AV couple opens first-of-its-kind haunted house attraction

By L.J. Gambone
For the Apple Valley Review

Inspired by childhood trips to Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, Apple Valley residents Richard and Christy Cerreto have brought their own brand of scary, Halloween fun to the High Desert. The couple recently opened All Saints Lunatic Asylum, a haunted house inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased that were once patients at the fictional facility.

Richard said his attraction is the first of its kind in the High Desert and everyone who enters will have a frightfully good time they won’t soon forget.

“We started last year and have already put about 3,000 people through,” said Cerreto, who runs the asylum under his LLC, Midnight Dreary Productions. “We have three units with over 4,600 square feet of space and 12 actors. It’s quite an operation.”

According to Richard, before All Saints Lunatic Asylum opened in Apple Valley, he and Christy ran a version of it out of their house for five years that was mainly for friends, family and neighbors. Word began to spread and Richard said he and his wife felt there was a big enough demand to take their business public.

“Our home haunt was getting so popular that the Town of Apple Valley asked us to relocate to a commercial building,” said Cerreto. “So, after a great deal of struggle and sacrifice, we finally made it happen.”

The fictional back story of All Saints Lunatic Asylum is that it lost its funding about 50 years ago and was forced to close its doors. The cutting-edge mental health facility fell into obscurity, leaving nothing behind but the restless ghosts of its patients and medical staff.

Some of the rooms in the asylum that attendees will encounter are an organic butcher shop, mortuary, laboratory, chapel and cemetery. Themes of mental terror include isolation, shock therapy and psychiatric evaluation.

“We’re not gory and are more into the psychological thriller thing,” said Richard. “We play off certain fears, which is intended to scare and surprise people.”

Along with the Halloween haunted house, Richard said he and Christy hope to add more haunted tours throughout the year for Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter. In addition, the couple is preparing to open a video production studio at the location.

“We’re hoping to offer all kinds of production services,” said Richard. “We’ll be doing everything from music videos to commercials and should be announcing a launch date for that in the near future.”

Richard said that everyone who goes through his asylum must sign a hold harmless form releasing his attraction of liability in the event of any type of physical or emotional injury.

He warns that pregnant women, persons with heart or other debilitating conditions and children under the age of 10 should not enter. Strobe lights, fog machines and other disorienting apparatuses are used in the haunted house.

All Saints Lunatic Asylum is located at 22521 Shawnee Road. Hours of operation are 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is $8. For additional information, visit www.allsaintsasylum.com.

— L.J. Gambone is a freelance reporter for High Desert Media Group. Visit her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/victorvalleyhappenings.