The Rocky Horror Show

by Erin Thursby
The Edge (formerly Plush) has been a venue for lots of rock acts, but it’s never put on a live play. That’s about to change with the October 18-20 & October 26-31 live production of The Rocky Horror Show.
It’s not the movie, or a shadow cast production (where people act out the parts in front of the screen), rather it’s the original London stage musical. It’s all live! “A lot of people familiar with the movie don’t even know there was a play,” explains Michael Smithgall, the show’s producer, “but it’s how it all started.” This production will have aerial stunts and a large cast of 22.
What the stage production shares with movie showings is the audience participation, wherein, the audience shouts certain phrases during the show (“Damn it, Janet”) and audience participation during key scenes (they throw confetti during the wedding scene, for instance). This production won’t allow you to bring your own props, mainly because the cast will be doing a lot of dancing and they don’t want anyone to slip and fall. Instead, they provide a kit of props for a small fee. Audience members are encouraged to dress in costumes and have a fabulous time. Smithgall wants the audience to be a part of things, and since the lines are the same as in the movie, he knows that certain fans will know when to do the shout outs. Says Smithgall “The live production is very similar…before the show starts we’re going to stage various things, like the virgin ceremony, to get the people going.”
The iconic lips logo was redesigned to reflect the 2010s, with a sort of True Blood-meets-Rocky sensibility. But Smithgall says not to worry, they’ve kept the show the same, they’re just coming at it from a modern attitude.
The show was going to be only open to 18 and up, but they got so many requests from teens planning to bring their parents that they decided to open it up all ages. “I was really surprised at the huge numbers of younger people interested in the show,” says Smithgall. He attributes some of this popularity amongst teens to the TV show Glee, which exposed the show to a new generation in pop culture. He expects the age range to be diverse, from young to old.
Tickets online are $30 including prop bag and $25 without. The EDGE at Brewster’s Mega Plex, 845 University Blvd. www.therockyhorrorshowlive.com