A Conversation with Denise Case, Show Director of the Hocus Pocus Villains Spelltacular Show at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party has started its 2015 edition, and it’s already proving to be another big hit for Walt Disney World.
On a recent outing to check out the annual Disney Halloween event, I had a chance to interview Denise Case, Show Director, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Creative Entertainment about MNSSHP and the new Hocus Pocus Villains Spectacular show.
It was a busy night, so the video is a little noisy. Sorry about that – we had to grab the time when we could. If you don’t have the time to watch it, I’ve also taken the time to transcribe my chat with Denise.
Here is my conversation with Denise Case:
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What is your role within Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party?
Denise: I am the show director for creative entertainment for the Hocus Pocus Villains Spectacular here at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
How did you incorporate the Sanderson Sisters (from Hocus Pocus) into the whole villains line-up?
Denise: You know, we love the Sanderson Sisters and we love them in Hocus Pocus. So we thought what a wonderful fit in taking our favorite Halloween wishes and blending them in with our favorite villain friends. The girls are so funny and they bring so much comedy to the stage, and then working them in conjunction with them getting help from the villains to create their Hocus Pocus party potion, was just a winning combination.
How did you decide on which villains to use in the show?
Denise: Well that’s a very interesting question, actually. And we decided the villains that could help us with our potion the best…they were the winning villains. (laughs) So we love the fact that Dr. Sinister has sinister shadows to share, and Oogie Boogie has nefarious nightmares. And of course, Maleficent…you have to have her and her hexes. So we felt those three villains were the strongest and would bring in the best ingredients for the party potion.
This is the second night the show has been seen by the public. Are you still tweaking elements of the show?
Denise: No, the show is pretty much locked and loaded in. We’ve worked very hard to get to this point.
Did you also work with the parade, or just the Hocus Pocus show?
Denise: I am actually the show director for the show and for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. A very good friend of mine, Terry Anderson, is the show director for the parade, which by the way is one of my favorite parades of all time.
So looking around, have you seen any people with really cool costumes?
Denise: I have. We’ve actually seen some Sanderson sisters here at the park. There’s always some great costumes. We’ve seen some Ursulas…we’ve seen some great Maleficents. People just like to show their fun evil sides at Halloween, so a lot of villains show up and that’s really special.
How did you choose which musical numbers would be included in the show?
Denise: Well, the nice thing is that the villains who have the great ingredients also happen to have wonderful songs. (laughs) It’s very convenient! Like Dr. Facilier has “Friends on the Other Side,” and Oogie, of course, has his song, and of course the sisters have “I Put a Spell on You,” which is the signature song from the film. And it just all came together.
I’m wondering…because this is an event for children, as well as adults, how do you make a show that has some evil elements in it but isn’t too scary?
Denise: I think that’s why we love the witches, the Sandersons, so much. That’s the great thing about Hocus Pocus and why I think it has such a following for television audiences because it’s been aired so much on ABC Family. The sisters are…they’re fun. They’re kind of bumbling and silly and funny, and that makes them not so scary. That’s why they’re the perfect fit for our party.
Why don’t we wrap this up, and give me your best line as to why people should come out to see Mickey’s Not-So-Scary?
Denise: Come to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary for one word…FUN! Fun, Fun, Fun…oh and candy! And it’s Not-So-Scary!
Thank you Denise!
Denise: Thank you and Happy Halloween!
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I agree with Denise…Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is definitely fun, and fun for all ages at that. So if you aren’t into the scary, gory side of Halloween, definitely get your tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party before they sell out. It runs select nights through November 1, 2015 at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.