Fishnet stockings, heavily made-up transvestites and a hunk by the name of Rocky have made the cult classic “Rocky Horror Show” a fan favorite for years at the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center.
This year, the live production returns for four shows, to the great relief of light-shining, callback shouting, dancing-in-the-aisles audience members who can’t imagine a Halloween season without the crazy antics of Dr. Frank N. Furter and his spaced-out, insatiable crew from Transsexual, Transylvania.
“The audience is the best part,” said Lindsay Bretz-Morgan, a longtime producer and choreographer for H*MAC’s “Rocky Horror Show.”
As soon as the band plays the first note, the crowd goes wild, she said.
But it isn’t just the audience at H*MAC that comes back to see the show year after year, sometimes buying tickets for each of the four performances. Bretz-Morgan has participated in a “Rocky Horror” production at various theaters for the past 10 years. The past three have been at H*MAC.
“Performing this show at H*MAC makes you feel a little like a rock star,” Bretz-Morgan said. “It comes back to the stage each year, but there’s always something a little different.”
Based on a story by Richard O’Brien, “Rocky Horror” is about newly engaged couple Brad and Janet, whose car breaks down near the Frank N. Furter castle. The mad scientist, famous as a flamboyant transvestite, takes the couple in and introduces them to a cast of characters who have their own hidden agendas. Things take a twist when the doctor’s project, the creation of a handsome fellow named Rocky, comes to life.
Going into its sixth year at H*MAC, “Rocky Horror” has always had a live band and presents an experience different from any other theater, said John Traynor, H*MAC president.
The entire room becomes the stage as actors interact with the audience and the narrator even tells the story from a spot above the theater’s bar. Many audience members come dressed as the popular Frank N. Furter and are happy to shout or sing along with the cast or toss confetti onto the stage, Traynor said.
He suggests those who haven’t been to the theater performance first watch the movie version, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” and have an open mind to the story of acceptance.
“The story has a real fun aspect to it, if you’re open to it,” Traynor said. “I think it’s become so popular because it pushes people to be who they are.”
Bretz-Morgan said that, despite being a yearly production, “Rocky Horror” has a little something different to offer depending on the cast and people behind the scenes. Different directors often bring their own take, she said. In previous years, Justin Beiber jokes and other modern aspects were tossed into the mix. This year, people might notice the addition of a saxophone to the live band. A group of phantoms, who play the ensemble, also make it the largest cast H*MAC has had for “Rocky Horror,” she said.
Returning veterans, such as Ryan Boyles, who plays Frank N. Furter, and Taryn Sprenkle, who plays Janet, also bring back a sense of familiarity to the show. Boyles had to take a break from theater performances a couple of years ago when he and his wife had a child, Bretz-Morgan said. Others members have gone on tour, moved away or become busy with new projects, so it’s nice when an old face can return, she said.
Those thinking of attending the show for the first time should be prepared for a crazy night, said Bretz-Morgan. Friends of hers who attended in the past were expecting a traditional theater experience. By the time the show was over, they wanted to learn all the callbacks shouted out by regular audience members so they could be more involved for the next year.
“If you come knowing that things are a little different, a little out of the ordinary, then you’ll have a great time,” she said. “It’s such a fun atmosphere, and people love that.”
Bretz-Morgan also suggests people make a night of it by having dinner in H*MAC’s restaurant, The Kitchen, which wasn’t an option before this year. In the past, even cast members searched for places to get Chinese takeout between shows.
“Harrisburg, in general, has a lot of cool, new places that have been opening up, and I think people are more likely to grab dinner or a drink and just hang out,” she said. “It’s fun to be in Harrisburg right now. I’m glad H*MAC can be part of that.”
The “Rocky Horror Show” will be performed at 8 p.m. and midnight on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31 at the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center, 1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Tickets are $20 to $25. For more information, visit www.harrisburgarts.com or call 717-412-4342.
