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| Photo: Rob Clatterbuck |
No man or woman is safe from the
antics of the zany characters performing in Iron Crow Theatre’s production of The Rocky Horror Show-The Musical. As the second installment in the 2017-2018
Season of Identity, Director Sean Elias who is the Artistic Director and CEO of
Iron Crow Theatre, must have had a gay ‘ole time helming this version of the
cult favorite. #hocoarts
With music, lyrics and book
by Richard O'Brien, The Rocky Horror
Show was adapted into the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
The campy rock musical spoofs the science fiction and B movies of the 1940’s
and beyond while integrating the sexual revolution of the 1960’s and 1970’s.
Mr. Elias guides a somewhat
different version of the musical with a deft hand bringing in a talented,
high-energy, mischievous cast to lead the audience to witness a sexually fluid debauchery
like no other on the stage.
To add to the flavor, Costume
Designer Danielle Harrow sprung opened the closets and brought out stilettos, fishnets
and tight satin shorts, and that was just for the guys. The female cast members
were attired in skimpy suggestive garb as well.
The dissolute mood is set when
you first enter the intimate theater at the Motor House. Scantily clad “Usherettes”
and “Phantoms” guide you to your seats with each patron toting a prop bag
filled with an assortment of weird goodies to hurl around the theater. A callout script prompts the audience to
shout out a word or an epithet or take action to toss toilet paper, confetti or
rice. Also, included in the bag was a page
from a newspaper, a rubber glove, glow stick, a party hat, a water pistol (no
water in mine), a condom and a playing card.
If that isn’t enough, prior to
the show the acerbic, slightly sadistic emcee appears (Eduard Van Osterom) and
devilishly lures “virgin” audience members onto the stage to participate in a couple
of “games.” One of those was a group of virgins laying on the floor whereby a person was told to eat a red velvet pastry off of the
butt of another individual lying on the floor in front of him or her. Another contest determined who made the best
orgasm sounds. I think you get the
drift.
So, even for first time
attendees of The Rocky Horror Show or
“virgins,” the decadent atmosphere is already baked into the show by dint of
the preludes and nothing should surprise, right?
The story revolves around Janet,
played by Allison Bradbury, and her fiancé Brad, played by Nick Fruit, who
enter a mysterious castle after their car blew out a tire on a stormy
night. The couple, innocent and naïve to
the bone, merely wanted to make a phone call for help. If that had happened, there would be no
musical; Mr. O’Brien had other ideas.
The castle is filled with an
assortment of odd souls who are servants of some sort to the master (or
mistress) of the abode, Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter, played by Nicholas Miles, who claims
he is a transvestite scientist from Transsexual, Transylvania.
He was determined to create the
perfect male specimen—muscular—and he succeeds. But this was no Frankenstein
monster with a severe scar on his forehead or a bolt across his neck.
Let me introduce you to his
creation, Rocky, played by Terrance Fleming.
Flexing his biceps repeatedly as if that was needed to showcase an
impressively perfect physique, Mr. Fleming was perfectly cast in the role. Ripped all over and rocking tightly contoured
gold satin shorts, Mr. Fleming may have a body fat composition of zero or less
and a muscle composition of 90 percent or more. Perfect indeed. And he sings, too. Mr. Fleming performs movingly
in “The Sword of Damocles.”
Meanwhile Janet and Brad
encounter these characters and interact with Frank ‘N’ Furter in ways they did
not expect. The couple discovered their
inner selves with their bad-girl and bad-boy persona lying beneath the surface,
and they were liberated by the insatiable libido of Frank ‘N’ Furter. The wacky
story goes on but with all the surprises still to come, it’s best to leave it
there.
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| Photo: Rob Clatterbuck |
Allison Bradbury as Janet is
excellent displaying a wide range of emotions from a frightened innocent young
girl to one who had “enjoyed” an unexpected sexual experience. It is amazing that
her strong voice holds up given the amount of screaming she is asked to do
especially in the early encounters in the castle. Ms. Bradbury’s duet with Nick Fruit with
backup from the Phantoms in “Damn It Janet” is one of the show’s best.
As dorky, bespectacled Brad, Nick
(my favorite) Fruit also transforms into a wild and crazy guy. Don’t
believe me? Catch his show-stopping
performance in the second act. Besides his athletic body, his proficient vocals
are also on display in the aforementioned “Damn It Janet” and in the solo “Once
in a While.”
Nicholas Miles as Frank ‘N’
Furter delivers a tour-de-force performance.
Commanding onstage, Mr. Miles delivers the goods in more ways than
one. His vocals are powerful and is
highlighted by his rendition of “Sweet
Transvestite” and also in “I Can Make
You a Man” and “Planet Schmanet/Wise Up Janet Weiss.”
Nancy Linden as the Narrator,
Christian Gonzalez as Riff Raff, Danielle Harrow as Magenta, spunky Caitlin
Weaver as Columbia, and Meghan Taylor as Eddie/Dr. Scott perform their roles
with skill and talent.
The Phantoms include Monica
Albizo (also plays as one of the Usherettes), Alyssa Bell, Robert Corona, Roxanne
Daneman (an Usherette), Justin Johnson, Cassandra Miller, Eduard Van Osterom,
and Mark Quackenbush. Other Usherettes
include Danielle Harrow and Caitlin
Weaver.
These folks perform
exceptionally—singing, dancing and comedic antics—throughout the
production. They also sit among the
audience and lead the callouts adding to the loony atmosphere.
Quae Simpson skillfully
choreographed the show. The company
dances in synch throughout and is especially enjoyable during the show’s iconic
number “Time Warp.”
Mandee Ferrier Roberts ably
conducts the five-piece orchestra that includes Chris Spagnolo, Jarrett
Rettman, Tanner Selby and Garrett Fields.
Under the solid direction of Sean Elias, The Rocky Horror Show-The Musical is a well-staged, seductive, sexy, sassy and satirical spectacle. With only until October 31 to view it, you
should rush to get tickets. It is Iron Crow Theatre's annual fundraiser for
both itself and Baltimore's Moveable Feast. If you can’t make it in time to see
this production, it will likely appear next year. Either way, you should see
it.
Running time: Two hours and 20
minutes with an intermission.
Advisory: The Rocky Horror Show-The Musical contains sexual situations,
profanity and adult situations and is not recommended for children under age 18.
The Rocky Horror Show-The Musical runs through October 21 at the Motor House, 120 West
North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21201. For tickets, click here.
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