‘The Rocky Horror Show’ – Do the ‘Time Warp’ Again?

By Alix Cohen

Like the 1975 film, The Rocky Horror Show is a gleefully outrageous, high-energy musical romp. On their way to visit former high school teacher, Dr. Scott- now a government operative researching UFOs (Harvey Guillen) ,squeaky-clean Brad (Andrew Durand) and Janet (Stephanie Hsu) take refuge in a bizarre castle on a stormy night.

They encounter the flamboyant, mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Luke Evans) and his cohorts including siblings, Magenta (Juliette Lewis) and Riff Raff (Amber Gray), and ex-lover Columbia (Michaela Jae Rodriguez.) All are visitors from the planet Transsexual in the galaxy of Transylvania. The scientist’s latest creation, Rocky is hunky whipped cream.

Note should be taken that at tonight’s performance, Rocky is played by Boy Radio, consistently one of the best things onstage. Radio offers not only the muscular grace of a dancer, but a fine singing voice, terrific comic timing, and an overall sweetness that heartily contributes. Bravo.

What follows is a wild blur of catchy songs, campy chaos, gender-bending antics, and sci-fi absurdity, as innocence collides with unapologetic sexual decadence. It’s less a straightforward story and more a jubilant celebration of rebellion, self-expression, and pure, unfiltered goof.

Manufacturers/creators often stick to proven formulas because success reduces uncertainty—if a product design or branding has already worked, it’s far less risky (and cheaper) to refine it than to gamble on something entirely new. This is why we see more movies turned into musicals than musicals turned into movies.

At Mean Girls, familiar characters were cheered or booed. Be More Chill sold out weeks before the musical opened in New York. Years after its first outing, midnight shows of Rocky Horror provoked dressing and making up to attend. There were some stalwarts in tonight’s audience. Fans adopt familiar personas and learn songs.

When a deadpan narrator, the inimitable Rachel Dratch, intones the story, audience sometimes finishes her sentence. In fact, participation is encouraged. My bet is you’ll enjoy this more having already seen the film or live show.

As Brad, Andrew Durand appears nerdy, sings well, and plays his sex scene with marvelous, droll nuance. Stephanie Hsu seems awkward until Janet breaks out, at which point, she’s appealingly, zealously loose. “Ta-ta-ta-ta-touch me! I wanna be dirty” is euphoric.

Luke Evans’ long locks and mustache makes Frank-N-Furter look like Captain Hook. The lip hair seems especially wrong. Unlike
Tim Curry, Evans projects no femininity, without which bisexuality doesn’t land to much effect. Nor is he sufficiently outrageous
in his adoration and jealousy. Stature is grand, voice is good.

Director Sam Pinkleton herds his wet cats from balconies and stairs, on the floor, in and out of bed. The conceit of ersatz tv channels, here revealing erotic adventures in several bedrooms, hasn’t had such a clever turn since George Burns watched goings on elsewhere in his home. Vaporizing people is cleverly manifest as sparkles while chopping someone up appears as splatters and stuffed body parts. Everything appears softer than the film version.

Ann James (Intimacy Coordinator) manages to keep the piece more suggestive fun than salacious, though several “acts” are vividly glimpsed.

Scenic Design by dots (collective) begins with the theater itself, decorated to its gills in silver vent pipes and green electrics. Frank’s castle is represented by dolls’ house-size, illuminated models. Faceless silver mannequins stand on a balcony. Accompanying a song, their hinged mouths open and close to reveal lime green throats. Some visuals, including stars, are constructed out of obvious aluminum foil. A suspended crescent moon is not your usual romantic transportation.

Lighting (Jane Cox) makes the most of every situation.
Costumes (David I. Reynoso) are imaginative and luxuriously trashy; Hair and Wig Design (Alberto “Albee” Alvarado) a hoot;
Makeup Design (Sterling Tull) particularly great with eyes.

Sound Design (Brian Ronan) is, alas, dreadful. Ninety percent of the lyrics are lost in mud.

Photos by Joan Marcus
Opening: Luke Evans (Frank-N-Furter), Josh Rovera (Rocky)

Roundabout Theatre Company presents
The Rocky Horror Show
Book, Music & Lyrics by Richard O’Brien
Music Direction – Kris Kukul
Choreography -Ani Taj
Directed by Sam Pinkleton
Through July 19, 2026
Studio 54 254 West 54th Street
https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/