The History of Trap Door
By: Frank Giglia, Head of Creative Development
The history of Trap Door Escape Room started with a screenplay. Anthony Purzycki needed help rewriting his feature film script, “Ratred: The Following.” He brought it to independent film studio Harrington Talents. As it turns out, they happened to be completing a film with a young, dynamic Production Assistant. This PA had just come out of film school for screenwriting, and they thought it would make a great fit.
Such a great fit, in fact, that after I rewrote “Ratred” we started collaborating on other film scripts, writing the horror stories “Theatre of the Devil” and “Cliff’s End” within the next few years. Then came the tedious task of trying to get the movies made.
Over the next few years we faced con-artists, rewrites, actor demands, California meetings, and a collapse of the independent film market, yet produced no films, despite tireless efforts.
The Spark
Then, in 2012, Tone had a ground-breaking idea. We would stream an actor trapped in a situation and have the audience solve puzzles to figure out where he was trapped. Thus, the “Find Me Event” was born. A thousand people played and, over several hours, saved Dennis Morgan from the villainous Architect.
The response was so overwhelming, we thought “maybe there’s something to this interactive entertainment” and set out to create new and greater experiences. The next was a spin-off of the Find Me Event” that we called “The Alternet.” The Alternet featured a secret government organization, called the ODD, that needed help from outside sources to investigate weird happenings. Under this banner we produced several more streaming games, including “Buried Alive,” “Fool’s Gold” and “Slasher.”
Then, we decided we wanted to go away from streaming and into live entertainment. So, we wrote and produced the interactive show: “Windward Hotel” which allowed a live audience to follow along as a ghost story evolved across multiple floors of a real-life hotel.
Current Day
Only after all of this, did we hear of the burgeoning industry known as escape rooms. Needless to say, we quickly realized that this is what we’ve been working towards since we met! Thus, that is the history of Trap Door. Since that fateful day, the history of Trap Door has exceeded our expectations. For example, currently, we host three locations!
Locations
Looking for your next adventure? Try any of our three locations listed below!
Bartonsville, PA
The Poconos Escape Room by Trap Door is all about the impact of humanity, from a Zombie Virus Outbreak to Extreme Weather, we have brought this upon ourselves. Bartonsville is currently hosting 7 unique escape room experiences. Check out our Poconos Page Here to find the best fit for you and your crew!
Also of note at this location is F5 Tornado! In 2021, this game won the title of Best Immersive Experience in the world. In F5 Tornado Escape, you’ll have to seek shelter from an approaching tornado. This game is great for families with children, and features a range of mental and physical puzzles and obstacles.
Red Bank, NJ
Everest takes place on, you guessed it, Mount Everest. After a previous climate research team went missing, your mission is to follow their footsteps and figure out what happened. In 2021, hardly a year after opening, Everest boasts a bronze win for the Player’s Choice Award for Best In-Person Escape Room.
Morristown, NJ
Our Escape Room in Morristown, NJ is pure magic! Super Powered Oddities to Witchcraft, it all combines for a conjuring of spectacle unlike anything you have ever seen. We are currently hosting three fantastical games in Morristown. Check out our Morristown Page Here to choose the best adventure for you!
For family-friendly, light-hearted fun, check out The Greatest Freakshow. As the newest members of Xunder’s oddity troupe, it’s up to you to save the circus from the spell of an evil mermaid. This escape room even features musical elements for a fun and engaging experience to play with children.
Witch Hunt, on the other hand, is a touch more mature. During the Salem Witch Trials, you have to prove whether a woman accused of witchcraft is guilty or innocent. This creepy game is spell-binding but dark in nature.
Finally, Day of the Dead is a great mid-ground. This game is a rich Latin-American celebration of life and death. With more challenging puzzles but a much lower fear factor than other games, Day of the Dead is the perfect family friendly challenge for Holiday Family Time. Be sure to enquire about the fiesta package for adult groups!
Want to Know More About the History of Trap Door
Would you like to get some more details about the beginnings of Trap Door? Check out this video where Tone talks about some tough times the company has seen and how we got passed them.
Related Content
Mentioned Experiences
Travel down the rabbit hole and experience a brand new world that just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser in our asylum escape room.
$60 Per Player
You have 120 minutes to escape the theme at $60 per person plus tax. This is the largest escape room in the country, spanning upwards of over 4,000 square feet of playing space each! Large Private Groups are welcome, as these experiences allow player dispersement with ease. All bookings for this asylum escape room are private.
You are Constables for The Sheriff of Salem and are tasked with finding evidence of Witchcraft before the town hanging.
$39.99 Per Player
You have 60 minutes to escape, at $39.99 per person plus tax. At a minimum of 1,000 square feet of playing space, this theme is sure to provide a thrilling adventure. Witch Hunt is three times larger than the average escape room experience. Most importantly, however, all bookings are private.
Journey to the Top of the World as a Search and Rescue team on a mission to find a Missing Research Team.
$39.99 Per Player
You have 60 minutes to escape this theme at $39.99 per person, plus tax. At a minimum of 1,000 square feet of playing space, this theme is sure to provide a thrilling adventure. Everest is three times larger than the average escape room experience. All bookings are private.
Trap Door Escape Company
Trap Door Escape Room has 4 locations: 3180 Route 611 in Bartonsville, PA in the Poconos; 60 White St. in Red Bank, NJ; 34A Speedwell Ave. in Morristown, NJ: and 77 Wind Creek Blvd in Bethlehem, PA. The Red Bank location was the first of the 4 locations, opening in the fall of 2015. Morristown followed in the summer of 2017, and Bartonsville opened during the holiday season of 2018. Wind Creek is currently undergoing construction and will be opening in September 2022.
History
The idea came to Tone Purzycki back in 2011 after he wrote a screenplay that developed into a live-streaming game. The game revolved around an actor trapped in a situation and the audience had to solve puzzles to figure out where he was trapped. The “Find Me Event” had more than 1,000 people playing over the course of several hours. After the success of several other streaming events, the idea of an escape room was born.
Location
Each location has different rooms from which to choose. Our Morristown location is home to Day of the Dead, Witch Hunt, and The Greatest Freakshow. In Bartonsville, you’ll find Cure Z, F5 Tornado Escape, Fear the Bogeyman, Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, We’re All Mad Here, and Prisoner Z. In Red Bank we currently have Everest – our first 2 story escape room. Ripper of London is also available at this location. Our pirate themed games will soon be open at Wind Creek.
Trap Door Escape Room also offers team building, streaming events, and birthday parties. For more information on any of our games, prices, and locations, explore our website or call 570-234-3366