The Wake

Huddling with the cast of The Rocky Horror Show around take-out food and lip shaped Rice-Krispy bars, I slowly realize I’m not quite prepared for what the evening holds. But I should have known better, considering the subject at hand is one of the most successful cult classics of all time. The Rocky Horror Show is a show like no other: first a play by Richard O’Brien and then a movie – this show is more than a night out on the town.

One of the major things that set Rocky apart from other theatrical productions is the fact that participation is nearly mandatory to fully enjoy this cult classic. Yes, I said participation. Calling out whatever comes to mind in response to the action onstage (which I assure you, warrants a response) is welcomed and encouraged. You can buy a Participation Pak in conjunction with your ticket for an additional $5 to enhance the experience.

As a five year Rocky Horror Show/Transvestite Soup veteran, Nathan Goettsch (Narrator) feels strongly about participation, “The participation factor really adds to the show and the cult feel. The audience feels like they are apart of the show.” In fact Goettsch is “half expecting the audience to stand up in the aisles or in their seats and do the Time Warp with us.”

For those of you that have seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1974) don’t think for a minute you that have been there and done that. Director Joel Sass makes a point not to mimic the movie, “The stage play was a great big cult success even before the movie came into being. My goal is to magnify and build on some clearer and more twisted and fun character relationships that are presents in the stage script that are missing from the movie.”

Many parts of this show are company created. They did not have a dedicated choreographer, but that didn’t hinder the rehearsal process, whatsoever. They made the most of the situation and came up with some great moves all on their own. Some of the freshest ideas come from people that haven’t been dancing their whole lives, and this show is a great way to appreciate that process.

Cast member Andrew Fafoutakis (Phantom) feels strongly about the freshness brought to this classic: “I think it’s totally amazing how we have put a new kind of spin on this show, it’s going to give the fans of the movie and people who love the show something they haven’t seen before.” But fear not Picture fans, Jairus Abts (Dr, Frank N Furter) assures you the goal here is “not to deny the movie, but to take from the movie as a base, adding our own spin on it, and work on a parallel” to make this production the success it is.

Allowing the set and costuming to go unmentioned is a sin in itself. Corsets and five-inch platforms worn primarily by men make the show a visual treat. Decorated nipples and a profound amount of plastic will give you fashion ideas for the future. As Sass describes the set, his eyes glow with excitement: “The set is framed in by a red and fuchsia curtain, and the platform is decorated with molten green lava and the cadavers of Barbies. It’s basically like a drag queens club house.”

When asked what they want their audiences to leave with, the entire cast overwhelmingly and collectively shouted: “A hard-on!” Fafoutakis wants you to know “there is magic out there, and theatre can bring things to people that movies and TV can’t.” Samantha Colbarn (Janet) wishes that “if nothing else, they walk away from an evening of fun and enjoyment.”

The Rocky Horror Show performs at The Rarig Center, April 16th -May 1st with a special showing on May 1st at midnight to celebrate this true cult classic. Call 612/624-2345 for show times and ticket prices.