Every Halloween, the shadows come alive at NETHERWORLD Haunted House with legions of Netherspawn, intent upon scaring you out of your wits. From all walks of life come these die-hard fans of the fright scene, seeking the opportunity to adorn themselves in ghoulish garb and immerse themselves in the spirit of the season.
And while most of these characters wear more than one hat – both at and away from Netherworld – 25 year old actress/make-up artist Meghan Hodges wears one additional. Well, a crown, actually. Meghan recently won the title of Mrs. Georgia-America 2012, and will soon compete among 52 contestants for the title of Mrs. America.
Meghan recently took a few moments out of her hectic schedule to answer a few questions about her life at Netherworld and what it’s like to be both a glamour queen AND a gargoyle…
NETHERWORLD: Meghan, how did you get involved with Netherworld Haunted House?
Meghan: A few years ago I emailed Netherworld on a whim to ask if they were hiring makeup artists. At that time it wasn’t standard practice to hire someone to only do makeup and not stay to scare, and I didn’t want to be an actor. Luckily for me, Roy Wooley, our fearless makeup director, took a chance on me. He brought me onto his team and cultivated my precise stage makeup skills into over-the-top, monster creation magic. He’s taught me everything I know and it’s been such a fun learning experience!
NETHERWORLD: What is your role at Netherworld – what is an average evening at the haunt like for you?
Meghan: My role over the three years I’ve been at Netherworld has changed significantly. In my first year I did makeup every night, and I acted in a boo hole on Halloween. In my second year I did makeup every night and expanded my repertoire to stunts and even dabbled in some character acting in the position just outside the front door, explaining the rules. By last year, year three, I graduated to the parking lot as a Gar-girl. Being in the parking lot has proven slightly trickier than being inside the haunt. Since there’s nowhere to hide, it’s important to keep up the energy and stay in character. It’s challenging, but very rewarding.
NETHERWORLD: Can you share with us some of your favorite Netherworld moments?
Meghan: Once I got comfortable with my Gar-girl position last year, I got brave. Rather than relying on teenage girls for my reactions, I started going after bigger prey. The first time I made a full grown man fall on the ground was a memorable moment, but there’s something about his wife’s uncontrollable laughter at his folly that made it truly priceless.
NETHERWORLD: In addition to your involvement with Netherworld Haunted House you have a pretty demanding career – can you tell us a little about what you do?
Meghan: Anyone who knows me well is aware that I spend most of my waking hours working. October is my favorite month because Netherworld is a refreshing break from 60-70 hour work weeks. Yeah, I suppose I technically work more than that in October between both jobs, but Netherworld is great stress relief! I spend all day in front of a computer as a senior project manager at McKesson, a Fortune 15 Healthcare IT company, and then all night scaring poor innocent patrons.
So how then did you become active in the Mrs. America pageant? It seems like a rather stark contrast to ghouling it up and scaring the general public!
The number one reason I entered the Mrs. Georgia pageant was to challenge myself to grow in a new and different direction. It was an effort to diversify my interests and do something no one would have guessed of me.
NETHERWORLD: What was the reaction from your Netherworld family to the announcement of your title?
Meghan: I kept the entire pageant experience a secret for a long time… if I myself was skeptical that pageants were like Toddlers & Tiaras or Miss Congeniality, surely my tough scary monster friends would be skeptical as well. Luckily when I posted my win on my Facebook page, I received a ton of support and compliments! It was kind of weird to replace my Gar-girl Facebook profile picture with one of me wearing a crown!
NETHERWORLD: Will your role at Netherworld be affected by your current title as Mrs. Georgia-America?
Meghan: No way – I’m a proud Netherspawn! I have every intention of returning this year. Maybe one night I’ll surprise my fellow Spawn and show up as a pageant queen. The amount of hairspray might scare some of them…
NETHERWORLD: Please tell us how people can learn more about your causes and upcoming appearances.
Meghan: I’ll be supporting many worthy causes this year. To learn more, you can visit my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MrsGeorgiaAmerica2012.
