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‘Rocky Horror’ is one of Clear Space’s best; audience to participate Aug. 11

July 30, 2018

Andrew Cuccaro, who stars as Dr. Frank N. Furter, the mad alien transvestite scientist, makes audiences quiver with anticipation as he diabolically leads the cast of the brilliant and outrageously conceived "Rocky Horror Show," now playing on the Avenue of the Arts, Baltimore Avenue, in Rehoboth Beach. It's rocking, riotous, rambunctious, uproarious, unruly and quite racy.

"Rocky Horror" is an excellent choice for Clear Space Theatre, and a perfect adventure for a summer audience ready to a take a walk on the wild side. The roles, like the zany plot, are caricatures, strewn with pop culture references and loosely based on rock music, kitschy science fiction and horror B movies from the 1950s. The production focuses upon singing and dancing, and the 15-member cast comprises gifted young actors. Like its sister production "Footloose," this Clear Space musical really delivers the goods.

"Rocky Horror Show" was originally a 1973 London musical, later transplanted to Los Angeles and New York, but best known as the 1975 cult film "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." The movie starred Tim Curry. Author/composer/lyricist Richard O'Brien played the role of Riff Raff, and a young Susan Sarandon portrayed Janet. The movie has been in continuous theatrical release longer than any other flick in film history.

Initially panned by critics, the film soon became a weekend midnight movie phenomenon. Audience members returned week after week, often dressing in a particular character's costume, to perform under the screen, pantomiming and lip-syncing the actions on the screen. The audience joined the merriment, yelling out gag lines, and creating madness with newspaper, toilet paper, toast and squirt guns.

I suspect Clear Space has a plant in the audience who calls out many of the rejoinders. Some are in poor taste but nevertheless loved by the audience.

For those who want to experience full audience participation, there will be a special performance at 11:59 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 11, and the theatre will supply all the audience props. This show is not for the faint of heart.

In Clear Space musicals, the instrumental accompaniment is usually a small combo, but the other instruments are often lost in the mix to the predominant sound of piano. "Rocky Horror" steps up the dynamic, and it is electrifying. Musical director and keyboardist Jerry Birl leads an excellent in-your-face, hard-rocking band where all instruments are heard, although the timbre is muddy. There is also excellent coordination between the lighting design and the music which makes hokey effects like Riff Raff's ray gun great fun.

What struck me most about this production was its startling originality. It must have been an obvious temptation for director David Button and choreographer Shondelle Graulich to stage a clone of the film, but they wisely avoided rehashing the same-old and instead conceived a completely fresh and more contemporary feel. The staging and dance were slick, yet the production is imbued with a constant sense of improvisation.

The actors brought unique personality and character to each of their characters. The singing was consistently terrific, the dancing quite amazing and sexy. Most community theatres have a small pool of outstanding actors to play the leading roles, but the benchmark for a truly professional production is when all the actors on stage excel in their parts so much that they, too, could have been leads. Clear Space Theatre achieved that level of excellence with this production. “Rocky Horror” is one of the very best productions, ever, at Clear Space.

“The Rocky Horror Show” [mature content and sexual themes] runs through Saturday, Sept. 1, at 20 Baltimore Ave. in Rehoboth Beach. For tickets, call 302-227-2270 or go to clearspacetheatre.org.

Reviewer Michael Decker is professor emeritus from the College of Fine Arts and Communication at Towson University in Baltimore.

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