13 Oct Tride Theatre & Palm: “Rocky Horror,” Celebrating 50 Years of Weird!, 10/24!
ROCKY HORROR is back! In honor of the cult classic’s 50th Anniversary, Telluride Theatre is doing an encore Shadow Cast performance of this iconic rock-n-roll musical. “Don’t dream it… be it.”
In the age-old tradition of Rocky Horror, local actors lip-sync the movie onstage as it plays on the big screen!
Party starts at 7:00 p.m.
Movie starts at 8:00 p.m.
Pre-show party: Join Telluride Theatre before the movie for games, prizes, and drinks! The bar will be open for this event.
GA Tickets are $30 ($35 at the door); VIP Tables (seats 4 people) are available starting at $250. For ages 18+ only. To learn more, visit www.telluridetheatre.org.
Scroll down to watch a “Rocky” trailer and a preview of the Telluride show in photos.
Go here for more about Telluride Theatre.
Go here for more on Palm Arts.
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” a sci-fi rock-n-roll musical, premiered on September 26, 1975. Based on Richard O’Brien’s stage musical, the movie was quite groundbreaking for its time. Using low-budget classic sci-fi films as inspiration, the story features a cast of queer, cross-dressing characters – particularly, an ensemble of aliens from the planet Transexual, within the galaxy of Transylvania. Throughout the film, these characters engage in all sorts of risque shenanigans, corrupting the “pure” and “innocent” Brad and Janet.
Although the film flopped on its initial release, it garnered a devoted group of fans who turned it into a “cult classic.” Fifty years later, “Rocky Horror” evolved into an annual tradition for theaters around the world to screen – especially in October, in the weeks leading up to Halloween. Hit songs from the musical include “The Time Warp,” “Dammit Janet,” and “Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul.”
Late-night screenings of “Rocky Horror” introduced the concept of the “Shadow Cast,” which sees actors perform and lip-sync the film while it plays on the big screen behind them. The first documented Shadow Cast was in 1977 in Los Angeles.
These screenings featured “Midnight Madness,” which encourages audience interaction during the film. Midnight Madness includes raunchy call-and-response, heckling, singing-along, and the use of props: squirt guns, playing cards, rubber gloves, and more.
In 2013, Telluride Theatre and Palm Arts brought their Rocky Horror Shadow Cast to Telluride. Local actors took to the stage, donning fishnets, wigs and detailed costumes, while the audience laughed, heckled, and sang along from their Palm Theater seats. Since then, “Rocky Horror” has become a bi-annual tradition at The Palm and a major fundraiser for both nonprofits.
Sasha Cucciniello directs “Rocky Horror” Shadow Cast this year:
“I grew up with ROCKY HORROR and just love it with every ounce of my being. This movie opened my eyes to so much. It is fun. It is freaky. It is out there… It celebrates self-expression and letting your freak-flag-fly. It resonates with people because of the message ‘don’t dream it, be it.’ I encourage everyone to come and be a part of this off-season magic – and to keep telluride weird.”
This year, the iconic role of Dr. Frank-n-Furter, originally made famous by Tim Curry, is being played by Meghan Knowles:
“I’ve seen the shadow cast four times. I love [Rocky Horror’s] encouragement of being unabashedly yourself, and being weird, and freaky, and kinky – not being ashamed of that, you know? Everybody comes together and embraces the madness. And, as a queer person, the gender-bending stuff is so much fun.”
TELLURIDE THEATRE is committed to advancing the performing arts in our region through innovative productions, education programs and community involvement. The nonprofit creates theatre that lives in moments of truthful human connection, promotes joyful celebration and is an open dialogue, accessible to all audiences.
Learn more at telluridetheatre.org.
PALM ARTS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is home to a beloved community theatre in Telluride, Colorado. The venue delights audiences with a diverse array of performing arts including dance, theatre, opera, film, and more. Palm Arts serves as a vibrant hub for artistic expression and collaboration, enriching the local community with a year-round calendar of events.
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