The Creators of ‘Alien Encounter’ on Reviving a Terrifying ’90s Theme Park Attraction as a Stage…

The story of the now-defunct ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter attraction at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is legendary among theme-park fans. A co-production between Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm, it invited guests to witness a demonstration of a teleportation device inside a darkened 360-degree theater. During the show, the tube in the center of the room would appear to burst open and release a savage alien creature into the audience, an illusion enhanced by interactive elements built into the seats, including puffs of air and sprays of water to mimic blood splatters. As you can imagine, the attraction was pretty extreme for a family park, and many of those who witnessed it during the eight years it was open still have vivid memories of being terrorized by the experience.

That visceral reaction is exactly what the team behind the new immersive show Alien Encounter hopes to recreate, with a twist. Since opening in October in a converted warehouse at the headquarters of animation studio Titmouse in Hollywood, Alien Encounter has been playing to sold-out crowds and has already been extended through January. A product of the warped minds of co-directors Alex Franklin and Amit Itelman, it combines theme-park elements — the audience is greeted by smiling cast members wearing name tags at the door and forced to wind through a taped-off queue to get to their seats — with winking humor and gore. Lots and lots of gore.

Itelman is the Founding Artistic Director of Trepany House, a non-profit arts organization that supports diverse and experimental forms of media. His previous work includes Bride of Blood, a loose retelling of the biblical tale of King Solomon featuring puppet demons and other elaborate set pieces, and Hollywood Hellhouse, a riff on those Christian fundamentalist haunted houses meant to scare kids straight. Franklin is a writer and director whose credits include the Netflix series Magic for Humans and The Chris Gethard Show. Together, they have built a layered experience that leaves audience members drenched, traumatized, and, ideally, thoroughly entertained.

After seeing the show, I had an opportunity to ask Itelman and Franklin some questions about their work on it and their visions for the future of interactive theater. Here are their responses, edited for length and clarity.

CINDY WHITE: The Walt Disney World attraction this show is parodying is infamous for terrifying young park guests, some of whom claim to be scarred for life. So what makes you go, “Hey, let’s bring that back?”

AMIT ITELMAN: Scarring people for life is exactly the kind of theater we are interested in.

ADAM FRANKLIN: Park fans, including ourselves, have always wished there was a way to experience it again. It was never a question of should we bring it back, but when.

CW: What’s your personal connection to the original attraction? Did you experience it when it was open?

AF: I’m a big theme park fan and was lucky to experience both the Phil Hartman and Tim Curry versions of the attraction in the mid-90’s. I thought it was amazing and I was impressed by the guts Michael Eisner had to open a show in the heart of the Magic Kingdom where a guy is torn to shreds by an alien and then bleeds all over children in the audience.

CW: You are both credited as co-directors here, so how did that partnership work? Was there a clearly defined division of labor or was it a more fluid back-and-forth process?

AI: It was a combination of defined division and fluid back and forth, mostly the latter. Adam’s experience with video production and my experience with giant monster puppets gave us opportunities for division of labor, but even those tasks were collaborative.

AF: It was a smooth process coming up with the creative for the show. It would always come down to the question, “What is the craziest thing we can do that no one would expect in a theatre production?” We were a small team with huge ambition and little time, so we all wore multiple hats. While I was working on building the set along with our art director, Kylie Chavez-Gruss, Amit was experimenting with gore gags.

AI: And wow we lucked out with a great team. Michael Lewis, our tech director, and Hans Fjellestad, who made all the sounds, brought a lot of strange creativity to the show. Also, we found a killer cast who really elevated the show.

CW: How long was this project in development?

AI: Adam told me about his experiences seeing Alien Encounter years ago. We didn’t come up with the idea of actually mounting it as a parody until 2019.

CW: Was the show always conceived as an immersive experience? How important was the interactive element to you?

AF: Yes, what makes the show so fun and scary is that you’re a character in the story, playing the role of the park guest. You can see the monster and the monster can see you. And then cover you in slime.

AI: The source material, the original ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, was immersive from the get-go. So it was already the nature of the project which we amplified.

CW: I loved the little touches like the queue lines on the way into the experience that evoke a theme-park setting. Was that crucial to the concept as well?

AF: Absolutely. It wouldn’t be a true theme park attraction without a switchback queue and an artificially inflated wait time.

CW: How do you avoid accusations of infringement by a corporation that’s well known for doggedly guarding its copyrights?

AI: It is very clear to anyone who sees the show that this is a parody. The experience feels like a combination of Kids in the Hall and Gwar. Actually, we have had multiple Disney Imagineers come to the show and have more coming in January, so they know about it.

AF: The show is truly a parody of the original attraction with a brand new story, characters, [and] alien design. And we’ve turned the gore up to 1,000. What’s maintained is the fun feeling of fear in the dark and that 90’s park magic the original evoked.

CW: The show is at times very funny and at other times legitimately scary. How did you find that balance?

AI: Just upholding the tradition of the Grand Guignol in turn-of-the-century France. They described the combination of comedy and horror as hot and cold showers — extreme cold intensifies the experience of extreme heat and vice versa. You sort of open people up with comedy, it relaxes them and they fall in love with the characters and environment. Which in turn makes the frightful moments all the more powerful because their guard is lowered. So they are an open nerve for fear. And then it works the other way around as well, If they are frightened laughter is a release of tension.

CW: Despite just being scared out of their wits, most audience members walked out of the performance smiling and laughing. Is that a common reaction?

AF: Without a doubt, every performance is filled with screams and laughter. What’s cool is the show is very interactive and each performance is slightly different based on the audience.

AI: Exactly, the audience has a huge impact on the tone of the performance, we have had audiences that are totally engaged but timid, and have had stoned late show crowds that bring a Rocky Horror interactive rowdiness to the experience.

CW: What have you heard from people who have seen it? You’ve had weeks of sold-out shows and you’ve extended the run, so you must be pleased with the response.

AF: We’re over the moon. To give thanks, we’re adding even more effects and gags for the new year. So even if you’ve already experienced it, there will be something new you won’t expect. What’s great about Alien Encounter is the audience reaction, which serves as a constant reminder of why we do this stuff. We’re making things that we ourselves find simply fun and entertaining.

CW: Do you have any advice for audiences preparing to come see the show? Like maybe what to wear?

AF: We recommend bringing a rain poncho. Yet surprisingly, people show up dressed to impress while totally aware of what they’ve signed up for.

CW: Adam, you’ve directed both for the screen and for live theater. What’s the difference in how you approach the two? Do you have a preference?

AF: What’s great about theater, especially something like Alien Encounter, is the freedom you have to experiment and then get an immediate audience reaction.

CW: Did any of your experience directing shows involving magic come into play here?

AF: Definitely. This year, I directed a series for Netflix called The Magic Prank Show where each day we were challenged with creating immersive environments where unbelievable things could happen, like the rapture or a humanoid robot uprising. Real people would unknowingly interact with actors and special effects. Everything would need to play out in real time with no second takes. It was a great way to prepare for a show like this.

CW: Did you learn anything on this that you’ll take with you on future productions?

AF: Well, I’ve certainly grown accustomed to being covered in fake blood.

CW: Amit, For those who may not be familiar, can you give some background on Trepany House and what you see as its artistic mission?

AI: I was the Artistic Director of the Steve Allen Theater, and in 2012 I thought it would be beneficial to move forward as a 501c3 non profit arts org. I always thought trepanning was fascinating, the act of opening a hole in your skull in order to elevate consciousness. So I called it Trepany House. We are attempting to open holes in your skull, and theatre is the drill.

CW: You’ve done a lot of different types of productions. Is there an overarching theme or link that connects them?

AI: Horror-comedy has been an artery. Sometimes it is just comedy, and sometimes just horror, but Trepany House is at its best when they merge. But at the same time I can think of plenty of shows that are sort of uncategorizable.

CW: Trepany House has been without a permanent residence since the Steve Allen Theater closed down. Are you looking at new spaces or are you content for now to play in whatever venue suits the work?

AI: After the Steve Allen Theater was torn down I was looking for a venue to mount a mondo bibliodrama called Bride of Blood. So I approached TItmouse and asked them if I could convert their warehouse into a theater for Bride of Blood. They agreed and invited Trepany House to be the resident arts org of the Titmouse Warehouse. They have sponsored everything and are wildly supportive and game for anything. This has been the greatest home ever.

CW: This is a big question, but what’s your perspective on where live theater is going in the future? Do you see immersive experiences as part of that future or something that will develop into its own form entirely?

AI: As far as the future of theater? I have no idea. Who knows what weirdness someone in the future is gonna come up with? How will technology merge with live theater? Will a future of AI entertainment make people want “organic” art? Art made in the living world by humans? I can tell you what I am hoping the future of theater is… zero gravity theater. I intend to have a zero gravity theater in outer space. Like a theater venue on the moon for space tourism. That’s what I’ll probably be working on in the future.

Alien Encounter from Trepany Hous is playing at the Titmouse Warehouse 1121 Seward St Hollywood through Jan 31, 2025. Tickets are $35.

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