11/14/2025
A review of the Haunted Encounters by Greg Hoffman.
This past Friday, my wife and I ventured to Port Jefferson for Haunted Encounters, a spellbinding Halloween-themed magic show that transformed Theatre Three into a den of eerie wonders and ghostly tales. From the moment the lights dimmed, the air crackled with anticipation—and what followed was a mesmerizing blend of illusion, storytelling, and spine-tingling theatrics. Each effect paid homage to the legends and haunted whispers said to both linger within the theater’s historic walls and waft across the mysterious little village.
From watching as Gary hungrily devoured a candle as if feasting on forbidden fire, to Mike summoning the unseen hands of Port Jeff spirits to raise a table from the dead, turning disbelief itself into their most obedient spirit, the night was filled with magic and mystery. Other highlights included Mike inviting members of the audience to test the limits of their beliefs by casting their hands into flame, and Gary telling the incredibly moving story of his grandfather as the backdrop to the destruction and impossible reparation of a vintage mirror.
Keys moved of their own accord, and the cold hands of spirits long past reached through the veil to invisibly tap unsuspecting audience members. Before you could catch your breath, words would be seen in non-existent pages of books, and even the spirit of a long-dead circus strongman came to haunt the stage. The show culminated in the reappearance of the enigmatic Madame Zora… whose last whereabouts were, I believe, somewhere in the desert of Las Vegas. From start to finish, Mike and Gary commanded the stage in a wildly entertaining show.
We were even lucky enough to have Kevin Rhodehouse perform close-up magic at our table before the show. I heard there was another close-up performer there, but his name slips my mind…
All joking aside (love you, Tom Hashim), the show was exceptional. If you managed to make it down to the theatre, you already know. If you didn’t - you missed something special. It passed the wife test, too. She sets a high bar. She only likes vintage David Copperfield, Penn & Teller and…. that’s it. She only likes them…
This was my first time at the new home of The Parlor of Mystery, and I think the venue is great. I love the cabaret-style layout. While I can see how it might be a magician’s angle nightmare, it’s a great spot! Congrats to Gary and Mike for putting on a great show.
