By Joan Doggrell
You mean you’ve never seen “The Rocky Horror Show” or even its movie spinoff, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show?” Well, here’s your chance to find out why this campy musical has enthralled audiences since 1974.
Directed by Dave Dorrell, Newnan Theatre Company is producing the original stage version with music, lyrics and book by Richard O’Brien. The play pokes satirical fun at the B-rated science fiction and Horror film horror movies so popular in the late 1940s through to the early 1970s.
You know the typical plot opening. A young, attractive couple gets caught with a flat tire on their way home in a rainstorm. They seek shelter in a gloomy old castle, which is the home of – you guessed it – a mad scientist named Frank N. Furter and his creepy assistant Riff Raff. Claiming to have discovered the secret of life, Dr. Frank N. Furter has created the “ideal” man, muscle-bound Rocky Horror, using parts from an unfortunate delivery boy named Eddie.
From there, resemblance to the traditional horror plot takes some crazy turns. Frank N. Furter turns out to be a transvestite who struts around in a corset. The innocent young couple find themselves in some unusual sexual relationships.
Where does the sci-fi come in, you ask? It turns out that all the castle’s residents are really space aliens who came to Earth to corrupt humans with kinky sex – if there was a purpose to the visit at all.
Yes, the plot is ridiculous, but that’s part of the fun. Throughout, the action is interspersed with singing and dancing to musical numbers beloved by at least two generations: ” Science Fiction/Double Feature,” ” Dammit, Janet!,”“Over at the Frankenstein Place” Over at the Frankenstein Place,” “Sweet Transvestite” Time Warp,” and more.
The 1975 film ”The Rocky Horror Picture Show” today has a worldwide cult following and has the longest-running release in film history. The musical was ranked 8th in a BBC Radio listener poll of the “Nation’s Number One Essential Musicals.”
Sorry – Newnan Theatre Company doesn’t allow rice or toast-throwing. And the show contains mature content, so you probably shouldn’t bring the kids. Otherwise – come on over and have some fun. Costumes are welcome, especially at the Halloween showing. In keeping with Halloween and the cult traditions, there are some late night performances.
The show runs through Sunday, November 2. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the NTC website, www.newnantheatre.org, or via phone by calling 770-683-6282.
Performance times and ticket prices are as follows:
Saturday October 25, 8 p.m., $12 for students and seniors, $15 for adults
Sunday October 26, 7 pm $12 for students and seniors, $15 for adults
Thursday October 30, 8 p.m., $10 for all
Friday October 31, 10:30 p.m., $12 for students and seniors, $15 for adults
Saturday November 1, 10:30 p.m., $12 for students and seniors, $15 for adults
Sunday November 2, 7 p.m., $12 for students and seniors, $15 for adults
If you have questions regarding the content of any show, email NTC Artistic Director Tony Daniel at artistic-director@newnantheatre.org.
Joan Doggrell teaches English at West Georgia Technical College.
