Fans of The Rocky Horror Picture Show have been growing substantial amounts ever since the cult phenomenon first sprung up among London stages in 1973. Richard O’Brien’s script, which splashed color across the British punk scene of the time, gained audiences’ attention through his highly visual and outlandish production. The Rocky Horror Show became even more of a world-wide phenomenon in 1975 when it went to film and was put into the mainstream of motion cinema, gaining even more followers of the show.
The film’s success transformed the show further for its fans by becoming the first midnight showing in New York City. These showings, unsurprisingly, flourished into an even bigger success with its encouragement to have viewers participate in the show, promoting fans to come in costume and act along with the play.
The science fiction/horror parody takes hold of its audience from the very beginning when the narrator asks to take his listeners on a strange journey where O’Brien’s fictional characters, Brad (Jon DeGaetano) and his fiancée Janet (Rebecca Righi), are swept immediately into an unfamiliar world of Transylvanians. Their captor, Frank (Matt Whalen), who exposes himself as, “just a sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania,” claims to know the secret to life when he brings his creation, Rocky Horror (Colin Earyes), to life.
The West Chester University Department of Theater and Dance, in cooperation with The College of Visual and Performing Arts are now bringing this widely marked phenomenon to the University’s newest establishment, the Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre. To keep in the spirit of O’Brien’s eccentric costumes and twisted plotline, the entire production crew has remodeled the Adler Theater space just for this performance. The traditional seating for this space has been partitioned off and masked by black drapes to bring the focus on the stage and promote interaction among the viewers who will be taking their seats upon the stage where bleachers will be set up.
Through the non-traditional arrangement of the Adler Theater stage, and the unusual placement of seating in order to allow the audience to participate, the Department of Theater and Dance has strong hopes that this event will lend an opportunity for the entire community to come together, the target audience includes residents from off-campus, local high schools, participants of nearby theaters, and even a turnout from those Rocky Horror followers who tour the country to see different variations of the London stage version. This is an exciting new way to view a show for the audience, cast, and everyone involved in the play since there will be lots of opportunities to get caught up in the story with everyone attending visible on stage, throwing props and shouting out call back lines. The very innovative setting of this new space mirrors the intent of O’Brien’s vision, allowing the audience to see and interact with each other just as much as the actors on stage.
The entire cast and crew encourages the audience to be involved in the performances so much that they are selling goody bags at the beginning of each show filled with different props to be used, such as confetti, noise-makers and playing cards which can be thrown on the stage in an effort to have everyone participate with the events of the plot. It is also asked by the crew that since these props will be sold before each show no confetti, rice, glass bottles, super-soakers, lighters, lotion, or food of any kind is brought from outside the theater.
A pre-show will also be held a half an hour before each showing time, with M.C. Trick Sullivan, where there will be costume contests, for those who come dressed in character to get everyone into the Rocky Horror spirit.
Director and choreographer Liz Staruch, along with music, vocal, sound, lighting, set, and costume design, are all working together to bring the very prominent British punk scene of the London 70s.
They put a much more rock-and-roll twist on the largely gothic-transsexual view that is so commonly associated with the film, to make a very visually and acoustically refreshing ensemble while still staying true to the themes of the Rocky Horror Picture Show that so many are familiar with. Just to remain in the complete nature of the show, and for those fans who cannot break apart from the Rocky Horror tradition, the Department will be holding their first-ever midnight showing of any performance on Halloween night.
This rendition of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a widely anticipated performance, with plans for the play’s production having begun in June of 2009, the involvement of over 70 students behind the scenes makes every detail including hair, makeup, and set-design to match their vision of what The Rocky Horror Picture Show should be.
Though so many different renditions and adaptations of this play being shown all throughout the country, the production’s followers have always seemed satisfied with how the true spirit of the play has been captured and remained fully intact ever since the picture’s cult began over 35 years ago. And for having been such a shockingly revolutionary idea for its time, the show certainly seems to remain a huge part of popular culture throughout each generation.
With the play’s huge fan base and continual following, the spirit of Rocky Horror does not seem to be dying out anytime soon.
Mary Bachman can be reached at MB673756@wcupa.edu