Stage Talk with Rick Koster
Where every show has something to say.
Summer Orlando missed the Wright Brothers by about 120 years, but, while their flight efforts required building an airplane, Summer’s attempts to fly involve a more utilitarian device.
A broom.
Summer, after all, is the creative force behind “Hocus Pocus LIVE!,” the popular and family-friendly theatrical musical parody of “Hocus Pocus,” the conical-hat clustered film franchise about the Sanderson sisters as made famous by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimi.
As such, flying around a venue in time-honored witchy fashion would be a visual exclamation point to a show packed with all sorts of song, sorcery and surprises.
The Garde hosts productions of “Hocus Pocus LIVE!” at 8 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Earlier this week, we checked in with Summer, who was featured in “Hocus Pocus 2” and conceptualized the “Hocus Pocus LIVE!” stage show eight years and 600-plus performances ago. In answering five questions, Summer came across as one of those folks who’d erupt from a coma in a great mood – funny, enthusiastic and excited about bringing “Hocus Pocus LIVE!” back to the Garde.
Remarks have been edited for space and clarity.
1: Look, this is important. We’re talking about witches. Now, can y’all fly on brooms or not?!
Summer: (Laughing) Flying has always been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and that all came back into my head because, in one of the scenes I filmed for the second movie, witches were flying all around our heads. They were on wires on cranes, and the effect was fantastic. I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if I could figure out how to do that onstage and it’ll seem even more like the movie.
You know, I’m a person that never says never, and I don’t like the word No. So, I decided I’d find a way to fly. And through the magical help of ZFX (a company focused on performer-flying and aerial effects for films, theaters, schools, events and more), we’ve been able to fly! We actually flew at the Garde last year. It was very well received, and the Garde says they want it to be an annual tradition. We’ll all be on our brooms and mops up there over your heads! It’s transparent and looks magical and glamorous. I should add that it LOOKS a lot more glamorous than it feels because there’s a harness involved and it’s NOT the most comfortable.
2: “Hocus Pocus” and “Hocus Pocus II” have become more than just part of the fabric of the Halloween experience. In the spirit of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” they’re cultural phenomena. In conceptualizing “Hocus Pocus LIVE!,” how did you walk the tightrope between parody and homage to these icons?
Summer: When I was creating the show, the absolute goal was to make sure we stayed true to the original because this is above all a love letter to the “Hocus Pocus” brands. I’m a huge fan and my first priority was, “What are people going to want and expect?”
What I’m producing is a fully scripted theatrical piece that is both serious but also hysterical. We take it very seriously in that it’s like any other show devoted to Broadway production qualities.
But there’s room for a bit of parody, as well, where you can play around a little bit and do some fun things you know fans will appreciate. So I felt comfortable writing jokes that offer a bit of a spin on popular characters. Plus, this is the eighth year of “Hocus Pocus LIVE!” and we wrote a brand-new book this year, so it keeps evolving.
3: In that context, what can Garde fans anticipate?
Summer: We’re very excited to present at the Garde, which is a great venue to take the show in different directions. Like the films, we have a lot of fans that come back over and over, so it all starts where you think you know where it’s going. But as the show progresses, we kind of go off in a couple of new plot points and introduce some characters you may not remember from the movie, and we make them larger in our show. (laughs) It’s fun, I promise, because no one in the world does “Hocus Pocus” like I do!
4: “Hocus Pocus” has a huge general and family-friendly reputation, and it resonates very well with the LGBTQIA+ community. This reflects wonderfully on acceptance in our culture – except I have to wonder how the political divide of recent years has affected “Hocus Pocus LIVE!” if at all.
Summer: That’s absolutely a great question. In the last couple of years, I’ve seen a little bit of backlash and things like that, but not so much in Connecticut and the New England area. This show is a family event, and people can come and feel they’re in a safe place to experience the show for what it is. Bette Midler and Sarah Parker are huge gay icons and advocates for LGBTQAI+ rights, but the films aren’t political.
And I will say our show stays away from politics, too.; Audiences come expecting to have a good time – and they bring their kids and aunts and uncles and I like to say the show is perfect for ages six to 106.
5: As with Christmas and the whole “no expiration date” on Hallmark holiday movies and so forth, Halloween is approaching that level of ongoing popularity. Could you tour “Hocus Pocus LIVE!” year-round, do you think? Or are there other expansive possibilities to the concept?
Summer: It’s something we’ve talked about. I do a lot of other stuff than the musical. We have a cabaret show where it’s just the Sanderson sisters – and that actually just made it’s off-Broadway debut for one night in New York City and it sold out. It was fabulous! We also played four nights in Salem, Mass, this year – and that’s “Hocus Pocus” world, so it was great to do the show there of all places.
I can’t say too much about some of our plans, but let’s just say next year is looking very, very promising for some really big opportunities. You’ll be seeing the witches around more than you think!