October 31, 2023

Welcome readers, one and all,

To Playing Pretend, in the season of fall.

In this column you will find 

Vivid nightmares of the mind. 

1993: Hocus Pocus was released 

And with it came a frightening beast:

Winifred Sanderson is her name 

And soon she rose to global fame.

But who’s the person beneath the mask?

I’m just so happy that you asked.

Bette Midler played the spooky role,

And scary fun was her ghoulish goal. 

Born on December first, in ‘45

By the 1960s, acting live— 

A performer first in off-off-Broadway;

A singer in bathhouses of the gay. 

A bathhouse following was obtained

And Middler’s voice became highly trained

A successful singer she became

Launching her straight to highest fame. 

Disney couldn’t ignore her popularity

And gave her a role of great hilarity:

A new character, quite over the top—

A witch reborn in a spooky gift shop. 

She held nothing back in this devious role,

Her heart, her mind, her skills, her soul. 

Comedy, you know, has no room for the shy,

Lest humor itself effectively die. 

Its silliness was fully embraced, 

The film itself was not disgraced. 

Midler got to sing in one special scene,

Revealing her vocals on the big screen.

That is the story of Bette Midler, and how

She successfully swore the actor’s vow 

For humor and boldness, she’s celebrated 

As if for her the character was fated. 

I bid you now great season’s greetings.

And for you to go trick-or-treating.

Be sure to wear an excellent mask,

So that in its glory you may bask.