The University of Lethbridge is going to help you get freaky for Halloween with their production of the Rocky Horror Show.
“This is like a New West revue show on steroids,” described actor Devon Brayne, who plays the newly engaged Brad with his own real-life fiancee Jocelyn Haub, who plays his fiancee Janet in the production.
The 1973 Richard O’ Brien penned British musical which inspired the 1975 cult hit movie “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” runs at the University Theatre, Oct. 16-20 at 8 p.m. every night with a special midnight show, Oct. 19.
Director Jay Whitehead has been planning this show for about a year. He wanted to work with musical director Bente Hansen, who was happy to get on board.
“I knew I was doing a show in October and I knew I wanted to collaborate with (musical director) Bente Hansen. And it’s Halloween, so what better show to put on than the Rocky Horror show,” Whitehead enthused.
Whitehead who has worked with Hansen in a variety of capacities including several New West Theatre productions also enlisted a couple other New West Theatre veterans for the show including newly engaged couple Jocelyn Haub and Devon Brayne, who play the newly engaged couple Janet and Brad.
“That wasn’t why I cast them though,” he said.
The couple’s car breaks down en route to visiting an old friend. They run into a unique group of characters.
“It’s about a newly engaged couple, Janet and Brad, who are going to visit their friend Dr. Scott, but their car breaks down. They find a castle and meet Dr Frank ’N Furter who is building a creature when the weirdness ensues for them,” Whiltehead summarized.
“The movie is pretty true to the original musical though there are a couple extra songs in the musical,” Whitehead said.
“We’ve set it in the middle of the ’80s new wave and punk movement. So it’s just wonderful,” Whitehead said.
Devon Brayne is enjoying acting with his fiance in their productions, though he has performed several times with Haub in New West productions.
“It’s always a lot of fun (performing with Jocelyn Haub). It’s great. We get to play larger than life versions of ourselves,” he said.
“It is quite similar, just more mature,” he described.
The cast includes 20 actors plus a six piece band playing the music in the rafters, which Hansen is controlling through a series of ear placed microphones.
Hansen is excited about working with Jay Whitehead.
“He’s so talented,” she enthused adding they complement each other very much.
“It’s been pretty sweet. Both of us are so enthusiastic, we hope we bring that to the cast,” she said.
“And when either of us get bitchy, which happens sometimes, we balance each other out,” she said.
She also loves working with the band. All of them are students and have embraced the ’60s and ’70s style music in the show.
“It’s got a lot of the music that was happening from about 19612 to the 1970s. There’s some country, there’s some doo wop, there’s some raunchy blues like Muddy Waters. He (Richard O Brien who wrote the music for the show) has really encapsulated those years,” she said.
The band has been ambitious as well.
“They didn’t like the original overture, so they got a CD of the newer Broadway production and learned it. But other than that the music is the same,” Hansen said.
While audiences tend to bring their own props to throw at the screen during screenings of the movie, they aren’t allowed to bring their own to the musical, though kits will be for sale for five dollars in the lobby.
“No fluid, no food and no fire,” said Whitehead. Visitors are encouraged to come dressed as their favourite characters.
Special guests will be appearing each night.
Tickets are now on sale at the U of L Box Office, Monday – Friday (12:30 pm – 3:30 pm) or by calling (403) 329-2616. Tickets are $15 regular, $10 students/seniors. Mature content.
Showtime is 8 p.m. each night, except on Friday when show times are 7 p.m. and midnight.
