Information about The Rocky Horror Show

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The Rocky Horror Show
Original Cast Recording
Music	Richard O'Brien
Lyrics	Richard O'Brien
Book	Richard O'Brien
Productions	1973 West End 1974 Los Angeles 1974 Sydney 1975 Broadway 2000 Broadway revival 2006 UK Tour

The Rocky Horror Show is a long running stage musical (opening in London initially, on June 19, 1973) that inspired the movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It was written by Richard O'Brien, who returned to his native England after growing up in New Zealand. The musical was developed by O'Brien in collaboration with Australian theatre director Jim Sharman, who had already gained extensive experience directing rock musicals with the groundbreaking Australian productions of Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar. It came eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals" . [1]

Plot

Act I

We are seated in a derelict cinema by masked Phantoms. The Usherette introduces us to tonight's film: a sci-fi double feature ("Science Fiction - Double Feature"). Commentary is provided throughout the show by the Narrator, who expands on plot information and acts to drive the story onwards.

While attending the wedding of Betty Munroe and Ralph Hapshatt, Brad Majors confesses his love to Janet Weiss ("Damn It, Janet") and the two become engaged. They decide to go visit their high school professor, in whose science class they met. During the trip, their car has a flat tire and they are forced to seek refuge from the storm in an old castle. Although frightened by the large and imposing house, Brad and Janet remain hopeful that the owners will provide assistance ("Over at the Frankenstein Place").

As Brad and Janet arrive, they are greeted by the handyman of the castle, Riff Raff, who allows them to enter and leaves to fetch his master. While they dry off, Frank-n-Furter, a mad scientist and the master of the castle, arrives. He introduces himself as "a Sweet Transvestite from Transsexual Transylvania" and invites Brad and Janet to his laboratory ("Sweet Transvestite"). Magenta, the maid and sister of Riff Raff, and Columbia, Frank-n-Furter's "groupie," are also introduced. They speak briefly of a delivery boy named Eddie before performing the "Time Warp".

Once Brad and Janet enter the laboratory, it is revealed that Frank-n-Furter has discovered the key to reanimating the body parts of the deceased. He unveils his creation, a blonde, well-built man named Rocky Horror, who is brought to life ("The Sword of Damocles"). Janet, upon being asked by Frank-n-Furter what she thought of his "creation," states that she doesn't like men with too many muscles - Frank-n-Furter replies that Rocky wasn't created for her - it is revealed that Rocky was created as a sexual plaything ("I Can Make You a Man"). Inexplicably, a Coca-Cola freezer in the laboratory opens to reveal Eddie, who performs "Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul" for the group before being sent back into the freezer by Frank-n-Furter ("I Can Make You a Man (Reprise)"). Brad and Janet are then ushered to separate bedrooms for the night.

Act II

The Narrator resumes the story. During the night, both Brad and Janet experience a sexual awakening at the hands of Frank-n-Furter, who first seduces Janet and then Brad in identical scenes containing nearly identical dialogue. While Frank-n-Furter is sleeping with Brad, Rocky escapes his bedroom and hides in the laboratory. After Janet discovers that Brad had cheated on her, she also seeks refuge in the laboratory and ends up sleeping with Rocky ("Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch Me"). While searching for Rocky, the rest of the group discovers that Janet is sleeping with him, and Brad becomes hurt and angry ("Once in a While"). Riff Raff then notifies Frank-n-Furter there is another visitor to the castle: Dr. Everett Scott, the science teacher Brad and Janet intended to visit.

Dr. Scott is led to the laboratory, and Frank-n-Furter accuses him and Brad of trying to investigate his castle. Dr. Scott assures him he is only here in search of Eddie, who is revealed to be his nephew ("Eddie"). Frank-n-Furter shows the "defrosted" Eddie in a plastic bag and proceeds to restrain Brad, Janet, and Dr. Scott using a device he had perfected using alien technology. He scolds Janet for sleeping with his creation ("Wise Up Janet Weiss"). The three visitors and Columbia are then drugged by Riff Raff.

The Narrator tells us that what follows will be "no picnic." Columbia, Rocky, Brad and Janet each perform a segment of "Rose Tint My World" for Frank-n-Furter's floor show. Frank-n-Furter himself performs "Don't Dream It - Be It" with the help of the other four. Dr. Scott's thoughts can be heard through this last song and it is revealed that he knows he, Brad and Janet must escape the castle. The cast of the floor show then performs "Wild and Untamed Thing," only to be interrupted by Riff Raff and Magenta, clad in alien garb. Riff Raff wields a laser gun and explains they wish to return to their home planet and do not agree with Frank-n-Furter's extreme lifestyle, although he wants to explain himself to them ("I'm Going Home"). Trying to save Frank-n-Furter, Columbia steps between him and Riff Raff, but she, along with Frank-n-Furter and Rocky, are killed by the laser gun in an attempt to protect society.

Dr. Scott, Brad and Janet leave the castle confused and unsure about themselves ("Superheroes"). Riff Raff and Magenta blast off in the castle to return to the planet Transexual, in the galaxy of Transylvania. The Narrator informs us that the human race is "lost in time, and lost in space- and meaning." The Usherette returns to close the film, singing "Science Fiction - Double Feature (Reprise)."

Songs (from London songbook)

Act I Science Fiction/Double Feature Damn It, Janet Over at the Frankenstein Place Sweet Transvestite The Time Warp The Sword of Damocles I Can Make You a Man Hot Patootie %28Whatever Happened to Saturday Night%3F%29 I Can Make You a Man (Reprise)

Act II Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch Me Once in a While Eddie (USA title- Eddie's Teddy) Wise Up Janet Weiss (USA title- Planet Shmanet Janet) Rose Tint My World (includes sections: Don't Dream It - Be It and Wild And Untamed Thing) I'm Going Home Superheroes Science Fiction - Double Feature (Reprise)

Original production

Jim Sharman's success with the original Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar led to an invitation to direct the first London stage production, and it was during the London run of Superstar that he met Richard O'Brien, who briefly had a role in the show: he played Herod for just one performance. O'Brien wished to play Herod as Elvis, but quit Superstar when the producers asked him to tap-dance. While unemployed, O'Brien worked on a new rock musical more to his liking, with a rough-draft title of "Rock Horroar." The musical went into rehearsals with the working title "They Came from Denton High," which was changed just before previews at Sharman's suggestion to The Rocky Horror Show. ^[1]

While working together at the Royal Court's Theatre Upstairs on a production of Sam Shepard's The Unseen Hand, O'Brien played Sharman some of the songs he had written and they began to flesh out the concept for the show; Sharman later brought in fellow Australians Nell Campbell (aka 'Little Nell') and longtime design collaborator Brian Thomson, who had designed both Hair and Superstar. Costume designer Sue Blane, lighting designer Gerry Jenkinson, and musical director Richard Hartley rounded out the original creative team. Sharman's theatrical background — his father and grandfather were famous tent-show promoters — influenced the deliberately makeshift look and feel of the original production, which premiered at the 63-seat Theatre Upstairs on June 19, 1973 and ran until July 20, 1973. The theatre was run by the Royal Court as a project space for new work. (In January 1974, while at the Kings Road Theatre (see below), The Rocky Horror Show won the 1973 Evening Standard Drama Award for Best Musical from the newspaper's panel of London theatre critics, the equivalent of the Tony Award in the USA.)

The production transferred to the Classic Cinema on Kings Road from August 14, 1973 to October 20, 1973; the 270-seat Classic was run-down and scheduled for demolition. Transferring again to the Kings Road Theatre (a 350-seat converted cinema), the production ran from November 3, 1973 through March 31, 1979 (with many cast changes), until plans for the theatre's demolition prompted another move. The Rocky Horror Show transferred to the 820-seat Comedy Theatre on Panton Street in the West End, the legitimate London theatre district, running from April 6, 1979 until September 13, 1980, closing the play's initial run of 2,960 performances. After occasional productions in the early eighties, the play was revived for the Theatre Royal Hanley tour in 1984, and has been performed regularly in England ever since.

Original London cast

• Usherette/Magenta: Patricia Quinn
• Janet Weiss: Julie Covington*
• Brad Majors: Christopher Malcolm
• Narrator: Jonathan Adams
• Riff Raff: Richard O'Brien
• Columbia: Little Nell
• Dr. Frank-n-Furter: Tim Curry
• Rocky Horror: Rayner Bourton
• Eddie/Dr. Everett Scott: Paddy O'Hagan

*A common misconception is that Belinda Sinclair originated the role of Janet, as she is featured on the Original London Cast Recording. Julie Covington was the first to play Janet, but, due to an accident early in the run, she left the production and was replaced by Sinclair.

U.S. productions

Los Angeles premiere

The Rocky Horror Show premiered in the USA at The Roxy Theatre, Los Angeles, opening at the 500-seat theatre on March 21, 1974. Director Jim Sharman and many other backstage members came over from London, though Tim Curry was the only member of the cast to reprise his role. Meat Loaf joined the cast here as Eddie/Dr. Scott, Kim Milford as Rocky, and Jamie Donnelly starred as Magenta/Usherette Trixie. (The Usherette was first called "Trixie" at the Roxy.) Bill Miller and Abigale Haness rounded out the cast as Brad and Janet. A recording of this cast is available. Tim Curry and Meat Loaf left the cast in September 1974 to begin recording the soundtrack sessions for the film, replaced respectively by Paul Jabara and Alan Martin. The Rocky Horror Show closed at the Roxy Theatre on January 5, 1975 in preparation for the transfer to Broadway.

Broadway production

The Rocky Horror Show originally played on Broadway in 1975 with the Roxy cast from Los Angeles, except for Graham Jarvis who was initially replaced by William Newman for the first preview but then rehired, and Bruce Scott, who was injured in another play and replaced by author Richard O'Brien himself. Tim Curry and Meat Loaf also rejoined the cast. It opened March 10, 1975 at the 967-seat Belasco Theatre. "We did a week of sold-out previews to audiences who loved it," said Kim Milford (Rocky). "Then opening night, the critics sat there in silence and looked at us like we just crawled out from under a rock." The critics trashed the show and it closed on April 6, 1975 after 45 performances.

The Rocky Horror Show had a longer revival on Broadway from October 2000 to January 2002 and featured Tom Hewitt, Raúl Esparza, rock singer Joan Jett, Sebastian Bach, Dave August (from October 2001 to January 2002), funny lady Lea DeLaria, and Daphne Rubin-Vega of Rent fame. From October 2001 to January 2002, several guest celebrities played the Narrator role normally performed by Dick Cavett, including magicians Penn & Teller, New York Post columnist Cindy Adams, MTV personality Dave Holmes, and talk show host Jerry Springer among others. It is suggested that the revival, like other shows running at the time, closed early because of financial losses during the time after 9/11.

The Revival was nominated for the following Tony Awards (lost all of them):

Best Actor: Tom Hewitt (lost to Nathan Lane, The Producers)

Best Costume Designer: David C. Woolard (lost to William Ivey Long, The Producers)

Best Director: Christopher Ashley (lost to Susan Stroman, The Producers)

Best Musical Revival (lost to 42nd Street)

Australian productions

The original Australian production of The Rocky Horror Show premiered in Sydney on April 15, 1974, at the New Arts Cinema, Glebe. It was the third major stage show produced by Harry M. Miller, and, like its two predecessors, it was a resounding success. It ran for almost two years, and the production and cast included several key personnel who had worked on both Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar, including Reg Livermore as Frank-n-Furter, Jim Sharman, Brian Thomson and Harry M. Miller. Kate Fitzpatrick starred as Usherette/Magenta, David Cameron as Eddie, and Graham Matters as Rocky. John Paramor and Jane Harders starred as Brad and Janet.

The show was revived in 1981 and was successful enough to continue through most of the decade. Reg Livermore reprised his role of Frank-n-Furter for the 10th anniversary in 1984; that particular production, however, was a flop. It was revived once again in 1992 (as The New Rocky Horror Show) with a million-dollar stage set and a cast full of celebrities, which, like previous productions, continued on tour through most of the decade. A new production has recently been announced, opening early 2008, staring iOTA.

Revivals

The play has been revived several times, but is much different now than when it was first presented in 1973. The script that is used in productions today has been changed to be very much like the film adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show. For example, certain dialogue has been changed to be like the film; the sequence of songs has been rearranged to match the order they appear in the film; and all song titles have been changed to match those in the film. The original script can be found on the net on most Rocky Horror fan-made pages.

The movie has been much more popular in the United States than the theatrical show, revivals of which are mounted periodically without great success. In other countries the stage show has proved a perennial favourite with theatre audiences, and many successful revivals of the show have been mounted. In some places at the stage show, fans dress up as the characters and shout "call-backs" at the stage. For example, whenever the character Brad's name is mentioned, the audience shouts "asshole," and similarly shouts "slut" for Janet. Fans also use props at appropriate moments, for example, throwing toast when Frank calls for "a toast," and using water pistols and newspapers during a scene in the rain. Many theatres no longer allow this.[2]

Versions of the show have played well in various other countries, including a New Zealand production that featured, at one time or other, the former prime minister Robert Muldoon (as the compère) and the rock star, Gary Glitter playing the lead.

UK tour

The Rocky Horror Show (now under the title Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show) completed its latest tour on the 14th of July, 2007, in Woking, England after touring for almost eighteen months. Famous narrators of the current tour have included Michael Aspel, Nigel Planer, Christopher Biggins, Clive Mantle, Russ Abbot, Steve Pemberton, John McArdle, Roger Lloyd-Pack, Ian Lavender, Shaun Williamson, Andy Gray, Jack Ellis, Brian Capron and Russell Grant.

The 2006 cast featured David Bedella as Frank-N-Furter, Suzanne Shaw as Janet, Matthew Cole as Brad, Iain Davey as Riff Raff, Shona White as The Usherette/Magenta, Kay Murphy as Columbia, Julian Essex-Spurrier as Rocky and Nathan Amzi as Eddie/Dr. Scott with Sarah Boulton, Stuart Ellis, Lynden O'Neill and Claire Parrish as the Phantoms. After a Christmas season at the Comedy Theatre, London, the tour continued with several cast changes including Richard Meek as Brad, Sarah Boulton and later Hayley Tamaddon as Janet, Matt Harrop as Riff Raff, Claire Parrish as The Usherette/Magenta, Sarah French-Ellis and later Sarah Boulton as Columbia and Sergio Priftis as Rocky with Lauren Appleby, Erin Carter and Kevin Littlejohn as the Phantoms and Bedella, Amzi and Ellis retaining their original roles.

The 2006 tour cast, accompanied by Roger Lloyd-Pack as the Narrator and author Richard O’Brien, performed "The Time Warp" live in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 22nd July 2006 as part of The Big Dance event and was broadcast on BBC1’s Dancing in the Street.

Directed by Christopher Luscombe and with input from author Richard O'Brien, this tour has been considered a turning point in Rocky Horror history by many of its fans. It turned the show further away from the camp, pantomime feel of earlier tours and revived the darkness of the original production. This tour has also seen more focus being on the action on stage, rather than the participation from the audience. This change has been welcomed by fans and actors alike. Another welcome change is the interpretation of Frank-N-Furter by David Bedella who has presented him not as a camp drag queen, as other actors have done, but as a surprisingly masculine, multi-dimensional character.

Computer games

The Rocky Horror Show computer game was produced for early 8-bit computers including the Commodore 64, Commodore 128, ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC by the CRL Group PLC in 1985, to mixed reviews. The game involved playing as either Brad or Janet and collecting pieces of the Medusa machine scattered around the castle, in order to free the player's partner from stone and escape the castle before it blasts off. Meanwhile, the other characters in the game could either hinder the player's progress by stealing and hiding their clothes and other objects, or kill the player outright.

The Rocky Interactive Horror Show Game was released in March/April 1999 for the PC by On-Line PLC. Similarly to the earlier CRL game, the player plays as Brad or Janet and must rescue their partner from the castle. Unlike the older computer game, its gameplay was more puzzle-oriented, and benefited from the added detail, graphics, and live video sequences that the PC could provide. Despite this, it was criticised for a clumsy user interface and for using two-dimensional graphics, at a time when most games were using 3D.[3]

Cast recordings

1973 London Cast 1974 Roxy Cast 1974 Australian Cast 1975 Brazilian Cast 1975 Film Soundtrack 1976 Mexican Cast

1977 Norwegian Cast 1978 New Zealand Cast 1980 German Cast 1981 Australian Cast 1990 London Cast ("The Whole Gory Story")

1991 Icelandic Cast 1992 Australian Cast 1995 New Zealand Cast 1995 Finnish Cast 1995 Icelandic Cast 1995 German Cast

1996 Danish Cast 1996 Toronto Cast 1996/7 European Tour 1997 German Cast 1998 London Cast 1998 South African Cast

2001 Broadway Cast 2001 Korean Cast 2001 Peruvian Cast 2005 Vancouver Cast 2007 Panamanian Cast

Awards

• 1973 Evening Standard Drama Award, Best Musical
• 1973 Plays and Players Award, Best New Musical

See also

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show

References

External links

• The Rocky Horror Show at The Internet Broadway Database
• Official Rocky Horror Show UK Tour web site
• RockyShows.net, a calendar of US amateur productions
• Official Australia RHS web site
• The Rocky Horror Show at RockyMusic.org
• Official UK Rocky Horror fan club