{"id":443260,"date":"2026-08-25T18:50:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T18:50:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/443260\/"},"modified":"2026-08-25T18:50:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T18:50:13","slug":"the-magic-castle-brings-intense-new-show-to-knotts-scary-farm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/443260\/","title":{"rendered":"The Magic Castle brings ‘intense’ new show to Knott’s Scary Farm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Magic Castle is getting in on the theme park game. <\/p>\n

The famed Hollywood institution<\/a> is teaming up with Knott\u2019s Berry Farm for its after-hours Halloween event, Knott\u2019s Scary Farm, now in its 53rd year. The Magic Castle will supply the artists and show direction for a production that is expected to run nightly in the park\u2019s recently refurbished Bird Cage Theatre<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Sign up for Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride <\/p>\n

An insider guide to the ever-changing world of theme parks, coming to you straight from SoCal \u2014 the theme park capital of the world.<\/p>\n

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service<\/a>, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy<\/a> such as personalizing your experience and ads. <\/p>\n

The theme park initially reached out to the Magic Castle last year, says Payden Adams, vice president of entertainment for Knott\u2019s Berry Farm, but the castle was in the middle of a leadership reorganization<\/a> at the time. With that completed, a partnership could finally begin. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is just astounding what they\u2019ve done with the Bird Cage Theatre,\u201d says Jessica Hopkins, granddaughter of castle pioneers Bill and Irene Larsen and the castle\u2019s chief operating officer. \u201cMagic Castle magicians have been performing in there for decades. It just felt right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The magic shows will take place at the park\u2019s recently refurbished Bird Cage Theatre.<\/p>\n

(Kyusung Gong \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n

Curating Knott\u2019s magic show will be Rudy Coby, a resident magician at the Magic Castle. Coby performed at Knott\u2019s about 35 years ago and credits the park in helping him get his start. He says the new show, \u201cOccultum,\u201d will vary by week with different performers lined up throughout the Halloween season. Knott\u2019s Scary Farm begins Sept. 17. <\/p>\n

And yet, says Coby, \u201cNot every magician is for this audience.\u201d So what\u2019s the differentiating factor for a Halloween magic show?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a little more edgy,\u201d Coby says. \u201cYou really have to grab their attention. It\u2019s the TikTok generation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of the illusions Coby says he will bring to Knott\u2019s Scary Farm would be \u201ctoo intense for the Magic Castle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ideas I\u2019ve had, with chainsaws and cutting off my limbs, I couldn\u2019t get away with at the Magic Castle,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you can here,\u201d says Hopkins. <\/p>\n

The Magic Castle-headlined show is not the only new addition to Scary Farm in 2026. Here are two other reasons I\u2019m looking forward to the event. <\/p>\n

Inked: A new maze with killer vintage cartoons \"Black-and-white <\/p>\n

Concept art for the new Knott\u2019s Scary Farm maze, Inked. <\/p>\n

(Knott\u2019s Berry Farm)<\/p>\n

One of the two new mazes coming to Knott\u2019s Scary Farm will rely heavily on black-and-white, vintage-style animation. Inked, as it\u2019s called, will be set in the 1930s, and was introduced at a media event with a song-and-dance production that recalled Disney\u2019s classic Silly Symphony \u201cThe Skeleton Dance.\u201d <\/p>\n

The story centers on Mortimer Morbid, a deadbeat, down-on-his-luck animator whose career changes \u2014 not necessarily for the better \u2014 when it\u2019s discovered his blood can bring his drawings to life. Of course, cartoons infused with blood don\u2019t have the most altruistic desires. <\/p>\n

Inked designer Daniel Miller says the maze took two years to create, largely because Knott\u2019s conceived the animation for the walk-through in-house with a team of four. Most every room in the haunted house is expected to feature original media, as the animated creations will be represented both in their cartoon form and as costumed characters.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019ll be gruesome. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe kind of geared it around the notion that they\u2019re bloodthirsty,\u201d Miller says of the killer \u2018toons. \u201cWe see all the animators in various stages of disembowelment.\u201d <\/p>\n

Sheesh. Animators have it hard enough<\/a> today already.<\/p>\n

Expect the unexpected with \u2018Voodoo: Bayou\u2019s Edge\u2019 and Unearthed \"Mummies <\/p>\n

Concept art for Unearthed, a new Knott\u2019s Scary Farm maze.<\/p>\n

(Knott\u2019s Berry Farm)<\/p>\n

Knott\u2019s Scary Farm, unlike its main SoCal competitor, doesn\u2019t rely on known film and television properties. That means the event can generally get a little … weirder. You see that in its mazes, as noted above, as well as in its theatrical productions. Also new this year is a show titled \u201cVoodoo: Bayou\u2019s Edge,\u201d which takes place on an outdoor stage. The production centers on a voodoo queen and the mysterious happenings in a cemetery. Knott\u2019s is pitching it as a music, dance-focused show.<\/p>\n

And while voodoo can potentially be a culturally sensitive subject to tackle in a theme park, the show comes from the mind of the respected Rovin Jay, who has long been closely involved in the park\u2019s spectacular \u201cGhost Town Alive!\u201d<\/a> Expect \u201cbig dance numbers\u201d and something \u201creally sexy,\u201d says Adams.<\/p>\n

Another new maze, Unearthed, will be set in the present day but takes its cues from films such as \u201cRaiders of the Lost Ark\u201d and \u201cThe Mummy\u201d as it deals with a supernatural archaeological dig. Maze designer Jon Asperin says it will have numerous interactive elements, such as effects triggered by guests pulling a lever. <\/p>\n

\u201cHaving the ability to come up with original stories lets us tap into the nerd in all of us,\u201d says Asperin. \u201cWe don\u2019t feel restricted by certain IP or things that may not be appropriate. We get a chance to challenge ourselves with trying out new things that some folks won\u2019t take a risk on.\u201d<\/p>\n

This week in SoCal theme parks \"A <\/p>\n

The Disneyland attraction Mad Tea Party as it was under construction just months before the park opened. The image is from the documentary \u201cDisneyland Handcrafted.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Disney+)<\/p>\n

A must-see Disney history event. Nonprofit creative institution Ryman Arts<\/a>, in partnership with Santa Ana\u2019s Bowers Museum<\/a>, will host a talk and cocktail reception centered around a screening of Leslie Iwerks\u2019 documentary \u201cDisneyland Handcrafted\u201d<\/a> on Sept. 27. It\u2019s a charity event, and a good one, as the panel lineup is top notch. Historian and author Tim O\u2019Day will moderate a talk that includes the film\u2019s producer, Mark Catalena, former Imagineer-turned-historian Tom Morris and current Imagineer Emily \u201cEmo\u201d O\u2019Brien, who oversees creative at Disneyland and is leading the team behind the just-announced makeover of Tomorrowland<\/a>. Don\u2019t expect any insights on the latter, of course, but do anticipate a lively talk on the evolution of Disneyland. Tickets start at $125 and are on sale now<\/a>.
Stay seated on Tiana\u2019s \u2014 or else. Disneyland has updated signage around Tiana\u2019s Bayou Adventure<\/a>, warning guests that they will be removed from the park if they stand up while on the log-flume adventure<\/a>, reported Times writer Hannah Fry. The changes come less than two months after a 13-year-old boy climbed out of a log flume<\/a> and fell 50 feet.
Exciting Disneyland construction news. Big changes are coming to Disneyland, and while many are years away<\/a>, the positive sign is that the park is wasting no time in getting started. There are now indications of construction in Disneyland\u2019s esplanade between its two parks. This will pave the way for a new parking garage, of which groundbreaking has just begun, as well an entrance experience on the eastern side of the resort. This is the first of many steps, but one that must be completed before Disney begins its wider expansion that could bring attractions such as \u201cAvatar\u201d<\/a> to the resort. Ride report \"A <\/p>\n

A photo of the Haunted Mansion\u2019s new gingerbread house, as snapped from my ride vehicle.<\/p>\n

(Todd Martens \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Merry Christmas! Yes, that\u2019s right, as the Haunted Mansion has been given a Christmas-heavy makeover, as always focused on \u201cTim Burton\u2019s The Nightmare Before Christmas.\u201d (And yes, before the debate begins, it\u2019s clearly a Christmas movie.) While I prefer the original Haunted Mansion<\/a>, there are plenty of fun and clever details in the seasonal makeover that still make it a must-experience attraction. The attic scene, for instance, is full of clever nods to Disney history, including a Rolly Crump<\/a>-inspired melting candelabra man. Each year I wonder if what I\u2019m seeing is brand new, or was always there, such as what appeared to be a tiny bride figurine. <\/p>\n

But one change is guaranteed: Each season Disneyland\u2019s team concocts a new gingerbread house for the ballroom diorama. This year\u2019s edition is a giant, candy-infused music box-like creation, which gradually opens as guests glide past it and a skeleton pops out. The concoction is designed in the shape of the Haunted Mansion itself, so it\u2019s a little mansion-within-a-mansion. And, bonus, the room smells like gingerbread.<\/p>\n

The best thing I ate at the parks this week \"The <\/p>\n

The delicious pumpkin cookie from Disneyland\u2019s Harbour Galley. <\/p>\n

(Todd Martens \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

I love a cookie, and Disneyland\u2019s Harbour Galley has the best one on the property this Halloween season with its pumpkin creation. They\u2019re small-ish \u2014 three or four bites \u2014 but come in packs of 6 ($8.49) or 13 ($14.49). They\u2019re soft, slightly chewy and addictive. I love it when I get a little brown sugar crystal in my mouthful. The pumpkin flavor isn\u2019t overpowering. It\u2019s closer to a ginger snap than it is a slice of pumpkin pie, meaning it has just the right balance of sugar and spice. It\u2018s also, it should be noted, one of the best values at the resort for a dessert item. I get a pack of 13 and have breakfast for a week. <\/p>\n

Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.<\/p>\n

Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com<\/a>. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter. <\/p>\n

Ride on, <\/p>\n

Todd Martens<\/p>\n

P.S. \"A <\/p>\n

The Walt Disney Co. stated that it will soon reimagine Disneyland\u2019s Tomorrowland at its fan convention D23. The move has been one fans have long clamored for. <\/p>\n

(Todd Martens \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

The topic consuming most Disneyland fans for the next few years will be the Tomorrowland reimagining<\/a>. The project is just getting started, and I\u2019ll refrain from offering a wishlist. Let the Imagineers do their work, I say, although I consider all of it, save for the monorail and Space Mountain, on the table. Gut it. Start over. But reader Peter La Barba of Long Beach wrote in with a request that I wouldn\u2019t disapprove of.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever they do, I hope they restore the two Mary Blair murals that were in Tomorrowland,\u201d La Barba wrote. \u201cI\u2019d like to see optimism restored to Tomorrowland. I was about 3 or 4 when we went to the park in August of 1955 and I wanted to live in that future. Not the incessant war future of \u2018Star Wars.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Hear, hear. The murals of animator\/fine artist Blair were a wonder, full of children of the world in celebration mode. Flying contraptions! Communication devices! Satellites! Planets! I don\u2019t have an image safe to use, so head over to Disney history site Yesterland<\/a> for a look. The two murals lasted until the \u201980s and \u201990s, and replacing them was a mistake that\u2019s only looked more shortsighted over time. As Blair\u2019s work continues to grow in stature, who needs another \u201cStar Wars\u201d painting? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Magic Castle is getting in on the theme park game. The famed Hollywood institution is teaming up…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":443261,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[127342,163,165,164,1436,217,3588,1341,49766,9576,127339,127340,4080,1869,127341,16761,19258,316],"class_list":["post-443260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-after-hour","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news","tag-case","tag-day","tag-disney","tag-disneyland","tag-dragons","tag-experience","tag-fan-fest","tag-fan-fest-nights","tag-guest","tag-night","tag-second-great-ride","tag-theme-park","tag-universal-studios","tag-wednesday"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=443260"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443260\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/443261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=443260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=443260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=443260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}