Strap on those stilettos and pull on your fishnets because “The Rocky Horror Show” is back at the Aloha Theatre in Kainaliu, and better than ever. But before you tighten your corset, hire a babysitter because this is no Disney show. “Rocky “opens Friday at 7:30 p.m. and runs every Friday and Saturday through Halloween.
“We’re breaking a lot of new ground with this production,” said Director Miguel Montez. “There are many special things about Rocky Horror this year. My favorite is the youth of the cast in general. Some of them have never seen the movie — so when they came to audition, they were completely unfamiliar with what they were getting themselves into. It’s special for me to see a bunch of people who are learning and connecting with the material in a way that I did the first time.”
One of those young cast members is 18-year-old choreographer, Kat Rose Sullivan, who also plays the role of Columbia.
“I’ve choreographed for competitive dancers, and ‘Rocky’ is a whole new ball game,” said Sullivan. “It requires a lot of teamwork to make the show come together. The characters are very sexual and edgy, and that makes choreographing not only more challenging, but more fun and interesting, as well.”
“The Rocky Horror Show” is a live action musical stage play, not to be confused with “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” which is the 1975 film adaptation of the play, where performers act out key moments of the film in front of a movie screen. The film is a parody of B-movie, science fiction films, and today the stage play has made a popular comeback in community theaters nationwide, especially around Halloween.
This show tells the story of two innocent teenagers, Brad Majors (Kaz Maruta) and Janet Weiss (Kathryn Mayer). The young couple run into car trouble and unknowingly seek assistance from a strange and maniacal scientist, Dr. Frank N Furter, who is in the midst of one of his unorthodox, bizarre experiments. The sci-fi spoof is an outlandish tale of seduction and sexual confusion. It’s full of preposterous wit, and a legendary musical score.
“Our Frank N Furter is played by Annie Herring,” said Montez. “A woman playing Frank was a happy accident that just sort of worked out. She was the best person for the role. When casting Annie as Frank, I had this moment of ‘Eureka’ and realized I’d had my thinking locked in a box for awhile.”
Herring describes her role as Frank, as an alien who feeds off people’s sexual energy.
“Traditionally, the role is played by a man dressed up as a woman,” said Herring. “But I’m a woman, playing a man, dressed as a woman. I’m approaching this role as both a man and a woman who can fulfill everyone’s sexual fantasies. I think the show allows people to tap into a part of themselves that they otherwise would not access — the sexual freedom, and the bizarre nature of human sexuality. It’s raunchy, and out there, and I think that’s why it’s become a cult classic. We’re doing this production in a way that it’s never been done before. The choreography and music are amazing. It’s going to be sensational.”
If this is your first time at “The Rocky Horror Show,” get ready to let loose and have fun. The more surprised you are, the more fun you’ll have. Prepare to become engaged in an interactive evening of sexy, wild, fun. Seasoned show goers refer to first-time show-goers as “Virgins” — people who have never experienced “The Rocky Horror Show” in a theater with an audience and a live cast. They will proudly tell you that seeing it on home video “does not count.”
“This is a great cast,” said Montez. “They’re young, they’re new, they’re energetic, and they have a whole new way of interpreting the show. They’re working really hard and it’s going to be terrific.”
The most important thing to bring with you is an open-mind, and a sense of humor. Costumes are traditional, but not required. And while it’s a wild and crazy party, it’s recommended you show up sober so you can pick up on all the subtle, and not so subtle, wit and irony. If this is your first time, don’t worry — no one expects you to know what you’re doing on your first try. Remember, you’re a “virgin.” No one expects you to know anything.
“Rocky allows us to step outside our normal selves and the boundaries society sets up around us,” said Barry Levine, who plays Rocky. “Culture and society set a lot of rules regarding how we’re supposed to act, and I think ‘The Rocky Horror Show‘ tells us it’s okay to break some of those rules.”
Other cast members include John Victor Rubio, Miles Lugo, Chamika Fujioka, John Cottle, David Fero, Rachel Edwards, Nichole Gour, Lulie Cottle, Gerald Lucena, Kaitlin Moore and Kara Owens. Production team includes Peter Schonberg, producer; Miguel Montez, director; Shaiyla Rahman and Laura Alms, assistant directors; Megan Hodge, vocal director; Sharon “Boom-Boom” Cannon, music/band director; Kat Rose Sullivan, choreographer; Gerald Lucena, set designer; Victor Lugo, master builder; boB Gage, lighting; Peter Schonberg, sound; David Fero, prop master, Carol Conner, Lulie Cottle and Kaitlin Moore, costumes; Kara Owens, makeup and hair; Cameron Bailey and Normetta Muir, house managers; Melissa Geiger, concessions manager and operations director; Jerry Tracy, artistic tirector; Gill Peccur, technical director; Jonathan Mayer, film director; Oliver Gelleni, assistant film director; and Bobby Howard, film editor.
“The Rocky Horror Show” runs every Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. through Oct. 31 at Aloha Theatre in Kainaliu. Tickets are $22 on all evenings except Halloween, when they increase to$25. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit APAC’s website at www.AlohaTheatre.com or call 322-9924.