Several hundred costume-clad theatre goers filled the Santa Rosa Junior College’s Burbank Auditorium on Halloween night for the opening of their production of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show. This was quite a change from my initial Rocky Horror experience in 1978 when my brother and three of our friends were joined by just one other patron at the first midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at a suburban New Jersey mall twin cinema. What a difference 45 years makes.

Fans of the film may not realize its stage origins, which began at a 60-seat London theater in 1973 and ended with a remarkably short Broadway run in 1975. The film followed and it was considered a flop until midnight showings in 1976 led to the cultural phenomena that is Rocky Horror.   

And now, I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey…

Newly engaged Brad Majors (Aidan Pryor) and Janet Weiss (Austin Aquino-Harrison) are on their way to visit their friend Dr. Everett Scott (Matthew Quezada-Cortez) when a flat tire leads them to seek refuge at a nearby castle. Butler Riff Raff (Bronte Rodriguez-Stroud) introduces them to castle proprietor Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter (Alex Delzell). He, in turn, introduces them to his latest creation, Rocky (Aidan Cumming at opening, Calvin Sandeen later in the run.) Sexual hijinks ensue which result in multiple awakenings until the castle’s residents’ true identities are revealed.

The Rocky Horror Show is actually two shows in one – the one happening on stage, and the other happening in the audience. Productions usually allow audience members to bring props (rice to throw at a wedding scene, newspapers to cover your head to protect from the rain provided by squirt guns, toast, etc.) but that is not the case here. What the audience can do is participate in the ‘callbacks’ (audiences’ amusingly crude verbal responses to dialogue.) Unfortunately, many of these were lost in the 400-seat theater, leading to pockets of laughter from those who were able to hear them and confusion from those who weren’t.

What was heard by all was the terrific score, a sadly unappreciated component of the show. From “Science Fiction/Double Feature” to “Rose Tint My World” to “I’m Going Home”, stage director Justin Smith and music director Nate Riebli have a lot of talented folks delivering them.

They get to deliver them while attired in the most outrageous costumes by Coleen Scott Trivett whose colorful work is matched by the scenic and lighting designs by Austin R Mueck and Chris Cota.   

The show is cast well, with Pryor playing just the right amount of nerd with Brad and Aquino-Harrison finding a nice balance between her character’s sexual naiveté and repressed lust. Delzell is a solid Frank ‘N’ Furter and the rest of the youthful ensemble provide energetic and amusing support.

Overall, the SRJC production of The Rocky Horror Show may be a bit tamer than one might usually expect (at least with the audience engagement), but it’s still a lot of fun.

And remember, don’t dream it… be it!

‘Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show’ runs Thurs–Sun through November 17 in the Santa Rosa Junior College Burbank Auditorium, 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. Fri–Sun, 7:30pm; Thurs, 11/09, 7:30pm, Sun, 11/17, 2pm. $15–$25. 707.527.4307. theatrearts.santarosa.edu

Photos by Thomas Chown

This review originally appeared in an edited version in the North Bay Bohemian.