Monday, June 18, 2012

The Rocky Horror Show ROCKS Newark!


The Chapel Street Players' (CSP) 49th FUNdraiser production is the horror-comedy midnight musical, The Rocky Horror Show. Richard O'Brien's cult classic camp fest is about two conservative lovebirds (Brad Majors and Janet Weiss) who get entangled with a group of out-of-this-world freaks, led by the self-proclaimed sweet transvestite Dr. Frank N' Furter.

After leaving their friends' wedding, Brad decides to pop the question to Janet. After she accepts his marriage proposal, the two decide to visit Dr. Scott, the man (or in this production, woman) who introduced them in his science class. On their way, a flat tire cuts their journey short, and they walk to an ominous castle for assistance. Greeted by Riff Raff, the menacing butler, the two ultra-conservative lovers are then led through the spooky castle and its array of weirdo servants/inhabitants (Riff Raff's sister Magenta, the brokenhearted Colombia, and the Usher and Usherette) and through the classic audience-participation number - "The Time Warp" - before meeting the nefarious master of the house.

Afterward, Frank N' Furter appears and asks the couple to be his guests as he reveals his latest creation - a boy toy Adonis for his carnal pleasures. Unable to escape, Brad and Janet stay - and begin to question their traditional values regarding sex and love - and even take part in some of the evening's shenanigans.

Andrew John Mitchell directs this amazing production with a tight hand, something this show needs otherwise it could become total chaos. He has assembled a fantastic cast (Michael Parillo as Frank N' Furter, Justin Walsh as Brad, Caitlin E. Adams as Janet, Thomas Russell as Riff Raff; Lucy Marie Smith as Magenta; Laura Dunbar as Colombia; Dennis Conner as the creature (Rocky); Renee G. O'Leary, the only cast member to appear in every CSP FUNdraiser production, as Dr. Scott; Brett Pearson as Colombia's love interest and Frank N' Furter's foe, Eddie; A.J. LoPorto as the Usher; and Suzanne Stein as the Usherette.  Ms. Stein also finely choreographed the production. This cast ROCKS CSP! Even if the show was bad, which it's not, the price of admission would be well worth seeing Ms. O'Leary's costume at the end of the second-act. Everyone in the Delaware theater community knows that she is a great performer, but in this production she also proves she's a real "trouper."

The cast brings the musical to life on a spectacular multipurpose set by Christina Bartley. The set evokes a grand movie palace, with a mad scientist's laboratory.
The Rocky Horror Show ends June 23. Get your tickets now, because you don't want to miss this FUN! Also, take an extra $5.00 with you, so you can buy a goody-bag with all the items you need to participate in the show; besides throwing the goody-bag's items, don't be surprised if audience members are shouting comments during the show. All you ROCKY "non-virgins" know what I'm talking about! For information and tickets, visit www.chapelstreetplayers.org or call 302.368.2248.

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