Around Halloween, a showing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is easy to come by at most local movie theaters. Because of the film’s iconic status, many fans don’t realize that “Rocky Horror” was written for the stage first. This fall, local community theater Columbia Entertainment Company is put on a production of “The Rocky Horror Show,” in part celebrating the movie adaptation’s 50th anniversary.
Longtime fan and director Drew McCoy suggested the play to the theater for the 2025 season.
“‘Rocky Horror’ has always been a bucket list item for me to actually direct or perform in,” McCoy said. “I submitted my suggestion, and the play selection committee chose it, and it was an opportunity that I just could not pass up.”
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is a cornerstone of cult cinema. It went from a box-office flop to the longest-running theatrical release in history. It became a fan favorite when theaters started showing the film at midnight, drawing in a new audience that embraced the show for its funny, raunchy and queer-positive qualities.
Leilani (LJ) Jones, secretary of the Mizzou Horror Appreciation Club, became a fan after seeing the film at The Blue Note in 2024. They were drawn to the film because of its queer positivity and fan culture.
“I like the community that’s around it as well,” Jones said. “It’s fine to watch (‘Rocky Horror’) by yourself, but it’s really about the people that come together to be a part of it, and how anyone can watch the movie. I feel like there’s a character for everyone in that movie.”
The show is also widely recognized as an important early depiction of LGBTQ+ characters and relationships on both the big screen and the stage.
Brandon Moore plays the lead: a “sweet transvestite from Transexual, Transylvania” and mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the CEC production. Moore explained that LGBTQ+ representation makes “Rocky Horror” stand out to him — especially considering its mid-’70s release.
“It’s just so empowering, and I love being able to play this character that means so much to so many people including myself,” Moore said. “You know, just being a gender non-conforming character and owning it.”
“Rocky Horror” was one of the first and only productions where audience participation was encouraged in the theater; fans continually return to late-night showings to yell callbacks, throw rice, play with squirt guns and other props and participate in bawdy shadowcast performances.
The naive and seemingly innocent heroine Janet Weiss, who gets pulled out of her cookie-cutter life and into Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s anti-culture, is played by Danielle Simpson of CEC. She finds that the interactive aspects make for more fun than an ordinary musical.
“I’m used to more plays where (the audience) sit(s) and (is) respectful,” Simpson said. “This is definitely the most interactive experience I’ve done in a very long time, and it’s been such a blast.”
The stage musical had a much better critical reception than the film: acclaimed critic Roger Ebert, when reviewing the film in 1975, alluded that it was better onstage. Moore agrees that the interactive qualities of Rocky Horror are better in the theatrical format.
“Every director is gonna have a different idea for what scene looks like what,” Moore said. “All those moments where we’re improvising things and interacting with the audience — I worry that you wouldn’t get that from a shadow cast…That’s kind of some of the magic of the show so far has been interacting with the audience and having a good time.”
Regardless of the format in which “Rocky Horror” is shown, the in-person experience is unique. When “Rocky Horror” is playing, the theater becomes a judgement-free haven for self-expression for the LGBTQ+ community and anyone wanting to be free of social norms.
The show is about being completely yourself and embracing what makes you stick out — fans took that theme and turned a normal theater into a place where the audience can dance, sing, shout, throw things, and most importantly turn the viewing experience into a safe space.
Edited by Ainsley Bryson | [email protected]
Copy edited by Avery Copeland | [email protected]
Edited by Maya Bensaoud | [email protected]
Edited by Alex Gribb | [email protected]
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source themaneater.com ’
