Rocky Horror Show

Playhouse on the Square is currently producing The Rocky Horror Show with the absolutely freakin' amazing Jerre Dye as Frank-n-furter. If you are within a day's drive of Memphis, run, do not walk, to see this production.

I grew up with the movie version. My more adventurous sister was in the live local cast that acted it out underneath the screen every Friday at midnight when we were in high school, so I spent some time there with Tim Curry et al. 

Much as I love Tim in that role, Jerre is jaw dropping. He manages to completely make a cult classic his own, which seems like it would be intimidating, and he beautifully shows the instability and mercurial changes of the character. He is funny and heartbreaking and totally rocks his corsets.

The cast as a whole is marvelous, and the choreography and physicality are much more complex than in the movie. I also loved the Greek chorus effect of the ever-present Transylvanians.

The show begins before the curtain with the chorus as zombie ushers roaming around in the "abandoned theater" the show takes place in. They dance creakily in the aisles, interact with the audience, occasionally sit in laps.

At right is my only sketch from my first viewing of the show, when I went with friends. Last night I went back to sketch more seriously.

They did an absolutely beautiful job with the opening and closing song "Science Fiction Double Feature," which I came home still singing and dancing to in my kitchen, which greatly confused my dog.

Ok, I'm a total fan girl, but I just have to say it again. JERRE DYE.

I was drawing quickly with just the light from the stage, light sometimes brighter than at other times, so there are some smudges and whatnot that happened. And drawing people is never my strength at the best of times, but I had fun trying.

I was too pumped to go to bed immediately after I got home, and there was a gorgeous moon rising outside my window, so I did one more page before I went to bed.