OLYMPIA, Wash. — You might think we're in a galaxy far, far away, but this battle between good and evil, between rebels and the Galactic Empire, is actually happening in a garage in Olympia.
Troy Pettit's garage.
"I'm the big kid that buys the stuff and then kind of sets everybody else up to put on a show," Pettit said.
Since 2005 Pettit has staged "Star Wars" shows for trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. All of the actors are volunteers. Austin Alexander, who plays a Jedi Knight, says he does it for the kids.
"We can walk up to them and they offer us candy," Alexander said. "You know most kids don't want to offer anybody candy and they're handing it to us!"
One hour before show time Andrew Lux, who has played Darth Vader for ten years, needs all the help he can get with his costume.
"It gets a little hot after a little while but it's not too bad so far," Lux said.
Every detail has to be just right. Not a single fuzzy hair of Chewbacca's can be out of place. Andrew's father Steve wears ski boots with lifts to reach seven feet tall.
"These guys do a great job," Pettit said. "It can be pretty cumbersome wearing those costumes. So I'm pretty thankful to get them for the hours we do the show on Halloween night."
As a kind of initiation first time actors like Tate Tornow play C-3PO. It's a tricky role because nobody can see anything through the eyes of the mask, which light up like flashlight bulbs.
Still the show must go on. As many as eight times on this single night of the year.
A Jedi Knight battles Darth Vader with light sabers. Chewbacca and Lord Sith make grand entrances. We see Kylo Ren, Boba Fett, Darth Maul and R2D2. Rey Skywalker and Han Solo plan to join the show Halloween night. Most of the characters wander among the crowd for photographs and to share candy.
"The storyline behind 'Star Wars' is timeless," Pettit said. " There's a lot of stuff that goes on in the world and it's nice to bring a little entertainment and adventures. And I think all of us have that in us, you know what I mean? To be adventurous so I want that to be for everybody."
The Pettit family Star Wars shows usually run until about 9 p.m. on Halloween night but Pettit said if there's a crowd outside, they'll try to keep it going. Their home is located at 4731 118th Loop SW in Olympia, WA.
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