Phantom Theater Exhibit

As a part of Kings Island's 50th-anniversary celebration, the park had planned a live show based on the popular Phantom Theater dark ride that was once present in the park. The objective was to create a museum exhibit in the lobby of the Kings Island Theater dedicated to the original ride. It was meant to showcase props, behind-the-scenes photos, and memorabilia for the fans.

The Phantom Theater was a cult classic ride at the park that ran for ten years. The dark ride lasted approximately five minutes, taking visitors through a haunted theater on an omnimover track. The original characters, The Maestro, Hilda Bovine, Houdelini, and the Great Garbanzo, were the most memorable aspects of the ride. They were both scary and cartoonish, and people loved them. It was a pleasure to see them reimagined in the 2022 stage show.

This museum was my first temporary exhibition project. There were several things to consider regarding the build, especially since the space had a challenging shape and certain restrictions. For instance, we could not change the actual walls. As a solution, we built freestanding walls-within-walls that doubled as a way to run conduit without harming the existing walls. Our displays also acted as supports, and we used a layering system to add depth and interest without adding extra weight.

We were fortunate to find the original paper-and-marker model that Rick Bastrup, the mind behind the ride, had created. After purchasing it, we used it as inspiration for the entire design. We recreated his marker drawings and scaled them to life-size so visitors could feel like they were walking into the model. We searched for props, found the original concept art for every scene, and even found one of the few ride videos with lights on. We recreated the exact signs and posters from the original ride. We were also lucky enough to interview Rick for our museum and facilitate an in-person Q&A with guests. Finally, we identified a crucial scene from the ride and created a set at the theater exit. It was a nostalgic throwback to the ride and also served as a delightful surprise for the visitors.

This project was incredibly rewarding, and it wouldn't have been possible without the help of my team at XDS, the team at Kings Island, and Rick Bastrup. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making this possible.

And an extra special thank you to Kyle Kruthoffer for creating this video.