Play’s the thing at ‘Rocky Horror’

Wacky audience participation is traditional but not mandatory for MVT's production

The countdown is on for fans of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," as Manoa Valley Theatre gears up for its long-anticipated summer production of the ever-popular rock musical. When it opens Wednesday, fans will find that doing the "Time Warp" is only part of the fun.

‘ROCKY HORROR SHOW’ On stage: Opens Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.; continues at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays (except July 4), 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 4 p.m. Sundays, through July 13. Also at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 3. Place: Manoa Valley Theatre, 2833 East Manoa Road Tickets: $35 (discounts for seniors, military, and anyone 25 or younger) Call: 988-6131, or visit manoavalleytheatre.com

For the uninitiated: "Rocky Horror Show" is a spoof of the sci-fi horror films of the 1950s. It follows the adventures of Brad and Janet, beset by car trouble on a dark and stormy night. Seeking refuge, the couple come upon the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a self-styled "sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania." The good doctor tells Brad and Janet that he has discovered the secret of life and "invites" them to watch as he brings to life his new boyfriend, the titular Rocky Horror.

Tony Young stars as Frank-N-Furter, with Mike Dupre and Sophia Nelson as the virginal Brad and Janet. John Tolentino (Rocky), James Sigmon (Riff Raff), Pomai Lopez (Magenta), Becky Maltby (Columbia) and Greg Howell (The Narrator) appear in other key roles.

"Rocky Horror" is famous - or notorious, depending on your point of view - for its raucous interactive elements. Its audiences traditionally carry in a number of items for participation in the show. There's rice, thrown during an early wedding scene, and newspapers, squirt guns and cigarette lighters for a scene in which Brad and Janet are out in the rain. The props go on and on: latex lab gloves, noisemakers, confetti, toilet paper, toast, a party hat, a bell and a deck of cards.

Fans of the hit 1975 film traditionally respond to key bits of dialogue and heckle various characters, but director Dwight Martin warns that the rules of engagement are different in live theater.

"It's a participation play, but it's a live play with live actors. You're not running around a theater in front of a movie screen," he said.

Cast members will be singing, dancing and running all over the theater, Martin said, and for the sake of their safety and that of the audience, outside props won't be allowed in. But the restriction won't curtail the fun.

"There are some talk-back lines (and), we do have a goodie bag that we're selling with some participation props," he said.

The authorized bag includes confetti, toilet paper, a lab glove, a glow stick, newspaper - and guidelines. The bag, selling for $5, benefits the theater's development program.

Martin says that over and above the interactive aspects, "Rocky Horror" is going to be something out of the ordinary for Manoa Valley Theatre.

"We've totally reconfigured the theater and the stage, as well as the audience (seating). We're going into what we call our 'thrust configuration,' (which) places the main acting area against one of the long walls," he said.

"The set is a two-level set, so actually there will be actors entering from a mystery door ... up on the second level to augment entrances through the audience ... (and) from backstage. It should be very exciting, sort of 'sense-surround,' we hope."

Martin anticipates a good mix in the audience. He invites "Rocky Horror" fans to come in costume but also expects "traditional theatergoers ... who probably haven't been at a participation play like this before."

"But you don't have to do any of these other things to have a good time. It's going to be very entertaining without you having to become a part of the show."