In 8th grade, my friend's parents took three of us to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show performed at Bucks County Playhouse. And it changed my life. We dressed up in trampy costumes, black lipstick and tons of black eyeliner, carted toast, playing cards, water guns, etc. We left covered soggy toast, our hair and makeup ruined, with a newfound sense of happiness. While Rocky Horror might be considered by some to be too risque for 13 year old girls, we absolutely loved it (and for the record, it did not corrupt us in any way). We returned every year until college, including more and more friends in our guilty pleasure. Our guy friends and boyfriends came along, gamely borrowing our skirts and letting us do their makeup. Those fall nights at Bucks County Playhouse are some of my favorite memories. We had a blast doing something a little risque yet totally innocent, a little taboo, but extremely popular (for those who knew of it).
(To this day, I am still shocked my father let me go all the way back in 8th grade. I truly believe there are only two reasons I was allowed. 1) My friend's parents took us and more importantly 2) my dad was a theater major and amateur actor. He had always encouraged us to get involved in theater, but my sister and I both chose athletics instead. While he was never a huge fan of Rocky Horror, he was able to appreciate the theatricality and the fun. He understood what it was about: pushing the limits and shocking audiences.)
If you've never been to a performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the only way I can describe it is it's an Experience. It is raunchy, shocking, hilarious, over-the-top, dirty, and above all...weird. The audience spends most of its time standing up, dancing, singing along with the cast, and throwing things at each other at the right moments (which is why you should watch the movie before you go...and maybe google "what to do at Rocky Horror"). The cast, mostly men in drag (whom, I might add, looked better in short short skirts and cleavage-bearing shirts than I did. It was depressing really.), spend their time wandering through the audience, sitting on laps, dirty dancing, and generally trying to make people feel as uncomfortable as possible. It is absolutely fabulous.
(To this day, I am still shocked my father let me go all the way back in 8th grade. I truly believe there are only two reasons I was allowed. 1) My friend's parents took us and more importantly 2) my dad was a theater major and amateur actor. He had always encouraged us to get involved in theater, but my sister and I both chose athletics instead. While he was never a huge fan of Rocky Horror, he was able to appreciate the theatricality and the fun. He understood what it was about: pushing the limits and shocking audiences.)
If you've never been to a performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the only way I can describe it is it's an Experience. It is raunchy, shocking, hilarious, over-the-top, dirty, and above all...weird. The audience spends most of its time standing up, dancing, singing along with the cast, and throwing things at each other at the right moments (which is why you should watch the movie before you go...and maybe google "what to do at Rocky Horror"). The cast, mostly men in drag (whom, I might add, looked better in short short skirts and cleavage-bearing shirts than I did. It was depressing really.), spend their time wandering through the audience, sitting on laps, dirty dancing, and generally trying to make people feel as uncomfortable as possible. It is absolutely fabulous.
Glee did a Rocky Horror episode last season and watching it brought me back to those fabulous nights filled with friends, toast, and eyeliner. For those of you who have never seen it, rent the movie, this very second. Then, go for the full experience and see the show. I had planned on taking my sister this year to expose her to this strange and crazy world. However. The theater we used to go to has since closed. If anyone knows of a theater in the Princeton area that puts on Rocky Horror, please let me know. I can't stand the thought of another Halloween without The Time Warp.
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