The Trick-Or-Treaters – Cassandra James (Terry), Avery Pohl (Esme) and James Patrick Stuart (Valentin)
Favorite Scary Movie
James: “The original Scream trilogy or either I Know What You Did Last Summer are so delightfully campy and nostalgic. And they manage to scare me every time!”
Pohl: “I don’t know if this qualifies as scary, but Hocus Pocus is very iconic in my household for Halloween.”
Stuart: “Jaws. Oh, it’s so good. We have a few Jaws fanatics on our show.”
Best Candy
James: “Sour Patch Kids are probably my favorite but at Halloween time I can put away so many rolls of those tart powdery little Rockets. Yum!”
Pohl: “I love me a pack of Nerds! But the little packs that only have the purple and the pink.”
Stuart: “The English Mars Bar. It’s the black wrapper. Candy aficionados will know what I’m talking about.”
Worst Candy
James: “I’m not a fan of black licorice. Sorry to the lovers of it out there.”
Pohl: “I am not a fan of candy corn.”
Stuart: “Anything licorice.”
Favorite Pumpkin Dish
James: “A warm slice of a classic pumpkin pie. Good quality vanilla ice cream. It doesn’t get any better!”
Pohl: “It’s a tradition in my household for my mom to bake pumpkin seeds and cover them in salt and butter. It’s fantastic! I do love a pumpkin pie, too.”
Stuart: “My wife’s pumpkin bread.”
Spookiest Sound
James: “Maybe it’s the West Coast in me but any low rumbling sound reminds me of earthquakes and always spooks me.”
Pohl: “When bones crunch.”
Stuart: “The sound a police car makes when they’re pulling you over.”
My Best Halloween Costume Ever
James: “I went all out a few years ago and dressed as Zendaya’s character from The Greatest Showman. Had the purple circus costume made and did the pink updo and everything!”
Pohl: “When I was about 4, my mom’s friend made my costume and I went as Ariel from The Little Mermaid. She made a full tail that was very shiny and had a thing on the bottom so I could pick up the tail and put it on my hand so it wouldn’t drag on the floor and I had the full seashell top. I was ecstatic. So into it.”
Stuart: “When I was 13 years old, I went as the Sparkletts water machine. I had the 20 gallon bottle on top, I had the square that people had to put the candy through, through the slot that’s supposed to catch the runoff.”
Costume Philosophy: Instantly Recognizable Or More Obscure?
James: “I have a deeper respect for more obscure costumes, but I want them well-executed. Give me details, give me nuance!”
Pohl: “I tend to go for a good joke. Last year, I was Limber Jill, instead of lumber-jack. I walked around in a plaid shirt and just did the splits everywhere.”
Stuart: “Obscure! I’m not doing it for you. I’m always doing it for me.”
Buy A Costume Or Make One?
James: “If you’re gonna buy a costume I always say customize it a bit.”
Pohl: “You gotta make one. It has so much more meaning behind it! If you have the time to make one, make one.”
Stuart: “Make one!”
Host A Party Or Go To One?
James: “Hosting a Halloween party sounds like a nightmare and I’m not talking Elm Street!”
Pohl: “I would rather go to one just because the cleanup after hosting a party is not that fun.”
Stuart: “Go to a party.”
Haunted Houses: Sign Me Up Or Skip ’Em?
James: “I’m down for a haunted house but know that I will be holding onto you so tight and screaming throughout.”
Pohl: “I have been to one haunted house, I believe, but I’ll be doing it again this year.”
Stuart: “Sign me up, sure.”
Pets In Costumes: Yay Or Nay?
James: “Why not?! If your pet’s costume is an extension of yours, another character in your theme, you get major bonus points!”
Pohl: “It depends on the pet. If the pet doesn’t like it, it’s a form of animal abuse.”
Stuart: “Hell no.”
Couples Costumes: Yay Or Nay?
James: “Definitely! It’s a chance to get creative and do something fun together.”
Pohl: “If it’s a good one, or a good joke, yay.”
Stuart: “Yay — to stay married. I don’t want to get divorced!”
