(Photographed by Editor Alexandra D’Eon)

Editor: Alexandra D’Eon

Email: adeon@umassd.edu 

In my four years as a student at UMass Dartmouth, I have never made it to a Rocky Horror show. Finally, as a senior, I lost my Rocky virginity.

To say I loved it- would be an understatement. When I arrived at the auditorium to buy my ticket, I was asked if it was my first Rocky Horror show, and when I replied that it was, I was given a red V in lipstick on my hand.

As the show began, they called up all of the Rocky “virgins” up stage- which I was not prepared for at all. I and my fellow virgins blew up a red balloon and were asked to pop it between our legs to “pop our Rocky cherry.” Afterward, we were told that all of us would compete in a dance-off to get the chance to be a part of the actual production. 

My poor roommate, whom I had brought to the event, was mortified by this- but I was all for it. 

As a Chappell girly through and through, I danced my heart out to “Hot to Go” and was selected as a finalist. Unfortunately, my dance to “Stacy’s Mom” wasn’t enough for me to get the part in the opening wedding scene, but it was an unforgettable experience.

When the lights went down, our own Torchy, Brian Galindo, took to the stage to perform the opening song “Science Fiction, Double-Feature.” As Brian wrote in his own article about the show last month, Rocky Horror is performed as a “shadow cast” production- which means actors on the stage lip sync along with the movie playing behind them. 

Before this, I had never seen the movie before. The plot of Rocky (if you can call it that) can be a bit confusing, so let me break it down for you.

The movie begins with a wedding scene where the bride exits the church and throws her bouquet. A woman named Janet catches it, which prompts her boyfriend Brad to sing her a song called “Dammit, Janet” and propose to her. Onyx Brightman portrayed Janet, and Evan Withroder played Brad.

Excited by their new engagement, Brad and Janet drive off. During their journey, they get a flat tire, and since this movie takes place in the 70s, there are no cell phones. (Un)fortunately Brad remembers that they passed a castle during their drive and suggests they return to it to call for help. This prompts the Transylvanians in the audience to yell out their call lines, “There’s no phones in castles a**hole!”

After walking back to the castle in the pouring rain, Brad and Janet arrive soaking wet to the mysterious castle where they are greeted by a hunchback man named Riff Raff, who was played by Forrest LaGrone in the UMass production, who tells them that they have arrived on a very special night. 

Brad and Janet are brought into the castle and into a room full of Transylvanians dancing to the “Time Warp.” We are introduced to another main character, Magenta, portrayed by Sav Hart, who is the sister of Riff Raff. Thoroughly freaked out by this, Brad and Janet turn to leave.

However, as they back out of the room, the elevator behind them descends and reveals the star of the show- Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Frank was played by Courtney Sullivan, who gave an incredible performance, perfectly capturing the enigmatic doctor.

Frank comes out of the elevator to perform his first song, “Sweet Transvestite,” and the dramatic reveal of their iconic black lingerie was even better with Courtney acting it out live for us. Frank convinces Brad and Janet to stay the night (while the Transylvanians call Brad an a**hole and Janet a sl*t from the audience), and they are invited upstairs to Frank’s lab.

In the lab, Frank comes back out in a green outfit and reveals their latest “experiment”, which is that they’ve made a man. Frank brings the man to life, and he is christened as Rocky, played by Gina Miller. Rocky is a blonde-haired man in a gold Speedo that Frank created to…relieve their tension.

As the lab scene unfolds, a man (Eddie) bursts through a freezer in the lab on a motorcycle, which was fully acted out for us, with Drexel Perkins, who played Eddie, coming down the aisles of the auditorium on a bicycle. Frank kills Eddie, which sends Magenta into hysterics.

Everyone leaves the lab, and Brad & Janet are brought to separate bedrooms. Frank seduces both of them and afterward, Janet goes back to the lab and sleeps with Rocky. 

And that’s only the first half. 

Rocky Horror is an allegory for queer culture. The journey of Brad and Janet, who started as a typical, conservative couple, symbolizes the process of sexual awakening and liberation. They are seduced into a world where sexuality is fluid and unconventional, representing a release from the constraints of heteronormativity.

By engaging with themes of queerness, hedonism, and nonconformity, Rocky Horror critiques societal standards of “normalcy.” It suggests that what society deems “immoral” or “deviant” can actually be a source of joy, freedom, and authenticity. The characters in the film unabashedly pursue pleasure and reject judgment, turning traditional moral codes on their head.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show uses its characters, story, and setting to allegorize a journey of self-discovery, liberation, and the breaking of oppressive societal standards. It has remained a cult classic because it speaks to themes of authenticity, acceptance, and the celebration of what makes each person unique and unconventional.

If you live on campus or are a commuter from nearby, then I urge you to attend Rocky Horror when it returns to campus next Fall. The members of 20 Cent Fiction work very hard to produce a show where everyone feels welcome and can fully express themselves. They’ve certainly earned their flowers, and I hope that the show continues for years to come.