In April 1993, I took my first step into the world of Rocky Horror.

I went with three high school friends to see a midnight screening and shadow cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the State Theatre in Ann Arbor.

Upon arrival at the theatre, I was greeted by one of the shadow-cast actors fully dressed in her costume. She walked over to me and asked, “Are you a virgin?”

Somewhat taken aback, I asked, “Who wants to know?”

The actor just laughed and said, “You’re my very special virgin.”

Being a naïve, clueless teen and new to Rocky Horror, I didn’t get the reference at first. I thought the actor was nosy and wondered why she asked me such a personal question.

Her question didn’t click with me, though, until the start of the show. As the emcee, she made some announcements and invited me to join her on stage as the “Very Special Virgin.”

Once I got on stage, she wrote the initials “VSV” on my forehead in red lipstick. Her comical reference meant I was new to seeing a Rocky Horror screening and shadow cast—and well—not what I had originally thought.

Highly embarrassed, but being a good sport, I went along with it. My friends roared with laughter that night, and I have never lived it down—and for good reason!

In hindsight, it was hysterical, and it helped me develop a fondness for anything Rocky Horror. After that, I returned to the State Theatre for more screenings and shadow casts of the cult film, but didn’t have to carry the “Very Special Virgin” title anymore.

Now, over 30 years later, I still appreciate Rocky Horror’s enduring legacy, whether it’s on the screen or the stage, and its timeless celebration of queer culture.

Much to my joy, I was excited to see that Eastern Michigan University Theatre is doing a stage production of The Rocky Horror Show—the original musical comedy by Richard O’Brien—at the Legacy Theatre from February 14-16.

“A lot of [the cast] went to things in high school, just like [director] Phil [Simmons] and I did,” said Ryan Lewis, the production’s musical director and an EMU School of Music & Dance lecturer and musical theater accompanist.

“I think they were so excited when we announced the season last year because everyone loves Rocky Horror. Somehow, it’s been a cultural [phenomenon] since it opened in ‘73—it just keeps going.”

Fifty-two years ago, the campy musical comedy premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in London and made its American debut at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles in March 1974.

The Rocky Horror Show also spawned the cult film, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, in August 1975 and featured actor Tim Curry reprising his stage role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. O’Brien also wrote the screenplay for the film and starred as Riff Raff.

Serving as a comedic tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the ‘30s to ‘60s, the musical revolves around naïve sweethearts Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, who are traveling to visit their former science teacher.

They experience car trouble along the way and stumble upon the eerie home of Frank-N-Furter.

Trapped inside with strange, scantily clad Transylvanians, Brad and Janet find themselves at the mercy of Frank-N-Furter and his motley crew.

Their lives and libidos are never the same after a stormy, sexy night when impulses are followed, secrets are revealed, and lessons are learned.

“It is a period piece, but it’s kind of like an island in the sense that it can be timeless. It doesn’t have to be ‘70s because it’s also referencing the ‘50s and ‘60s,” said Lewis, who previously did a production of The Rocky Horror Show with Phil Simmons over a decade ago.

“It’s from the ‘70s, but it’s like a throwback to that time, too. It’s being planted in the ‘50s and early ‘60s with the ‘70s mentality of things and that spin on B movies and the horror genre.”

While it’s the film’s 50th anniversary this year, that’s not the main reason why Simmons and Lewis decided to do another stage production of The Rocky Horror Show this season.

“It’s a pure coincidence,” said Simmons, the production’s director and a professor and director of musical theater in EMU’s Department of Communication, Media & Theatre Arts and School of Music & Dance.  

“For Ryan and me lately, our mantra has been: ‘Can’t we just do something happy? Can’t we do something fun because of all the crazy in the world?’ And we said, ‘Yeah, Rocky!’ Plus, it’s a rare opportunity for the students, and we thought there were so many pluses to doing it.”

Some of those pluses include updates and changes to the stage production, whether it's new songs or character modifications.

“Even since the last time we did it, a few things have changed in the script—not the plot or anything—but just the arrangement and the cutting of a few things,” Simmons said.

“Brad has a whole new song that’s right [near] Janet’s ‘Toucha, Toucha, Touch Me.’ It’s his time to say, ‘I just wanted to be a good guy. Can’t something happen for the good guy?’ … and that’s the main message.”

Another character update involves splitting the part of Dr. Everett Scott (Levi Greunke) and Eddie (Abbey Byrne) into two separate roles. Both actors are part of the show’s ensemble as well.

“This cast is so different from last time. The guy who’s playing Dr. Scott … he’s so funny. Hearing him do that ridiculous musical theater German accent is hilarious,” Simmons said.

“And we’ve cast Eddie as female. Wow, can she sing! She belongs to a rock band, and she’s a music performance major.”

EMU Theatre also features a new format for The Rocky Horror Show and other productions this season. There’s one only weekend of shows with performances from Friday, February 14 to Sunday, February 16.

For the shows, EMU Theatre is partnering with the school’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Resource Center and Campus Life.

“We’re thrilled about collaborating and partnering with the LGBT Resource Center ... [and] there's also a talk that ties things into the queer community,” Simmons said.

The LGBT Resource Center also will feature informational materials in the Legacy Theatre’s lobby during the show’s run and host a preshow talk about the history and LGBT significance of the show on February 16 before the 2 pm performance.

In addition to its subject matter, another key element of The Rocky Horror Show includes audience participation. Attendees will be able to purchase participation kits filled with small props before each performance.

They’re encouraged to use the props, wear costumes, shout out lines, and do the infamous “Time Warp” dance along with the cast during each performance.

“I’m excited for the first ‘Time Warp’ with an audience,” Lewis said. “It’s going to be one of those very electric and magical moments with everybody in there.”

In preparation for the show, Lewis and Simmons also coached the cast on performing before an interactive audience. They brought Lauren Montgomery of the Michigan Rocky Horror Preservation Society to help the cast during rehearsals.

“She’s played every role in the cast the last two or three decades. She [chatted] with the cast … so they could make connections,” Simmons said.

“When we [were] in dress rehearsal—because she knows every callback script—she sat in the audience and yelled every possible thing so they could get the sense of the audience’s participation. None of them have ever been in an audience participation show like this before.”

With an eclectic cast, the three leads, Frank-N-Furter (Gary Zelley), Brad Majors (Dylan Benson), and Janet Weiss (Frankie Cramer), have made those iconic characters their own.

“Gary can do outrageous, over-the-top kind of characters … and that was intriguing to do something like that for Frank-N-Furter. Gary is hungry for all that.

“[Dylan is] a very mild-mannered person in real life, and I feel like that translates well to a Brad character, especially being thrown into this crazy situation.

“He’s a great singer and performer on top of all that as is Frankie Cramer. She brings that sweet innocence that is Janet to it,” Lewis said.

Alongside preparing for their roles, the cast fine-tuned their dance moves and vocal abilities to bring The Rocky Horror Show’s memorable scenes and songs to life.

“I had them do homework and find five different locomotor moves. They could also make up five different locomotor moves because all these songs are long and they repeat,” said Simmons, who oversees the production’s choreography and partners with intimacy/sensitivity choreographer Jen Pan and assistant director Adam Weissman.

“They all got to show the five that they researched, and that gave me 30 moves to pick from. I come in with the basic stuff, and then as filler in between them, I’d say, ‘Here’s where Brookelyn Hannah’s move goes, here’s where Siri Quist’s move goes, and let’s do Gavin [Miller’s] move for the end of this phrase.’”

The fluid dance moves also will inject newfound vivacity into the production’s most notable songs, including “Science Fiction/Double Feature,” “Sweet Transvestite,” “Time Warp,” “Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul),” “Toucha, Toucha, Touch Me,” and others.

“They’re making the music work for them … so they have their own spin on it,” Lewis said. “They have their own angles on things, and they’re living in that music and bringing it to life through their own avenues.”

Finally, the cast will adorn vibrant makeup, wigs, and costumes while performing on a castle and lab-inspired set.

“The ensemble is super-great—they sound amazing,” Lewis said. “There’s the ‘50s doo-wop background singing that filters into the musical theater world of background singing. The band is kick-ass and gonna be great, too. It will be a great show.”

Lori Stratton is a library technician, writer for Pulp, and writer and editor of strattonsetlist.com.

“The Rocky Horror Show” runs Thursday, February 13 at 7 pm; Friday, February 14 at 7 pm; Saturday, February 15 at 5 pm and 10 pm; and Sunday, February 16 at 2 pm and 7 pm at the Legacy Theatre. The theatre is located in the Judy Sturgis Hill Building, 1030 East Circle Drive, Ypsilanti. For tickets, visit the Legacy Theatre’s website. Suggested for mature audiences only.