in-a-generation costume party collides with Y2K nostalgia, high school fantasy, and supernatural theatrics in this unforgettable Halloween spectacular.

Created and hosted by That’s Almost Funny, Hellcoming is an immersive, one-night-only event that reimagines the traditional Halloween party as a nostalgic rite of passage. Equal parts prom, séance, and fever dream, the event invites guests to gather in costume and ceremony to “open the gates to the spirit realm” ahead of Halloween, through a night of spectacle, surprise, and spooky sentiment.

Creative Direction with Emotional Resonance

Inspired by early 2000s prom culture and Halloween theatrics, Hellcoming was designed to surprise, delight, and stir nostalgia. The event offered a chance for guests to rewrite or relive the past, with high emotion moments balanced by humor and immersive play.

As Creative Director, Producer, and “Class President,” I led all aspects of the experience—from conceptual worldbuilding to technical execution. This included spatial design, lighting and sound systems, food and beverage curation, and real-time show flow across multiple environments.

A Night You Can’t Repeat

Guests arrived in full costume and were instantly swept into a world that felt familiar, but completely reimagined. From their grand entrance through a graveyard to a portrait session with a “faculty” photographer taking class photos, guests were cast as seniors at a paranormal high school prom. Their class photos, magically appearing on a yearbook wall minutes later, set the tone for a night full of tricks and theatrical reveals.

The path to the party unfolded like a cinematic journey: past floating candles in the library, under webs, through haunted hallways, and into the transformed Forest Club, a gym-meets-nightclub space, pulsing with music, light, and energy.

World Building in Every Detail

Hellcoming was a sensory playground of lighting, projection, physical set design, and soundscapes—culminating in larger-than-life show moments. The peak of the night arrived when a surprise live marching band emerged in the graveyard, delivering a high-voltage performance of Halloween anthems. Moments later, the sky cracked with thunder as the crowd gathered for the coronation ceremony, complete with playful superlatives, and the dramatic unveiling of the prom king and queen.

The world was fully inhabited, support crew dressed as teachers, the DJ as the eccentric gym coach “DJ Algebrah,” and faculty-led mischief woven throughout. Every guest belonged in the world.

The Result

An emotionally resonant, visually spectacular, and widely shared experience that left guests asking, “How is this not a yearly thing?” The party generated major social buzz, growing our community and setting the stage for future productions.

Though Hellcoming is now vaulted, it will return in four years, reserved for the next graduating class!