Jump to the left for Geyer's 'Rocky Horror Show'

John Cunnard calls the cult classic musical “The Rocky Horror Show” “the ultimate theater experience” in which theatergoers don’t just watch the iconic stage show; they are part of it.

“Many audiences come in their favorite ‘Rocky’ costumes, they get to dance with the characters in the seats and also interact with other audience characters,” says Cunnard of Everson, who is directing Actors and Artists of Fayette County’s upcoming production of the musical Oct. 17-19 at Geyer Performing Arts Center in Scottdale.

He says people will come from miles around to experience the show – and come back again the next night “just for the crazy fun of it.”

Audience involvement

The audience will learn how to dance along to the “Time Warp” and some will be chosen to come up on stage and be a part of the show.

The stage musical created by Richard O’Brien that first opened in 1973 in London focuses on sweethearts Brad and Janet, who get a flat tire driving during a storm and seek help at the bizarre mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite scientist played by Alex Truzzi of Moon Township in the AAFC production.

Truzzi says portraying his character is a treat.

“You get to explore the mad scientist trope but with a healing helping of sex appeal thrown into the mix,” he says. “It’s just a great time playing this character that owns the entire room whenever he’s on stage, yelling at my minions, scaring Brad and Janet, and then dying in an overly dramatic final confrontation.”

Audience participation adds another layer to the theater experience.

“You have the show as it stands, where the characters are taking the setting very seriously, and then you have the audience reactions that recontextualizes the whole thing as a joke. It’s one of my favorite parts of the show,” he says.

Nothing quite like it

Vanessa Clarke-Deaver of Greensburg portrays Janet in the AAFC musical and says there’s really nothing quite like “The Rocky Horror Show.”

“It’s funny, scary, overdramatic, and for those who haven’t seen it, unexpected,” she says. “The high energy musical numbers get the entire cast and crowd excited, while the characters themselves are gripping enough for the audience to root for, or root against.”

Her most recent roles were as Sarah Brown in “Guys and Dolls” and Val in “A Chorus Line,” both at the Geyer, and Philia in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” for Apple Hill Playhouse.

Cunnard has been involved with several other Halloween shows and “creepy, kooky plays and musicals” at the Geyer, including “Dracula the Musical,” “Clue the Musical,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Addams Family Musical” and last year’s “Jekyll and Hyde” musical.

Not a kid-friendly show

He reminds those attending “Rocky Horror Show” for the first time that the musical is not for children and is intended for a mature audience due to language and adult content. Prop bags will be available for purchase at the theater with items to use to interact with the show.

The director’s biggest challenge is having the actors be able to carry their characters no matter what traditional “Rocky Horror” audiences have to deliver – whether it’s a call back or some toilet paper tossed into the audience.

“My second biggest challenge is teaching guys to dance while wearing heels,” he says.