Top 5 Reasons To See The Unauthorized Musical Parody of Hocus Pocus at Rockwell Table and Stage
I love my fair share of Unauthorized Musical Parodies but as luck would have it, I couldn’t attend the latest show at Rockwell Table & Stage. Luckily my good pal Mary, of Along Comes Mary, attended on my behalf and got all the scoop!
The witches are back! The Unauthorized Musical Parody of Hocus Pocus has once again returned to put a spell on you all fall long at Rockwell Table and Stage. I was thrilled to attend opening night in Los Feliz and have for you my top 5 reasons YOU should go see this hilarious take on the Disney cult classic.
1. Rockwell is a Hidden Gem
Rockwell Table and Stage seems more of a cult than LA staple. Prior to seeing their take on the Devil Wears Prada, I had never heard of this restaurant and cabaret stage on Vermont Boulevard. Mind you, this is one of my favorite main drags in LA. How did I miss this?! The atmosphere, food and performances are fantastic, and you can usually catch a gig (which varies from the parodies to Broadway and Jazz nights) every night of the week.
2. Hocus Pocus is a 90’s Jukebox
The beauty of the UMPO series is that while they don’t leave out any of the references we heart from our favorite movies, they are not afraid to breathe new life into the story. Hocus Pocus boasts countless moments of hilarity all while a live band and the performers belt out some of your favorite 90’s guilty pleasures. When that bumbling (but adorable) Max Dennison lights the Black Flame Candle, The Sanderson Sisters not only get resurrected but, they welcome their return with a head bopping round of the Backstreet Boys’ Backstreets Back (Alright!) but, as the Sandersons Are Back, of course.
Throughout the 2 hour show, several jokes are made regarding Thackery Binx’s very close relationship with his sister, Emily. The highlight comes in Act 2 when Binx (in his cat form) serenades Emily with a rendition of How Do You Talk to an Angel. UMPO regulars, EK Dagenfield (as Binx) and Nathan Moore (as Emily) are guaranteed to have you holding yourself up with this ballad.
I also loved their rendition of Smells Like Teen Spirit when Max meets the local bullies who are perplexed that he’s from ‘Los Angeles’ (or does he mean LA?)
3. You May Be a Part of the Show
If you enjoy being in the spotlight and in the front row of a show, then Hocus Pocus is for you. The tables surround the stage and the cast utilizes every available space for the performance. Billy Butcherson sat on several patrons laps, and Mary Sanderson decided to drink some glasses of water from a few tables!
4. This is A Night for Adults. Leave the Kids Home
While Rockwell’s shows are fantastic, they are definitely for a mature audience. Let the kiddos continue to enjoy the film on Free Form (the cast pokes fun at ABC Family changing its identity to their modern, rather peculiar, new title) while you have a date night or evening out with friends. Giggles and even Hocus Pocus-inspired cocktails await you.
5. See a Tony Award Winner
Little did my friend and I realize that Winifred Sanderson, the beloved and iconic character first brought to life by Bette Midler, would be played by none other than Marissa Winokur, the 2003 Tony Award Winner for Hairspray. While jokes were made that she’s a Tony Award winner in Los Feliz, Winokur is the real deal and a true Broadway powerhouse. You can catch her on select dates of the Hocus Pocus run.
Grab your tickets HERE to Hocus Pocus before it flies away for another year on November 4th!
(*Disclosure: I attended Hocus Pocus on behalf of this review. All opinions are my own.)
Mary Lansing-Farah is the Editor of the popular LA lifestyle and travel blog, Along Comes Mary. When she is not keeping busy with her Social Media Managing business, you can find her out exploring all Southern California has to offer, or off on a trip! Visit her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.