Central Florida by Matthew MacDermid

Revitalized Rocky Horror at Theatre Downtown makes for campy delight

The Rocky Horror Show , which paved the way for the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show , has come back to the Central Florida area in a high energy, freshly approached production directed and designed by Seth Kubersky. The Richard O'Brien musical has been given the "raw" treatment, with the sex and camp fully in your face in Theatre Downtown's intimate thrust space. Featuring a great deal of remarkable talent, this Rocky Horror will indeed make you blush - but that's part of the fun!

Anyone who has seen the movie can attest to the campy nature of the musical, which involves a transvestite scientist and his minions from another world. The film has emerged as a cult classic, with midnight movie showings involving messy audience participation. While the musical live encourages audience participation (Theatre Downtown is even selling audience participation kits), the audience at the performance attended seemed to be apprehensive about joining in on the expected fun. Maybe there are theatregoers who still have manners. However, even if you do refrain from putting a newspaper over your head in the rain or from calling the heroine a slut each time she's introduced, you're sure to enjoy this vampish, sexy incarnation that plays through November 6th.

On top of Kubersky's extremely slick design (assisted by Douglas E. Huston) involving multimedia and a set of moving platforms, his staging is very exciting and fresh - with actors portraying seat belts, doors, and other inanimate objects without being overly redundant or cliché. Mike Rau's exciting lighting, matched by the costume design of Fran Hilgenberg and MaeLi Creations, add to a visual effect that is consistently appealing and eye catching. The choreography of Jodi Thomas is erotically charged movement performed with tireless aplomb by the entire company.

The cast is mostly exceptional, led by the dynamite John DiDonna, whose Dr. Frank N. Furter is a powerful presence, played with great humor and experience. Matthew Trahan is a perfectly smarmy Brad, and Sarah French is a marvelous Janet, making the transition from naive fiancee to sex-starved vixen more believable than many who have come before her. Stephen French and Natalie Kuritzky have the best sets of pipes in the production, and use them to blow the roof off the joint as Riff Raff and Magenta. And Andrew Springer is slightly more than a gorgeous body and face in the role of Rocky Horror - his gentle beast is likeable and sexy.

Most successful, however, is Jeff Lindberg as Simon Lock, the narrator for the proceedings. Lindberg's narrator is delectably dishy and eloquently spoken, performed with a knowing glance and tongue pressed firmly (and permanently) in his cheek. Add to that a group of nine singing and dancing phantoms who occasionally walk on glass and swallow fire, to make for a really remarkable presentation of a classic musical.

The Rocky Horror Show plays October 28th, 31st, and November 4th at 8 PM and October 29th, 30th, and November 5th and 6th at 11 PM at Theatre Downtown. Tickets are $18.00 and are available for reservation by visiting www.theatredowntown.net or calling (407) 841-0083. The Rocky Horror Show includes strong language and sexual content - viewer discretion is advised.

The Cast:
Magenta/Usherette - Natalie Kuritzky
Columbia/Usherette - Katrina Johnson
Brad Majors - Matthew Trahan
Janet Weiss - Sarah French
Simon Lock, The Narrator - Jeff L. Lindberg
Riff Raff - Stephen French
Dr. Frank N. Furter - John DiDonna
Rocky Horror - Andrew Springer
Eddie/Dr. Everett V. Scott - Ward Ferguson
The Guitarist - Steve Schneider
Phantom Verge - Todd Davis
Phantom Trixie - Tyler Garr
Phantom Victor - Josh Geoghagan
Phantom Chloe - April Goins
Phantom Iris - Tammy Goode
Phantom Julie - Jenny Kenitzer
Phantom Turbo - Elton Litzner
Phantom Kandi - Amanda Stacy
Phantom Lili - Jenn Wood
Special Appearance by David Bass

- Matthew MacDermid