Difference between revisions of "The Rocky Horror Show"

Revision as of 22:10, 10 September 2015

The Rocky Horror Show is a musical with music, lyrics and a book by Richard O'Brien. The first production of The Rocky Horror Show was in London, at the 63-seat Royal Court Theater, in the Theater Upstairs. It opened on June 19, 1973 and ran there until July 20. The original production won the 1973 Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical, and moved first to the Chelsea Classic Cinema (8/14/73-10/20/73) and then to the King's Road Theater (11/3/73-3/31/79). It continued regularly through 1980, and had several revivals over the years.

The Rocky Horror Show was a parody of science fiction and horror B movies of the '50s, the musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple getting caught in a storm and coming to the home of a mad transvestite scientist unveiling his new creation, a muscle man named Rocky Horror. The show was flashy and campy, adding a sexual overtone to the squeaky clean genre of teen horror flicks.

American producer, Lou Adler secured the rights to the show and brought it to his night club in West Hollywood, CA, The Roxy Theatre where it debuted on March24, 1974. Tim Curry from the Original London Cast reprised his role of Frank N Furter in The Roxy Cast with American actors in the remaining roles. It had a successful 9-month run, and ended when production began on a big screen version of the play, which featured many member from the first cast. A concurrent production was launched in Australia on April 15 starring Reg Livermore, and ran for two years at the the New Arts Cinema.

After the film was completed, but before its release, The Rocky Horror Show opened on Broadway, at the Belasco Theater where the disappointing run ended after three previews and forty five shows, though it did manage to get nominated for a Tony Award for lighting. It is thought that the show lent itself to small cabaret like the Roxy, but was not suited for the much larger Belasco. After the film opened to no success outside of Los Angeles, a production of the show was launched t the Montgomery Playhouse on February 3 of 1976, running until May 30. Interestingly, when asked why the new Frank N Furter, David James, was asked why he felt the movie didn't catch on, he said that it was because the play was an interactive experience and the film was not.

There were several international productions of the stage show in the mid-'70s, and several Rocky Horror Show Cast Albums emerged, including ones from Germany, Norway and an un-licesnd version from Mexico called El Show de Terror de Rocky. As The Rocky Horror Picture Show increased in popularity, more stage productions were launched, including an ambitious U.S. tour in 1980, starring Kim Milford, Rocky from the Roxy Cast.