Nearly a month of Halloween-themed shows planned for Orlando Fringe’s first full autumn season at its downtown ArtSpace were canceled Tuesday in a pair of surprise announcements short on details.
Orlando-based Velvet Toreador Co. had been scheduled for a residency at Fringe ArtSpace from Oct. 5-31. During the residency, the company was scheduled to present “Winnie’s Rock Cauldron Cabaret,” a musical inspired by Disney’s “Hocus Pocus” films. Orlando Fringe took over management of the theater space at 54 W. Church St. last fall and opened to the public in January.
In separate announcements Tuesday, both organizations acknowledged the residency was called off without offering specifics. Orlando Fringe’s statement attributed the cancellation to “unforeseen circumstances.” In a social-media posting, Velvet Toreador executive director Jennica McCleary wrote, “Sometimes two companies aren’t the right fit for each other, and that is okay!”
The Fringe ArtSpace venue is owned by the city, and leased to Orlando Fringe on the condition the theater will be frequently used to create activity in the Church Street area. The October residency would have brought 18 performances — some for all ages, some adult only — to Fringe ArtSpace, as well as several days of children’s activities hosted by actors portraying the “Hocus Pocus” Sanderson sisters, a trio of witches played in the film franchise by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy.
Orlando Fringe had been promoting the residency’s shows, and tickets were already on sale. The Fringe statement said box-office staff would reach out to ticket holders via email in the coming days with refund details.
Attempts to reach McCleary on Tuesday night were unsuccessful, but her online statement indicated “Winnie’s Rock Cauldron Cabaret” would be performed in different forms and locations this fall.
“‘Winnie’s Rock Cauldron Cabaret’ will be turning its focus to our online community to share music and magic worldwide,” wrote McCleary, a Midler impersonator who often takes on her “Hocus Pocus” role of Winnie Sanderson. “Additionally, we will be making announcements about our live October performances soon.”
McCleary also is scheduled to perform “Artisinal Carcinoma,” her one-woman show about surviving breast cancer, at the Dr. Phillips Center in October.
Alauna Friskics, executive director of Orlando Fringe, would not elaborate on the circumstances causing the cancellation, but said the organization would work quickly to book other shows during the prime fall season, in which Halloween-themed cultural events are popular with the public — and therefore generate substantial revenue for arts groups.