Trippy's Funhouse

Trippy's Funhouse was a carnival-themed haunted maze created as part of UCSD's Tritonfest, in collaboration with the Themed Entertainment Association. Set in a distorted circus world gone wrong, the maze takes guests through an unsettling journey guided by "Trippy," the main character, whose eerie presence recurs throughout each scene. Starting in a bizarre doctor’s cabinet where Trippy is "experimenting" on victims, guests are “drugged” by the fumes and led into a world spiraling into chaos.

The experience continues with a roller coaster wreck, performers who met a devastating fate, and a killer-clown-infested carnival game room. As the scenery grows increasingly trippy, guests find themselves in a funhouse hallway of trapped souls, a sinister clown dressing room, and a bizarre petting zoo of warped animals. The maze ends in a climactic scene, as stage performers lure guests toward the exit, only to have clowns wielding chainsaws launch a final, adrenaline-filled chase.

As Art Director, I led the maze's creative direction, collaborating with Campus Events on business logistics, securing budgets, ensuring safety compliance, and overseeing design. I was deeply involved in the ideation, fabrication, and scenic design, creating many props and managing build days on the loading dock with my team. This maze was truly a team effort, and I’m grateful to our incredible executive team, committee leads, scare actors, and the entire production crew who brought Trippy’s chaotic vision to life.

Executive Team: Cristin Huffman (Creative Director), Missy Muhammad (Technical Director), Ani Sancianco (Art Director)

Leads: Zee Avila (Props Designer), Izzy Arntz (Scenic Designer), Supriyaa Chordia (Animatronics), Hudson Wu (Graphic Artist), Edwin Ambrosio (Programmer), Parsa Farnad (Music Composition), Siddharth Dutta (Music Production), Alice Lomenha (Talent), Toria Templin (Fabrication Organizer), Katelyn Lee (Fabrication Lead), Alana Fu (Fabrication Lead), Maritza Lara Sanchez (Fabrication Lead), Jason Young (Fabrication & Master Electrician), Carolina Sanchez (Marketing)