Rocky Horror Show takes Tower stage

When it comes to achieving cult status, nothing quite does it like Rocky Horror. So when College at Brockport’s theatre department decided to perform Richard O’Brien’s quirky piece for the spring musical, the audience came with high expectations.

Opening Friday, April 27 on the Tower Mainstage, it did not disappoint. Associate theatre professor Ruth Childs directed the cast and crew in a fantastic rendition of the sex-filled, gender-bending cult classic, The Rocky Horror Show.

The stellar cast perfectly captured the essence of their characters, from the proper couple Brad and Janet — played by sophomore Steve Clark and freshman Tricia Plinzke — to the sultry, sassy sex-fiend Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter — played by senior Doug Dohr. Dohr especially captivated the audience with his fantastic voice and dedication to his role. The man clearly knew his way around a pair of heels and a corset.

Rocky (sophomore Alex Black) bore a great resemblance to the movie character, showcasing his rippling muscles and the naive nature of his character perfectly.

Musical director and orchestra director Brian Clickner complemented the action onstage with a rousing soundtrack. Songs like “The Time Warp,” “Sweet Transvestite” and “Hot Patootie” were admirably played and got the audience grooving throughout the entirety of the musical. Having a live orchestra accompanying the performance kicked the experience up an extra notch and gave the performers something to interact with.

The stage was a multi-level set designed by scene designer and department chair P. Gibson Ralph, including staircases, projection screens and a fireman’s pole for choreographer Kevin Warner to base the stage movements around.

Costume designers Samantha Vakinier and Gail Argetsinger were able to capture the movie through their designs. Their work on the light-up neon corsets used during the later parts of Act II were especially impressive and added a great element to the performance, tying into the uniqueness of each character.

Despite the great performance onstage, the crowd participation brought the experience full circle in true Rocky Horror form. Audience members were given bags of props on the way into the theatre containing cards, glowsticks, noisemakers and newspapers to be waved, thrown or used during different scenes in the performance.

Some of the biggest laughs came during the audience call-backs. The audience shouted such obscenities as “A**hole” and “slut” when Brad and Janet were mentioned. They would also ask, “How do you say Jell-O in Spanish?” before Riff Raff ­ — played by Brockport graduate Ricky Thomas — greets Brad and Janet at the door to the mansion, which was a great way to incorporate the audience and give a nod to the film’s cult status.

Aside from a few opening night microphone mishaps, The Rocky Horror Show was a great success. The cast and crew were able to successfully pull off a crowd favorite in an interesting and fun way, fully living up to the high expectations. Even the sternest of theatre critics would be hard-pressed not to enjoy themselves at this campy, over-the-top, sex-fueled musical.

The musical will run from Thursday, May 3 to Saturday, May 5 at the Tower Mainstage at 7:30 p.m.