Elizabeth Gardner

19 October 2014

The Rocky Horror Picture Show defies age-old social norms and conventions in favor of
radical self-expression and liberation from hoary gender roles. This timeless cult classic
revolutionizes audience participation by encouraging viewers to scream various vulgarities and
act out in orchestrated chaos.
The Las Vegas cast typically engages in Rocky Horror reenactments once a month at
Regency Tropicana Cinemas, 3330 E Tropicana Ave., at 10 p.m. on the first Saturday of every
month. In the spirit of Halloween, Frankies Favorite Obsession will put on The Rocky Horror
Picture Show Halloween Spooktacular at the classic midnight hour this Saturday, Oct. 25.
The show will include an exclusive preshow that shows vintage footage from classic
Halloween flicks, a dance party, candy and prizes.
There will also be contests for the best Halloween, Rocky Horror and drag costumes,
said Val Shrum, who portrays Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the local cast. The audience can show off
their amazing costume, or costume-purchasing, skills.
Rocky Horror cast member Destiney Dinsman, 20, anticipates a sold out show for the
Halloween Spooktacular. The Halloween shows are usually so packed that they have to turn
people away.

We encourage people to buy their tickets ahead of time and get there early so they can
get good seats, said Dinsman, the head Make-Up Mistress, who also plays a Trixie and shadow
casts as Magenta.
Shadow casting is a decades-old Rocky Horror tradition where a cast of live actors hold
a floor show by mimicking the movie actors on the big screen. Regency Tropicana Cinemas
projects Jim Sharmans 1975 musical comedy starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon and Barry
Bostwick while the Las Vegas cast essentially shadows them below, decked out in replicated
costumes and interacting with various sets and stage props.
Shrum entered the Rocky Horror shadow cast community at the age of 15. A little more
than 21 years later, she continues to participate in this beloved cult classic.
In a previous cast Shrum was involved in years ago, the theaters film reel melted during
the middle of the movie. After about 5 minutes of realizing the movie was not going to start back
up, Shrum and the cast finished the show by acting it out from memory, including singing all of
the songs, by projecting the lines as loudly as possible.
I think I might still have a piece of the film they had to cut to fix it, said Shrum.
Rocky Horror revels in the crazy and the unexpected, and the cast takes pride in its
unconventional traditions.
The call back audience is just another quirky facet in this kooky cult comedy. The movieviewers call out bizarre phrases during key scenes of the movie. For example the audience yells
Asshole! whenever Brad Majors name is mentioned.

Part of the charm is the constantly evolving dialogue between the actors on the silver
screen and the watchers in the theater seats. Whenever an audience member thinks of a funny
line, they can shout it out and see if it catches on. During the 90s, Bill Clinton jokes prevailed,
and today pop culture references about Justin Bieber, Harry Potter and Pokemon slowly gain
prominence.
The audience also participates through props. When Dr. Scott enters the lab, Brad yells,
Great Scott! and the audience hurls toilet paper into the air. Frankies Favorite Obsession cast
sells $1 prop kits at the beginning of every show, each of which includes a newspaper, a stack of
player cards, a party hat and a rubber glove.
The outrageous antics may intimidate first-timers, or as the Rocky Horror community
calls them, Virgins.
I'm not entirely sure I appreciated or understood the experience with people yelling at
the screen and people acting out the film, said Shrum.
Dinsman experienced discomfort the first time she saw the live performance, though as
she has come to understand the cult fandom, she has coined Rocky Horror as uncomfortably
comfortable.
No

matter your age, size, gender identity, social standing or sexual preference, the Rocky

Horror community is very accepting, said Dinsman. It is a place that everyone can feel
comfortable letting their freak flag fly.

Rocky Horror exists as a safe haven for geeks, nerds and social outcasts. You will find
kindred spirits and long-lasting friendships that will extend beyond your involvement in it, said
Shrum.
It is a place where anyone can dress up like a girl or a boy or a monster without fear of
judgment. That is why people love it, and that is why people keep coming back for more.
It has such a strong cult following, because it is ridiculous, said Shrum. It's a parody
of monster movies done to the tune of 70s rock written by an amateur playwright who had no
idea what he was doing but somehow struck gold at the right time.
In summation, Rocky Horror is all about people who do not know what the heck they are
doing, but fearlessly keep on doing it.
In the words of Frank-N-Furter, Dont dream it. Be it.