“Disney's 'Hocus Pocus' in Concert" at the Adler Theatre -- October 26.
Saturday, October 26, 7:30 p.m.
Adler Theatre, 136 East Third Street, Davenport IA
With the beloved seasonal comedy shown in high definition on the big screen as the Quad City Symphony Orchestra conjures John Debney’s score to life, Davenport's Adler Theatre hosts the spooky hilarity of Disney’s 'Hocus Pocus' in Concert, an October 26 event, conducted by Hisham Bravo Groover, in which family audiences are invited to immerse themselves in a night of humor, suspense, and ageless adventure.
Directed by Kenny Ortega from a screenplay by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert and a story by David Kirschner and Garris, Hocus Pocus follows a villainous comedic trio of witches who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy in Salem, Massachusetts, on Halloween night. After moving to Salem, ax Dennison (Omri Katz) explores an abandoned house with his sister Dani (Thora Birch) and their new friend Allison (Vinessa Shaw). After dismissing a story Allison tells as superstitious, Max accidentally frees the film's coven of sisters (Bette Midler's Winifred, Sarah Jessica Parker's Sarah, and Kathy Najimy's Mary) who used to live in the house. Now, with the help of a magical cat, the kids must steal the witches' book of spells to stop them from becoming immortal.
Although Hocus Pocus was initially a box-office disappointment when it debuted in 1993, the film has achieved cult status over the years. In its 25th anniversary year in 2018, the first week of Hocus Pocus viewings on Freeform averaged 8.2 million viewers. A Freeform special titled The Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash was also filmed at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and features interviews with members of the cast, including Midler, Parker, and Najimy, as well as a costume contest hosted by Sharon and Kelly Osbourne. But years beforehand, in October of 2011, the Houston Symphony celebrated various horror and Halloween classics, including Hocus Pocus, with The Hocus Pocus Pops.
The City of Salem, too, has celebrated its connection to Hocus Pocus, while local filming sites have become an attraction for fans as the film's legacy has grown over the years. In 2018, the Haunted Happenings Grand Parade, an annual Salem festival held every October, was Hocus Pocus-themed in honor of the film's 25th anniversary, and a representative for Destination Salem reported a huge uptick in tourism for the 25th anniversary year, stating: "There's always been a Hocus Pocus component to the visitors to Salem, especially in October. But it's like the film's following grows every year.”
The Quad City Symphony Orchestra performs Disney’s 'Hocus Pocus' in Concert in Davenport on October 26, admission to the 7:30 p.m. performce is $24-76, and tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000 and visiting DavenportLive.com/the-adler-theatre and QCSO.org.
