By Kevin Ferrisi –

WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT – Connecticut’s own Summer Orlando has spent the past eight years bringing the magic of the 1993 movie classic Hocus Pocus to life on stage. Her hit production, Hocus Pocus Live, is a full-length musical parody that blends live singing, comedy, and a touch of stage sorcery to celebrate the cult classic’s queer legacy. Summer Orlando Productions returned to the Palace Theater in Waterbury for her biggest show yet, where a packed house cheered her spellbinding take on the Sanderson sisters. What sets her version apart is its heart, crafted to be as welcoming for families and kids as it is for diehard drag and Hocus Pocus fans. 

This year’s Hocus Pocus Live, sponsored by Apex Community Care, made a triumphant return to the Palace Theater, delivering on its promise of a bigger, more ambitious production. Many of the cast members reprised their roles, keeping the familiar chemistry that fans love, while new cast member Bonnie Petite brought a fresh spark as Mary Sanderson. A Connecticut drag artist, Bonnie delightfully added her own humor and personality to the role, giving the character a playful twist that fit perfectly within Summer Orlando’s lively reimagining of the Halloween classic. 

The live show followed the beloved story of the Sanderson Sisters from the Disney classic, while this year adding scenes from the film’s second installment that kept the audience laughing. Summer Orlando impressed as the fiery Winifred Sanderson, joined by Miranda Miranda as the whimsical Sarah Sanderson. The audience was captivated from start to finish, fully immersed in the witches’ magical world. Rounding out the cast, Summer’s sister Danielle Orlando brought charm to Dani Dennison, with Cameron Krauth as Max Dennison, Jane Kos as Allison, Stephen Michelsson as Billy Butcherson, Theresa Moscato as Miss Olin, and Alexis Dascher as Emily, and Ken Normandin as the townsman.

The updated production featured a stronger second act, new songs, and extra scenes that mixed iconic movie moments with original twists. A full-stage screen brought each setting to life, allowing for smoother transitions and more dynamic visuals. The moving backdrops dropping from the ceiling and the addition of new set pieces, like a fully realized set of cemetery gates, added a level of polish not seen in past seasons. The show leaned heavily into special effects too, with richer lighting, rolling fog like during the cemetery scene, and new props that made each moment feel more immersive. With more cast members filling the stage as trick-or-treaters and townsfolk, the production felt bigger, livelier, and more cinematic than ever. 

One standout addition to the refreshed Hocus Pocus Live was the Sanderson sister look-alike contest scene, inspired by the second Hocus Pocus movie released in September 2022. The plot mirrored a real-life milestone for Summer Orlando, who in early 2022 received an unexpected invitation from Disney to play a Winifred Sanderson look-alike in Hocus Pocus 2. She filmed scenes alongside Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, Sarah Jessica Parker, and RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Ginger Minj, Kahmora Hall, and Kornbread, marking a standout moment in her career. Summer’s resemblance to Midler’s character was so striking that Disney avoided filming her in close-up shots with the original actress to prevent audience confusion. 

Another memorable update to the refreshed Hocus Pocus Live was the addition of a prerecorded CVS scene. In the second Hocus Pocus movie, the Sanderson sisters are seen entering a Walgreens, astonished by all the modern products around them. Summer Orlando, alongside Bonnie and Miranda, parodied this moment by recreating it at a CVS, poking fun at the sisters’ reactions to today’s world in a hilarious and inventive way. There was also another prerecorded scene filmed in Salem, MA, at the iconic Cinema Salem, which added a special, local touch to the production. Both clips were shown on the stage-size screen, bringing fresh energy to the show and giving audiences plenty of laughs while keeping the spirit of the original film alive. 

In addition to her full-scale musical, Summer Orlando presented special Sanderson sister-themed events throughout the season. She performed a 90-minute cabaret, An Evening of Hocus Pocus, at Cinema Salem in Salem, MA from September 26th through 28th, singing live and interacting with the audience alongside Bonnie Petite and Miranda Miranda, as well as Shannon Robinson who shared the role with Miranda as Sarah Sanderson. Performing in Salem, the very town where the Hocus Pocus story is set, made the shows feel especially magical. A highlight of the tour came on October 17th, when the trio performed Off-Broadway for one night only at the Laurie Beechman Theater in New York City. Both shows featured classic songs from the Hocus Pocus films as well as other Halloween favorites, offering a more intimate experience than her full cast production.

Summer Orlando closed the night at the Palace Theater by speaking directly to the audience. She shared her excitement about returning for a second year and reflected on the personal significance of the venue. “For those of you who don’t know, this is a very special place for me because I graduated from Waterbury Arts Magnet School back in 2011! I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be headlining the very theater I did my senior shows at,” she said. Summer also credited much of this year’s expanded production of Hocus Pocus Live to her collaboration with her sister, Danielle Orlando, who returned for a third season as Dani. Together, they rewrote the entire book following last year’s run, transforming the show into a fully realized stage parody musical.

Drag culture has played a pivotal role in keeping Hocus Pocus alive and relevant, perfectly matching the film’s campy humor and vibrant aesthetic. Through live performances, social media content, and themed events, drag artists have introduced the Sanderson sisters to new generations, creating spaces where nostalgia meets playful creativity. By blending theatricality, humor, and a bold celebration of queer identity, these performances have helped transform the movie from a cult favorite into a lasting cultural touchstone that continues to resonate with fans of all ages.