The Wilma and The Montana Actors’ Theatre are excited to announce The Rocky Horror Show Live! on October 27, 2017.
Seated general admission tickets, as well as Reserved Premium Balcony and Cabaret Tables are available online, at The Top Hat, or by phone at (877) 987-6487.
Bust out your fishnets Missoula, because The Rocky Horror Show LIVE is back for its 6th Year! Yet again, The Montana Actors’ Theatre slathers your Halloween weekend with rockin’ live music, bright lights, skimpy costumes, and more gender-bending fun than you can shake a stick at! Join the costumed and boisterous audience as they sing, dance, and shout “A**hole” along with the amazingly talented local cast. Combining the raw energy of a full-throttle Rock Show with the glitz and glamour of a Broadway Musical, this cult classic has become a Halloween tradition. Reserved and Tabled seating is available, but arrive early to enjoy the pre-show hosted by the Cigarette Girls Burlesque!
Directed by Reid Reimers, this year’s production is going back to the old school, with inspiration from the classic horror films, with a ‘Rocky’ twist of course. Megan Wiltshire leads the boogy as Choreographer, and Musical Direction is by Kirsten Paisley. Many of your favorite cast are returning, including Reimers as Dr. Frank N’ Furter, and Jeff Medley as Riff Raff. There is plenty of fresh blood, as open auditions brought in some amazing new talent from the community.
“This Isn’t Your Grandma’s Theatre”
The Montana Actor’s Theatre production of the The Rocky Horror Show is a different kind of theatrical experience. At most musicals, audiences are expected to sit quietly throughout the show, save for some polite applause. But at Rocky the audience is truly part of the show! They are encouraged to sing and dance to classics like “The Time Warp” and “Sweet Transvestite”, as well as call out to characters and repeat iconic lines. There are even prop bags sold before the production that include items to be used at key parts throughout the show. A quick rundown on participation is given before each performance to ensure everyone gets in on the fun. And if you’ve never been before, you will be invited on stage to participate in the traditional “De-virgination Ceremony” as part of the pre-show extravaganza. Attendees of the midnight shows will see a bit more flesh as well, so please be advised about partial nudity during both late night shows.
But Rocky is not just a raucous party. This fully conceived musical rivals the production value of any show in the region. The sound and lights are state of the art, and the sets and costumes are top notch. While the story is campy and admittedly rather odd, the core of the show remains the amazing performances by the talented local cast. Audience members young and old, sober and otherwise, are swept up into a story full of heart, scandal, and yes, alien transvestites. We follow the naive young couple Brad and Janet on a night out. When their car breaks down, they seek assistance at a nearby castle. But when they meet the castle’s mysterious inhabitants they get more than what they bargained for. It’s a story of the loss of innocence, the perils of indulgence, and asks us to question what is “normal” and where we truly belong.
Most people are familiar with the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Starring Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon, the film sparked a cult following like no other, and to this day remains the longest running film of all time. Though varying slightly from the film-version, the original stage musical The Rocky Horror Show (on which the movie was based) has all the elements people have grown to love, including some songs not included in the movie.
“Quick Production History”
When the Montana Actors’ Theatre first produced the show in October 2009, Rocky Horror was seen as a huge risk. The company had only put on small house productions, focusing on classics and new works. There was consistent concerns that the Havre-based organization might not be able to handle the massive production, and the Wilma had not been a consistent theatre venue for decades. But all fears were forgotten by opening night as a packed house of costumed audience members excitedly rose to do the “Time Warp” with the cast.
Listed as one of the best “Performances of the Decade”, Joe Nickell of the Missoulian hailed it as ““the most daring and biggest event in modern local theater”. He went on to say, “ the show was simply spectacular, with an array of local talent and a glitzy production that equaled anything you’d find in a city 10 times our size.” A Missoula Tradition was born. A 2010 production followed, meeting with similar success and accolades. After a 4-year hiatus, the show was re-staged in 2014, and now continues with its 6th year.
Utilizing local talent, Rocky Horror has featured some of the best known actors in the Missoula theatre scene. Past performers include winners of the Independent’s “Best Local Actor Award” including Jeff Medley, Robin Rose, Howard Kingston and the shows seminal Dr. Frank N’ Furter, Reid Reimers.
Don’t miss this uniquely Missoula experience! And keep up to date on the show by following us on Facebook at Rocky Horror Missoula!
