Since it’s premiere in 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has gained a massive cult following, while the culture behind it still remains relatively underground and taboo. And what some might not be aware of is how seriously Rocky culture is for those inside it. Here in Orlando, The Rich Weirdoes reign supreme.
I have been a member of this shadow cast for a little over a year now. But before I was on the cast I was just like every other Virgin, unprepared and completely out of my comfort zone. So I’m here to offer a helping hand. A Dr. Scott’s Refresher Course if you will… *cue intense eye roll from Rocky fans*
First things first, we’ll start with a simple, but important, vocab lesson:
Shadow Cast
A troupe of actors who perform the scenes from the film as it plays on a movie screen behind them. For the Rich Weirdoes, we perform at the AMC Cineplex in CityWalk at Universal Studios. We use the entire theater as our stage. And I mean the ENTIRE theater. The idea of Shadow Casting Rocky Horror is to provide a completely immersive and participatory experience. We will come into the audience and mess with you, so beware!
Virgin
An audience member who has never seen RHPS with a Live Cast. Just watching the film doesn’t count as losing your Rocky Virginity!
Super Virgin
An audience member who has never seen RHPS at all. Not at home. Not the Broadway show. Not the remake that aired on Fox this past year or what they did on Glee a while back. A Super Virgin is coming in totally blind. Your friends probably dragged you here and I’m only kind of sorry.
Tranzie
The Cast Members you’ll meet first. They are typically foul-mouthed freaks in blazers and odd accessories. If you are a Virgin, and they will ask you, they will come at your face with a tube of lipstick. Don’t be alarmed, it’s just for the Virgin Sacrifice… I mean…
AP Lines or Callbacks
AP stands for Audience Participation, which is the soul of this entire performance. These are the lines that the Tranzies and seasoned audience members will yell at the screen. In fact, one callback happens to be “This movie would really suck without Audience Partici----PATION” It’ll make more sense once you see it in action, I promise.
Next up, Prop Bags:
To buy or not to buy; that is the question!
As a Virgin I would absolutely, ABSOLUTELY recommend buying a Prop Bag if they are selling them! Half of the fun of RHPS Live is the audience interactions. These bags are typically filled with things to wear, throw, and blow at specific moments through out the film. What’s allowed all depends on the venue. For the Rich Weirdoes in particular, we aren’t allowed to have any wet props such as water guns, buttered toast, or prunes. In our prop bags you will find the following:
Rice: To throw at Ralph and Betty’s wedding.
Newspaper: To put on your head when Janet get out of their car and into the rain.
Gloves: To snap when Frank-N-Furter snaps his (twice) during his Creation Speech.
Noisemakers: To use along with the Tranzies on screen also during the Creation Speech.
Confetti: To throw along with the Tranzies on screen as Frank and Rocky get married.
Toilet Paper: To throw when Brad says “Great Scott!” after Dr. Scott appears.
Party Hat: To wear during the Dinner Scene when Frank puts on his Party Hat.
Cards: To throw when Frank deals “Cards for Sorrow” and “Cards for Pain” during the song “I’m Going Home”
It’s pretty hard to keep up with if it’s your first time around, but it’s worth the purchase. If you lose track of the cues, it’s okay to throw things a little late or completely zone out and skip some. It’s all about having fun!
Also, The Rich Weirdoes happen to be an all-volunteer cast. Meaning their main source of revenue comes from selling these prop bags. Then, that money goes directly into making more prop bags and buying and restoring costumes and stage props. Not to guilt trip anyone, but if you have an extra five bucks you’d get a bag full of interactive props and you’d be helping our cast be that much better next time you come see us! Basically, help us we’re poor!
And finally, don’t be intimidated!
Don’t be intimidated by anything you might encounter at the Rocky Horror Live. The cast members are wildly over the top. But for the most part, they are all playing a character. Most of us are actually really nice, relatively normal people. We just like to run around in our underwear and scream at a movie screen every once in a while. Totally normal, right?
Also, don’t be intimidated by the film itself. There are a lot of negative connotations that go along with Rocky Horror. But I hope that won’t scare someone away from at least giving it a shot. The live experience is an acquired taste. Witnessing and participating in midnight debauchery isn’t for everyone. If you are easily offended I wouldn’t recommend this particular show. The movie itself is a whirlwind of craziness. A Shadow Cast only increases the insanity. As the Rich Weirdoes like to say, “If we didn’t offend you, we didn’t do our jobs!”
So if you were on the fence about attending a live shadow casting of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, or even just considering sitting down and watching the movie for the first time, I hope that this has helped sway you in the direction you feel most comfortable. We’re raunchy, wild, and a little bit offensive, but we know where to draw the line. More than anything we’re here to have fun and put on a fun show for our audience.
And if you ever find yourself in the Orlando area, looking for the ultimate Rocky Horror Live experience, you can find my cast, The Rich Weirdoes at the AMC Cineplex in CityWalk at Universal Studios every second and fourth weekend of the month all year long!
