The Rocky Horror Show is a long-running British horror comedy stage musical, which opened in London on 19 June 1973. It was written by English-born New Zealander Richard O'Brien, and developed by O'Brien in collaboration with Australian theater director Jim Sharman. It came eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals".
The musical was adapted as the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a cult film and the longest-running theatrical release in film history.
FROM THE DIRECTOR:
The Rocky Horror Show is a musical play that pays tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the 1950’s through to the 1970s. The plot tells the story of a newly engaged couple getting caught in a rainstorm when their car breaks down and walk to the home (castle) of a mad transvestite scientist who is having a party to unveil his new creation, a sort of Frankenstein-style monster in the form of an artificially made, fully grown, physically perfect muscle man named Rocky. It is a “night they will always remember.”
Produced and directed by Jim Sharman, the original London production of the musical premiered at the Royal Court Theatre and closed in September 1980, after running for a total of 2,960 performances and winning the 1973 Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical. Its 1974 debut in the US in Los Angeles had a successful nine-month run but its 1975 Broadway debut at the Belasco Theatre lasted only three previews and forty five showings despite earning one Tony nomination and three Drama Desk nominations. Various international productions have since spanned across six continents as well as West End and Broadway revivals and eight UK tours.
The musical was adapted into the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, starring its originator, Richard O'Brien as Riff-Raff, which has the longest-running release in film history, (who hasn’t been to a midnight showing at some theatre, somewhere in the USA) and into the 2016 television film The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again, just recently. You can form your own opinion of the “remake” but hard-core fans of the original believe, “if its not broke, don’t fix it.”
We have assembled a most talented and energetic cast of local folks whose passion is theatre and who thrive on audience response. They encourage audience participation at every level. You may be invited onto the stage. Don’t be shy! Don’t hold back! This is NOT Tennessee Williams. Get your “participation bag” at the concession booth. We give you permission to get wet and wild with antics unique to the cult following of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. And don’t forget, if you’ve never seen this show (despite over 40 years to do so) shame on you. You are referred to in our circle as “Virgins” and you MUST participate in our pre-show games. Thanks for coming, let loose and “lets do The Time Warp…again!”
- Robert D. Nation
