It’s 3:17 in the morning. The jukebox in the corner of the Waffle House plays softly, adding to the song created by the sizzling griddle and the hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. A truck driver shifts in his seat and asks for another cup of coffee. There is no time in this place, only the smell of bacon and maple syrup. Of a sudden, the door swings open and a group walks in. Teenagers and adults alike chatter as they push tables together and pour over the menu. They are entirely too energetic for so early on a Saturday and clad in fishnets, high heels, and a rainbow of lipstick colors.
In 2010, Glee premiered the 5th episode of its second season, entitled: “The Rocky Horror Glee Show”. I am 12, sitting spellbound on the living room floor, being introduced to the rock n roll musical for the first time. It was everything I loved- musical theatre, outrageous characters, and the dark humor of the iconic Tim Curry. Despite the show’s PG-13 humor, the original flick is rated R, and both my parents shot down my eager request to see it.
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Nearly seven years later, the ticket for my 25th midnight showing of the horror rock musical was passed over the counter. Since I first saw the ruby red lips of Patricia Quinn appear on the big screen at the Evergreen Theater, I fell in love with the over-the-top acting, music, and the incredibly talented Absent Friends, that performed as a shadow cast.
But above all, the best part of the Rocky Horror Picture Show is the audience participation. I’ve never been to a another movie that encouraged the viewers to dress up, yell at the characters on screen, and throw things around the theater. A good thing too, because from a cinematic standpoint: Rocky Horror is a bad movie. It’s campy, with offbeat humor, and the story is harder to follow than a toddler on a sugar-high. But the fans took Richard O'Brien's creation and made it their own. Their devotion has ensured that the show survived the test of time- and one disastrous sequel.
Both the Broadway show and the movie owe much of their success to the 1970’s emerging LGBT community. The unapologetic look at sexuality, individuality, and the gender binary made the characters emblems of free expression. Society’s growing acceptance of these once taboo subjects is one of the biggest reasons that Fox rebooted the movie as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again” as a live TV musical, starring Laverne Cox as Frank N Furter- originally played by Tim Curry.
However, the new show wasn’t a hit with long time fans, scoring a mere 29% on Rotten Tomatoes. But why? Is it because the classic rock songs didn’t translate to a more modern style? Or maybe because it was directed by Kenny Ortega, best known for making High School Musical?
In all honesty, I don’t believe it was either of those things. The reason Fox’s attempt to put Rocky Horror in the spotlight fell flat wasn’t because the show is too strange for mainstream media, but that it doesn’t need mainstream media to be successful. It has existed in underground theaters, passed down from generation to generation for over four decades. It is a true original- often imitated but never duplicated, and fueled by a fanbase that doesn’t want or need approval from the outside world. It's a collection of ordinary people who decide to show their beautiful, uncensored selves to the world- if only for a few hours.
Gay or straight, black or white, Rocky Horror is a community where guys, gals, and non-binary pals can be anything- as long as they’ve got a corset and a good set of sequined heels. It’s a place that I know I will be accepted for whoever and whatever I decide to be in life, even if the waitress at Waffle House doesn’t quite understand why I decided to come in wearing a maid costume at three in the morning.
Haven’t seen the show? Then check out the original trailer- and try to find a show near you. And remember- “Don’t dream it, be it!”
