Colonnade

Issue date: 11/6/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: Drake Simons From left, Brad, played by Parker Elliott, Janet, played by Hannah Schumacher, and Rocky, played by Matt Riley embrace their inner sexuality in true Transylvania fashion.

Media Credit: Drake Simons Frank-N-Furter, played by Evan Fields, flaunts his sweet transvestite side Oct.30 at the second annual Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Media Credit: Drake Simons Riff-Raff wants to go to his home planet and holds Dr. Scott, played by Courtney Kelly, at gunpoint while Brad and Janet look on.

Media Credit: Drake Simons The Transsexual Transylvanians perform at the preshow to the sounds of Meatloaf, Lady Gaga and other artists. The group fired up the crowd for the main event.

From flappers to the grim reaper, fans filled Russell Auditorium in costume on the eve of Halloween last Friday. The theater echoed with sounds of audience participation. Audience members jumped to the left, then they stepped to the right to perform the Time Warp dance. Energy whirred between the audience and the cast as performers dazzled viewers with GCSU's second performance of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

The Clarke Street Lip Sitters, led by Dottie Pratt, with help from the GCSU theater department, pleasured the audience at the midnight show with jokes, song and dance.

Though tickets went on sale at 11 p.m., fans started lining up at 9 p.m on Oct. 30. The jagged line, filled with GCSU students, staff and visitors eventually stretched to the street before tickets went on sale. Even with the line, the excitement of the audience traveled like a current from the line into the show.

"Friday night, the audience took our energy and gave it back to us ten-fold," Steve Holbert, who played Riff-Raff the handyman, said. "The audience reacted inappropriately, which was perfect."

From spontaneous catcalls to less than skillful dancing, audience members scandalously participated in the show and ultimately celebrated the sexuality that defines "Rocky Horror" as a cult classic phenomenon.

The sexuality and uniqueness of the show prompted "Rocky Horror" director Dottie Pratt to bring it to GCSU in 2008.

"I wanted to give students an opportunity to have fun with a musical with a large cast and just be crazy like musicals are," Pratt said. "So I worked with Karen Berman, who's the chair of the department, and brought 'Rocky' here."

As a lifelong fan, Pratt felt excited to bring the show to GCSU and after the success of last year, took time to select another talented cast.

"We held auditions and people came out in all sorts of ridiculous outfits," Pratt said. "Some were in drag and some were only wearing underwear, … basically, whoever entertained me the most got cast."

Judging by the smattering applause and loud laughter, the 2009 cast entertained more than their director with their antics on the night. Pratt even participated in the show and dressed as a rock 'n' roll nun cracking jokes and acting as one of the on-stage emcees.

The entertainment extended beyond the confines of the show itself as a rowdy group of dancers known as the "Transsexual Transylvanians" gave a pre-show performance to the sounds of Meatloaf, Lady Gaga, and Michael Jackson. Even the stage crew came out dressed as modified "Harry Potter" characters to pleasure the audience.

"We were looking for a good trio and just decided on 'Harry Potter,' " freshman assistant stage manager Kate Laurens said. "It was a lot of fun and I will definitely perform in 'Rocky Horror' next year, I can't not be a part of it."

"I want to see 'Rocky Horror' from Riff-Raff's point of view again," Holbert said of wanting to act again in the show next year.



With such an enthusiastic audience and cast, Pratt assured viewers that "Rocky Horror" will return.

"('Rocky Horror') gives people options on entertainment and gives performers options on what to be in," Pratt said. "Yes, 'Rocky' will return next year."

No matter what costume viewers wore into the show, most emerged looking satisfied and wearing a smile.

Editor's note: Steve Holbert is a columnist for The Colonnade.

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