Lauren Sellman, Arts & Entertainment Editor
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadow Cast Performance at the Michigan Theater. Photo//Lauren Sellman
The Rocky Horror Picture Show entertained audiences in Ann Arbor at the Michigan Theater this weekend, performing on Friday, October 25, and Saturday, October 26.
The 1975 cult classic starring Tim Curry follows the wild experiences of a squeaky-clean couple who find themselves in the castle of Dr. Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry), a transsexual from Transylvania. The couple meets eccentric and iconic characters as they find themselves embracing the freedom of the otherworldly customs of this unique group.
The shadow cast was produced by the University of Michigan Leather Medusas acting group. Shadow casting primarily originated with the Rocky Horror fanbase, where a cast in costumes will act out scenes from the film as it is screened behind them. This show in particular is special because audience members are allowed and encouraged to participate in the musical. Singing along to every song, dancing along to the Time Warp, and yelling clever jokes and (welcomed) insults at the cast are the least wild parts of the evening.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadow Cast Performance at the Michigan Theater. Photo//Lauren Sellman
Although it is common for fans to bring props to throw on stage at different scenes, the Michigan Theater did not allow props for this show. Fans throw rice at the wedding scene, paper plates when a tablecloth is dramatically pulled off, and cards when Frank pretends to shuffle a deck during a song.
Half of the entertainment for Rocky Horror comes from the fashion show of fans in the crowd. With an audience of wigs, heels, and glittery corsets, it is common to dress up as a character or resemble the style of the movie.
This show is put on annually in Michigan around Halloween and brings people of all ages together. The film has become a cult classic and a pillar of the queer community as a wacky representation of unashamed sexuality and rejection of social norms. The story is funny, sexy, sad, dramatic, and at times relatable. Although the plot is all over the place, most fans fall in love with the aesthetic and dramatics of the Transylvanians.
Being an iconic staple in film history, the film unashamedly was ahead of its time, people loved it then and continue to love it now.
As a rated-R movie, the cast was able to navigate explicit scenes in unexpected and hilarious ways. The iconic scene where Frank spends the night with his guests is portrayed with sock puppets, earning a roar of laughter from the anticipating crowd.
I spoke with Rocky Horror (played by Naomi Rodriguez) after the show, who said, “My heart is just so full of love right now for the show and the cast.” The Leather Medusas shadow cast was almost entirely made up of women, and Rodriguez explains how grateful she is to be able to gender-bend the cast in a way that lets the actors be a little bit of themselves in their roles. After playing Rocky in the 2023 production, she was made an Assistant Director of this year's show and is so proud of the final product.
It was inspiring to see how many older fans were in the audience. Although I questioned whether they knew what they were in for, I was pleasantly surprised to see the older woman in front of me having the time of her life. She was the first to jump up to do the Time Warp dance and to slap on a party hat at Rocky's birthday dinner scene.
The show was incredibly entertaining, however, for first-timers, it is important to consider that this performance is enhanced by the clever yet abrasive callbacks. The casualness of the interactions between the crowd and actors creates a comfortable environment where laughter comes easily and a feeling of community is solidified.
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