I walked into OU’s production of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" as a Rocky virgin, a term used to describe viewers who haven’t seen a live production of the show, and walked out smiling so big my cheeks ached.
I knew that attending "Rocky Horror" meant an in your face, crude humor and larger than life characters packed into a single experience. What I didn’t expect was to leave the show feeling like it was the most fun I had had in a while.
Walking into the Weitzenhoffer Theatre I was immediately greeted with a reel of commercials and movie trailers, looking to be from the 1920s-1950s, projected on a white canvas set center stage.
The traditional introduction in any of OU’s fine arts productions is given by the Dean of The Fine Arts College, but instead it was communicated through various vintage photographs and a robotic voice on a TV screen center stage. "Rocky" immediately established its quirky atmosphere before the show even began.
With a jolt, "Rocky Horror" started, the ensemble kicking off the show with a shock of electricity and angsty energy. The cast, boys and girls alike, were clad in a variety of burlesque punk-rock corsets, fishnet panty hose, neon pumps and dark eye-liner.
Technical problems prevented me from hearing the two usherettes sing the beginning notes of “Science Fiction/Double Feature.” It was a shame, because I was sitting close enough to tell both actresses had stellar voices, but catching each word was a struggle.
It seemed as though microphone problems were a common theme laced throughout the musical. One key point in which this was especially annoying was during the unveiling of one of the major roles of the musical, Dr. Frank-N-Furter.
Furter, the kinky transvestite whose castle serves as the backdrop for the musical, introduces his role to the audience through the musical number, “Sweet Transvestite”.
Tanner Rose played the part of Furter, and his immersion into his alien character was seamless. Rose made the iconic character entirely his own, I just wish I could have heard what he was singing, because his presence was captivating.
Andrew Kohagen and Mattie Joyner played Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, the all-American couple that gets trapped with the aliens from the universe Transylvania and the sex-driven Dr. Furter.
Kohagen and Joyner portrayed Majors and Weiss as real people in unreal circumstances, and I found myself rooting for them. Kohagen gave a beautifully endearing performance of “Once in a While” and Joyner gave a both polished and comedic performance of “Touch-a Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me,” emphasizing Weiss's exploration of her sexuality.
An honorable mention must be given to Taylor O’Toole sending the audience into a fit of giggles through thrusting and belting, “You’re a hot dog and you better not try to hurt her, Frank Furter."
The choreography in the show, exuding sexual energy, could have easily come off as messy and uncomfortable. However, every cast member in the show hit his or her marks in sync and with great precision. Every hip thrust and flick of the limb was executed in a polished manner.
Costume designer Christopher Harris and the costume crew did a lovely job tailoring a variety of undergarments that covered very little but fit each body type exceedingly well.
Another large element to "Rocky" was the music, which became a character of its own thanks to The Rocky Horror Band. The band may have gone unseen by the audience, but its addition to the show was effortless.
Through the last few moments of the production, I laughed at just how ridiculous Rocky can be. A 1950s couple gets caught in a castle with a bunch of aliens from Transsexual, Transylvania and goes on a journey of sexual awakening.
The characters, no matter how unearthly the circumstance, made their struggles genuine and the stakes to get what they want vital. In an uncanny way, "Rocky" taught me about what it means to be human and even brought me on stage to dance with the cast for the last song.
