The Rocky Horror Picture Blog

Stepping back into the University Theatre of Sac State was a bit of a “Time Warp” in itself! I performed in a few musicals there a while back, with good experiences each time, so I knew I had much to look forward to on this one. The CSUS Theatre Department selected “The Rocky Horror Show” as a purposeful welcoming back to the world of live theatre, having been dark since Fall 2019 along with most other venues. They clearly wanted to dive right back in with a bang (pun intended). Diehard “Rocky” fans who attend should take note: the production sets very clear preferences for its shouted participation, and dirty language and blunt profanity are to be kept at a minimum. A younger Me might have been indignant over such limits on the tradition, but I get it: many attendees are there to support the college, or specific family/friends in the production, without knowing what the show is actually about. Too much unwelcome “participation” could sour the experience for them. In speaking with the ...

Green Valley Theatre has produced “The Rocky Horror Show” in every non-pandemic year since 2009, and this year’s opening night reminded me why theirs is my favorite production out of the bunch, year after year. There’s so much I can say about the overall “Rocky” culture within the company that I would probably need one or two additional posts to flesh it all out. So, I’ll do my best to stay focused on this particular year and save the generalities for another time. Green Valley currently lacks a permanent venue, and this year’s “Rocky” marks the fourth time in as many years that the company has produced it in a different space. This year they were housed by Campus Brewing in West Sacramento, whose warehouse infrastructure made staging a unique challenge. The acting space consists of a catwalk-type thrust stage with some upstage proscenium area, the floor just beyond the catwalk, and extends back to the bar (seamlessly incorporated into some scenes). It is an irritating truth that w...