By Kevin Ferrisi –

Summer Orlando is bringing her theatrical parody Hocus Pocus Live back to the stage, reimagining the beloved Halloween classic as a full-length musical production. The show combines live singing, comedy, special effects and plenty of theatrical magic, while celebrating the drag artistry that has helped make Hocus Pocus such an enduring piece of queer cinema. Designed to be enjoyed by both longtime fans and families, Summer’s production offers a playful take on the classic story that welcomes audiences of all ages.

Now in its ninth year, Hocus Pocus Live is getting an exciting fresh look with new staging, blocking and creative direction. Summer has brought on board a new director this year, Cole Urso, to reimagine the production through a new perspective, giving the show a chance to grow beyond what she has developed over the past nine years. With Cole’s background as an actor and director, including off-Broadway experience, Summer hopes the updated production will continue to strengthen the show as she looks toward eventually bringing Hocus Pocus Live off-Broadway.

The Sanderson sisters you fell in love with last year are returning this year, with Bonnie Petite back as Mary Sanderson, Miranda Miranda returning as Sarah Sanderson, and Summer Orlando once again taking the stage as Winifred Sanderson. With the trio back together, the chemistry between the sisters has never been better, and audiences can expect even more laughs, bigger numbers and plenty of the playful sisterly chaos that made last year’s show such a hit.

For Summer Orlando, having a director lead the production this year has also changed her experience with Hocus Pocus Live. Instead of overseeing every part of the show, she has been able to focus more on her role as an actor and spend time rehearsing and building chemistry with the cast. Much of the production team is returning, with two new stage crew members joining the tour and the cast expanding to include a new ensemble member who previously worked as the show’s choreographer.

This year’s production also brings a completely new script, written by Summer Orlando and her sister, Dani Orlando, with new jokes, scenes and songs mixed in with some returning favorites. The show will feature brand-new sets, more special effects and a new lighting design from tech director John Rush, giving the production a larger theatrical feel. With more happening on stage than ever before, Summer Orlando hopes the new version will capture the energy of a Broadway production while keeping the interactive, playful spirit that audiences have come to expect from Hocus Pocus Live.

The production has added new costumes, props, projections and visuals, along with a rewritten book that brings the show to a tighter 90-minute runtime, plus a 15-minute intermission. The two acts are also now more evenly balanced, giving audiences a similar number of musical and production numbers in each half of the show. This year’s Hocus Pocus Live will also feature VIP meet-and-greet packages, giving fans the chance to take photos with the cast before select shows.

The ninth year of Hocus Pocus Live will also introduce a new cast member, Cole Stanley, who was chosen from more than 200 actors who auditioned for the production. Cole brings his own take on Max to the stage, along with his singing and acting talents. The show will also feature more choreographed production numbers and a brand-new closing number written by Dani Orlando, designed to send audiences out of their seats and dancing.

The production also has a new understudy for Mary, with Felicity V. Lay joining the cast and learning the role during rehearsals. She stepped in after Bonnie Petite became unavailable for the group’s upcoming trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where the Sanderson Sister Cabaret will perform four shows at The Palm. Felicity has now joined the full rehearsal process and even has her own costume for the role, with new cast photos from a recent photo shoot set to be released soon.

This year’s Hocus Pocus Live will also bring the production to several new venues, including Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts in Storrs, where the show was invited to perform. The production will also return to the Warner Theatre in Torrington and the Palace Theater in Waterbury, with this year’s Palace Theater performances sponsored by Apex Community Care. With new venues added to the schedule, Summer Orlando is looking forward to bringing the show to even more audiences across Connecticut.

In 2022, Summer Orlando’s work as Winifred Sanderson reached a major career milestone when Disney invited her to portray a look-alike for Bette Midler’s character in the Hocus Pocus 2 movie. Orlando filmed scenes alongside Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, Sarah Jessica Parker and several RuPaul’s Drag Race stars, including Ginger Minj, Kahmora Hall and Kornbread. The resemblance was so close that Disney avoided placing Summer in close-up shots alongside Bette Midler, making the experience one of the most memorable moments of her career.

With the Sanderson sisters back together again this year, Summer Orlando is looking forward to a season filled with more laughs, slapstick comedy and plenty of sisterly chaos. The cast will also be sharing the promotional duties this year, with Miranda Miranda and Bonnie Petite joining Summer for upcoming television and radio interviews. With Cole Urso also joining the press tour to promote the Jorgensen Center performances, the cast has a busy few months ahead as they get ready for the new season of Hocus Pocus Live.

For tickets and more information, check out www.hocuspocusliveofficial.com.