By Savannah Scott in Life
The Clark Theater department will open The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Feb. 27.
Doors open at midnight and prop bags will be sold at the door for $5 to encourage audience involvement.
“This show is a classic for any drama program,” said Theater Director Gene Biby, who is directing the play. “And although it is a musical about sex, I don’t think that there will be any unexpected controversy.”
“I’m really excited to see how this production sticks with the original Rocky play,” Biby said with a grin. “We’re already expecting fishnets and red lipstick.”
The 1970s play follows a newlywed couple who find themselves at a strange mansion in the middle of a rainy night. With music, adventure and a wide range of risqué characters, Clark’s mission is to bring the original play back into the theater.
The Theater department is attempting to keep the production as close to the original as possible.
“I’m definitely pushing my cast to step outside the box and learn their roles in the best way possible,” said Biby.
Similarly, Kiggins Theater hosts their own version of the production on the last Saturday of each month. Actors and audience members sing and dance along to bring the film adaption to life.
“You’ll get the entire Rocky mansion experience at the Kiggins production,” said Chris Roberts, a Kiggins volunteer. “We play the movie, and that’s great, but we also have random people that dress up in full drag and act out the play version as the film rolls.”
Molly Hurst, a longtime fan of both the play and the movie, said she attends the Kiggins version of Rocky every month.
“Everyone is so creative when it comes to their outfits and props,” said Hurst. “There really aren’t too many limitations when it comes to what you can’t throw into the air at the picture show. I can’t tell you how many times I have been hit in the head with flying food!”
The Clark production, although similar to the original play, is going to be very different from the Kiggins production. Biby wants to minimize the chaos by pursuing a more relaxed version of the show.
Unlike the Kiggins show, there are going to be guidelines for props that are allowed in Decker Theater.
Though Rocky can be produced in different ways, the effect and goal is the same, Biby said.
“All anybody really wants is to be a part of something and the Rocky Horror Picture Show allows that to happen,” said Roberts.
