The Rocky Horror Show at PTC

I have been waiting for PTC's production of The Rocky Horror Show with great ANTICI.....say it.....PATION. I was able to see it last night and I had so much fun! This cult classic is a campy spoof of science fiction B-movies complete with an usher named Magenta (Ginger Bess) who introduces the story. While driving home on a rainy night, a young and naive couple named Brad (Alex Walton) and Janet (Alanna Saunders) get a flat tire and end up at the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Jeremiah James), a cross dressing mad scientist from the planet Transsexual in the galaxy Transylvania, who is having a wild party with his entourage, including Riff Raff (Hernando Umana) and Columbia (Micki Martinez), to unveil his latest creation Rocky (Michael Dalke), a beautiful and muscular man designed to give pleasure. Hi-jinks (and a floor show) ensue! The Narrator last night (the role rotates between three different Utah personalities) was the popular former news anchor Randall Carlisle and he got some of the biggest laughs of the evening, especially with his references to BYU. The rest of the main cast is also outstanding with great voices and excellent comedic timing! James is perfect as Frank with all of his over-the-top facial expressions and I loved his flamboyant rendition of "Sweet Transvestite" and his surprisingly poignant version of "I'm Going Home." Walton provides a lot of the comedy as the nerdy Brad and I laughed out loud during "Damn It, Janet" and "Once in a While." The same could be said of Saunders as the prudish Janet because the physical comedy as she loses her sexual inhibitions during her performance of "Touch-A Touch Me" is a highlight of the show. The choreography is so much fun, particularly the iconic number "Time Warp" and the dazzling "Floor Show." I also loved how Frank's seduction of both Janet and Brad is staged and the ending of the song "Space Ship" provides a lot of laughs. The costumes, including corsets, garters, fishnet stockings, and high heels, are fabulously outrageous and the hair and makeup are very glam while the stage features a spooky castle backdrop (I loved all of the freestanding candelabras) with lots of quirky laboratory set pieces. A live band is also located on stage and they sound fabulous! Of course, what makes a live performance of The Rocky Horror Show so much fun is all of the audience participation! Even though it had been quite a while since I'd seen it, I remembered the words to the songs, when to use all of the props (prop kits are available to purchase for $5.00 online and in the lobby before the show), and most of the talk backs! I always think it is so funny to yell "asshole" and "slut" every time the names Brad and Janet, respectively, are mentioned. To be sure, this show provides a fun and raucous night out but, more than anything, it has a powerful message about acceptance that is needed now more than ever and I highly recommend it! It runs at PTC through October 31 with several matinees and late night performances (go here for tickets).

Note:  One of my fondest memories from participating in high school theatre is when a bunch of us climbed up to the catwalk and performed "Time Warp" at a late night rehearsal.  It was so fun to perform it again last night at the end of the show.