Take a jump to the left and step right into the Halloween spirit as Santa Rosa Junior College Theatre Arts presents Richard O’Brien’s raunchy cult-classic musical, “The Rocky Horror Show,” from Oct. 31 to Nov. 17 at the Burbank Auditorium Main Theatre.
“It’s a classic tale of boy meets girl, they fall in love, get into a car accident and wander into a crazy mansion that’s in another dimension,” said Theatre Arts faculty member Justin Smith, who is making his SRJC directorial debut. “It’s kind of a tribute to B-movies.”
A live band under the musical direction of Nate Riebli will accompany the cast’s vocals for the show’s many iconic songs, while choreographers Casandra Hillman and Alexandra Tiscarano have animated their bodies; no sonic oscillator required.
Famous for skimpy costumes and sexual themes, “The Rocky Horror Show” was controversial when it was first performed in London in 1973, and it can still raise eyebrows over 50 years on. “We’re wearing risqué clothing and we’re having some really great dances, and it’s gonna be a fun time, but we’re doing it in a safe way, where the students feel safe,” Smith said.
Another challenge has been deciding how to present some outdated elements of the script to a modern audience.
“Dr. Frank-N-Furter is ‘a sweet transvestite from Transexual, Transylvania,’ but what does that mean in 2024, right? We have to think about these terms,” Smith said, adding that they have taken the approach of a period piece. “We’re honoring what that is today, while staying true to the play and when it was written.”
The front seats of the theater have been converted into “Rocky’s Playpen” for those in the audience that can’t help but dance, and the stage extended into what has been affectionately dubbed “the Ballway” to bring the action right to them. “This place is gonna erupt when the Time Warp happens,” Smith said.
“The Rocky Horror Show” will run at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, Nov. 1-2, Nov. 9-10 and Nov. 14-16, with a 2 p.m. matinee showing on Sunday, Nov. 17. In keeping with a “Rocky Horror” tradition, special arrangements have been made for a first-ever midnight show on Friday, Nov. 8.
According to Smith, the entire performance should last just under two hours. The two acts together are 90 minutes with a 15-minute intermission in-between.
The show is recommended for audiences 14 years and older due to the aforementioned skimpy costumes and sexual themes alongside high volume sound and strobe lighting effects. Children under 18 are required to be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets cost $25 for general audiences, $20 for students and seniors and $15 for youths under 12 years old. Tickets are available online or by calling (707) 527-4307. For more details, visit Box Office information.
