Rocky Horror Rocked my World

Like many color guard enthusiasts, I also love the theater and pretty much all performing arts. Surprise, surprise, right?

Creative Costuming and Choreography of the Rocky Horror Picture Show:

Last weekend I attended a stage performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with a girl friend of mine. The show blew my mind! From costuming to choreography and singing to acting, this show really had it all. to anyone in the Minnesota area I highly recommend you check it out if you can, it runs through Halloween at The Lab Theater in Minneapolis.

The first crowd pleaser of the evening is that Don Shelby from Minnesota's WCCO News station plays the narrator. He cracks a few jokes about comping Michelle Bachman tickets and responds to all comments and calls from the audience.

Magenta and Riff Raff:

As the show begins and the actors start their first song and dance number, they also re-arrange some of the audience. Some of the audience is seated in short rows right on the stage. As the play starts actors push these rows of people across the stage. At this point everyone is excited and ready to go. Not to mention the amazing voice and acting ability of Molly Callinan, a Chicago native with lungs that could knock over the city. In the role of Magenta, her pitch and tone were perfect and her talent blew me away. I don't have a good photo of her from the beginning of the play, but pictured here is Magenta and Riff Raff at the end of the play in their space costumes.

Riff Raff was played by Randy Schmeling, a graduate of my Alma Mater, Gustavus Adolphus College. He mastered his character's creepiness with a very distinctive walk and sort of under-the-breath type of chuckle. To be able to keep a character like that and stay in character, even through the technically challenging choreography, was extremely impressive. His costuming added to the creepiness factor, with tattered clothes and ragged hair. And THANK YOU for not giving him the same nasty haircut as Riff Raff has in the movie!

Also deserving of a note for an outstanding voice is Jamecia Bennett, who played the role of Eddie and of Dr. Scott. For a female to step into a solo most notably performed by Meat Loaf, her incredible range and R&B style was perfect for this cast's rendition and had me utterly in awe. No wonder she has been inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. I realized toward the end of the show that I was sitting right next to one of her relatives. I hope he passed along all the comments he must have overheard me say about her outstanding performance.

Frank-N-Furter Costuming:

Frank-N-Furter was not exactly what I expected, in a good way. He was played by Andre Shoals who is a former superstar of the New York drag scene. His make-up and costuming were definitely perfect for his character, adding changes here and there for dramatic effect, such as a super long robe or a huge feather neck piece. What really shined in Frank-N-Furter was his outstanding acting and dance ability. I don't know how he danced in those 4 inch sparkly heals but he did it and did it well!

Columbia with the Cast:

By far my favorite costuming decision was that of Columbia. Columbia was played by Kat Perkins, a tattooed actress and frontwoman for Scarlet Haze. Her costume was very punk rock meets Transylvania, a very unique and fitting choice in my opinion. Kat had the whole package - she could sing, she could dance, she could DEFINITELY act, and she had the crowd loving her.









Janet and Brad Dancing with the Cast:

Reid Harmsen and Erin Capello played very well off of each other in the roles of Brad and Janet. The transitions from sainthood to Transylvania were very convincing. Janet's voice and solo performances were extremely professional, keeping her pitch, tone and volume despite the advanced blocking and choreography of the show. Her dance moves were fearless, she even did the caterpillar! And Brad's corset costume with the nipple tassles that he wore toward the end of the show had me rolling on the floor laughing! Unfortunately my nipple tassels picture turned out blurry, so you get this one instead:

During intermission Mrs. Smith hosted a costume contest with the patrons. I'm honored to say I was a finalist, but I didn't win the grand prize. I hope to get some photos of my costume to post for all of you sometime in the near future.

Don Shelby in High Heals:

And one last surprise from Don Shelby before we wrapped up the night and did the Time Warp one last time - He turns around to expose that he's wearing butt-less pants to the crowd. When he comes out for the curtain call, his pants are rolled up to the knees and he's wearing fishnet stockings with high healed shoes. It was one of the greatest things I've ever seen! He was kind enough to let us take a picture with him after the performance. I hope to get that photo from my friend soon so I can post it here.







With various costume changes - each being more impressive and surprising than the last, awesome choreography, and amazing talents such as these, this show is non-stop fun and a real theater treat. Great Job to the Lab theater and everyone who helped in the creation of this masterpiece.

The Cast Last Curtain Call: