Campy, raunchy enjoyable in ‘Rocky Horror Show’ at Reston Community Players

Whether your automobile breaks down outdoors a spooky mansion otherwise you simply want a two-hour escape from the cares of recent horrors and headlines, Reston Community Players embraces the wild, bizarre, and fantastic world of mayhem, insanity, intercourse, rock and roll, and a lot extra, bringing the cult favourite musical The Rocky Horror Show again for the spooky season.

There is a brand new, crispy fall really feel to the air outdoors lately, however issues are hotter than an electrically charged mad scientist’s laboratory contained in the Leila Gordon Theatre on the Reston Community Center.

Even earlier than curtain time, sexily clad ensemble members roam the home, teasing and taunting open-minded viewers members to jump-start the expertise. Is {that a} drag queen with a two-foot-tall hairdo? Check! Savvy followers of native drag performer Anja Dick (or his alter ego, Ryan Kincade) can be pleasantly stunned.

Not feeling like being messed with or touched? They have you ever coated: seize a set of pink beads, and the “phantoms” and different solid members will move you by.

For anybody recreation for some good-natured and naughty enjoyable, chances are you’ll simply discover your comfortable place at this present. Extroverts and get together people, this present is tailored for you. Fueled by the legend and lore of the 1975 movie model, which turned a midnight-showing cult phenomenon, this Rocky Horror stage present embraces lots of the traditions from the image present. The manufacturing extremely encourages viewers participation, particularly the call-outs. (The theater sells goodie luggage with a number of accepted props to make use of and throw, however no toast, frankfurters, rice, confetti, or water weapons.)

On one Sunday matinee, the viewers was stuffed with Rocky Horror super-fans and probably even a number of “plants”; there have been new interjections that talked about Lionel Ritchie and even Elon Musk! These call-outs, outdated and new, will doubtless change relying on the precise efficiency. But that is the sort of present that lends itself to a second or perhaps a third go to, following the cult standing.

Super-duper followers and people for whom Halloween is the “most wonderful time of the year,” RCP has you coated: At no further cost in the course of the Friday, October 31 efficiency, the courageous and the daring can take pleasure in The Rocky Horror Halloween Extravaganza, full with prizes and a fancy dress contest, that includes Witti Repartee, drag queen extraordinaire. Register by 7:40 pm, judging begins at 8 pm, and the musical kicks off at 8:15 pm.

Atmosphere? Audience participation? All set. But what in regards to the present itself? Whether you’re a Rocky Horror Show virgin or weirdo from approach again, this manufacturing has one thing for everybody, each creature, and the whole lot in between.

Director Liz Colandene and choreographer Kendall Mostafavi have arrange an ideal stormy evening of a present, tipping their hats to memorable moments from the movie and honoring the simplicity of the stage present whereas including their very own progressive components. “The Time Warp” fills the stage with pleasure and vitality with the signature strikes intact.

Just in case that is all new to a reader of this assessment: The Rocky Horror Show is a horror, sci-fi spoof that additionally makes use of the tropes of Nineteen Fifties and ’60s musicals to inform the story of a hapless couple, Brad and Janet, who stumble onto an outdated fort with a loopy get together occurring presided over by the diva-tastic “candy transvestite from Transexual Transylvania,’ Dr. Frank N. Furter, and his retinue of unusual and weird servants, friends, and victims. Richard O’Brien created the present within the custom of Meredith Willson’s The Music Man, or Rupert Holmes’ Drood — actor O’Brien wrote the e-book, music, and lyrics, a mélange of pastiche numbers that transfer the plot by inches however present ample alternatives for the solid to shine and take the highlight.

As the “phantoms,” members of the ensemble, flow into and head to the stage, the lights dim, and Ryan Kincade, dolled up as his Anja Dick drag persona, serves because the usherette, Trixie, setting the tone of the wild and wacky evening of nostalgia, ecstasy, and betrayal, “Science Fiction, Double Feature.” Clips from the ’50s period, black-and-white sci-fi and horror flicks, spotlight the opening quantity.

When we’re launched to Brad (“bastard”) and Janet (“sl*t”), Cristian Bustillos and Lottye Lockhart inhabit the roles of the relationship couple who quickly turn into victims of Frank N. Furter’s attractive and harmful world. Their duet, “Dammit, Janet,” units up their sexually repressed relationship. Later, when she is ready to lower unfastened with Dr. Frank’s good bodily creation Rocky (“Bullwinkle!”), Lockhart is ready to belt out “Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me” with a robust vocal instrument, all whereas being touch-a, touch-a, touched.

As Frank’s right-hand lackey and in the end conniving servant, Riff Raff, Steve Cairns brings the seedy creepiness and rock tenor voice that raises the roof in his numbers, particularly “The Time Warp.” As Magenta, henchwoman to the evil sidekick, Leah Chiaverini matches Cairns with malicious intention. They are joined by the tap-dancing pixie Columbia, performed with cutesy weirdness by Hannah Conradt.

With all of the henchmen and phantoms in place, in addition to the harmless bystanders, how in regards to the host and mad scientist with the unbridled libido and merciless streak, Dr. Frank? Making his entrance striding down the middle aisle like all the theater was his to personal, Eric Morris instructions the stage from his first withering look to his superb loss of life scene within the “final reel.” Nearly everybody is aware of how Tim Curry turned a legend taking part in Frank within the 1975 movement image. Not to take something away from Curry, however Morris makes the position his — and her — personal, proudly owning the black corset, fishnets, and fabulously styled black wig. Switching from a purr to a snarl, from wounded chicken to vicious villain, Dr. Frank suits Morris like a glove. His tackle Frank’s signature music “Sweet Transvestite” is a spotlight, and he makes it his personal.

Morris reveals a unique aspect of Frank’s persona as he extols the virtues of his manly creation — suppose Frankenstein’s creature however made for Chippendale’s.

The apple of Frank’s eye, Rocky is delivered to life — actually — by Jonathan Hardin, who will not be solely a bodily specimen however a robust vocalist, shining throughout “The Sword of Damocles,” close to the tip of Act One.

The first act closes when Columbia’s former boyfriend, Eddie, emerges from a freezer, now a zombie decided to save lots of his paramour, singing “Hot Patootie” like a rock and roll idol. Doubling down on the gender fluidity of the manufacturing, Paulina Stehr cuts a dashing determine as Eddie, taking part in it within the custom of a drag king. Stehr makes probably the most of Eddie’s transient and in the end tragic scene.

Later, Stehr rolls out, now as Brad and Janet’s paraplegic science tutor, Dr. Everett Scott, sporting a big mustache. Rounding out the solid, Javier Buentello is dashing and campy because the narrator. Along with Ryan Kincade as Trixie, Syd Austin, Melissa Dyer, Jeffrey Mouritzen, and Haley Viar make up the phantoms — the friends and members of the ensemble. Each one embraces the attractive and free world of the musical.

The solid is aided of their libidinous and lasciviousness by the costumes, credited to Lourdes Turnblom, Jared Foeppel, and Allie Zito. Their designs are playful, sensual, and honor the traditions of the movie and the present. Special point out to ensemble member Kincade, who additionally offered the wig and hair design of untamed and fantastic appears.

Last however actually not least, David Weinraub’s onstage band actually rocks the home from begin to end. Credited in this system as The Impalers (a mysterious rock band from Eastern Europe, with a complete hilarious backstory), the band handles every quantity with fashion. Weinraub (keyboards), David Smigielski (guitar), Christopher Willett (bass), Tito Perez (drums), and Dana Gardner (saxophones) make stunning music collectively.

During this time of Spirit Halloween shops, pumpkin-spiced the whole lot, and preparations for trick-or-treating, The Rocky Horror Show is one other grand custom of this time of 12 months. RCP brings the unusual and weird characters to life with verve and wild abandon — an ideal match for O’Brien’s distinctive creation.

In a world the place some factions preserve making an attempt to silence and push out the true range of humanity, a musical that embraces each sort of gender id, pushes intercourse positivity, and celebrates the message of “Don’t dream it, be it” is as proper for the instances now because it was within the early Nineteen Seventies. Probably much more so.

Running Time: Two hours with one 15-minute intermission.

Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show performs by November 1, 2025, offered by Reston Community Players, performing within the Leila Gordon Theatre on the Reston Community Center, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston, VA. Showtimes are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM, and Sundays at 2:00 PM. Reserved seating ticket costs are $26–$31. Purchase tickets online.

The program is on-line here.

Content Warning: Sexual themes, horror film violence, and language. “The 1975 film based on this musical is rated R.”

Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
By Richard O’Brien
Directed by Liz Colandene

CAST
Trixie (Usherette): Ryan Kincaid
Brad: Cristian Bustillos
Janet: Lottye Lockhart
The Narrator: Javier Buentello
Riff Raff: Steve Cairns
Magenta: Leah Chiaverini
Columbia: Hannah Conradt
Dr. Frank N. Furter: Eric Morris
Rocky: Jonathan Hardin
Eddie/Dr. Scott: Paulina Stehr
Phantoms: Syd Austin, Melissa Dyer, Ryan Kincade, Jeffrey Mouritzen, Haley Viar

CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION
Producer: Jocelyn Steiner
Music Director: David Weinraub
Choreographer: Kendall Mostafavi
Production Stage Manager: Anthony Pohl
Lighting Design: Kim Crago and Jeff Auerbach
Costume Design: Lourdes Turnblom, Jared Foeppel, Allie Zito
Sound Design: Andie Matten
Set Design: Anna Mintz
Set Decoration and Properties Design: Natalie Foley
Technical Director: Dan Widerski