Mon River Arts to stage ‘The Rocky Horror Show’

By EMILY BENNETT DILULLO
ebennett@yourmvi.com
Mon River Arts in Elizabeth would like, if they may, to take you on a strange journey.
Just in time for Halloween, scientists, aliens and heroes will perform in cult favorite “The Rocky Horror Show” in its opening weekend at the Grand Theatre in Elizabeth Friday and Saturday and continue to scare and entertain into next weekend for Oct. 25 and 26 performances.
Executive director Lori Kolodziej said the cast and crew are “ready for the Mon Valley to come Time Warp with us,” adding the cast and staff are talented and hard working.
Production has been ongoing for eight weeks, and actors are anxious to perform the quirky and spooky musical for local crowds. Director Ray Cygrymus said the show is comprised of an excellent cast of self-starters, and that his vision was to recreate a fresh version of the long-recreated piece while maintaining the classic Rocky experience.
“We’re paying homage to the original movie, but we’re doing a reverse drag thing where we’re having a girl play a guy in the case of Rocky,” Cygrymus said. “We’re taking little twists on it, but the main concept is trying to pay homage to the original production.”
Playing Frankenstein-esque Rocky is Christine Pittman, who has studied at Point Park University and Slippery Rock University, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, Improvement Thru Movement and Pennsylvania Ballet Conservatory. After being created by Frank N. Furter, the head of the household, Rocky dances her way through the nightmarish evening of Brad (Sam Minnick) and Janet (Emily-Ann Stephens).
The famous 1975 film starring Tim Curry has been adapted into a variation of live performances that typically feature attendees dressing in elaborate costumes and loudly delivering lines from the seats while the production is going on.
Audience participation is highly recommended, and prop bags will be available for purchase for $4, and include a newspaper, glow stick, glove, noise maker, piece of toilet paper and a playing card that patrons can whip out during designated bits of the show.
Cygrymus recommends that audience members who have never seen the play watch the film first, and said attendees should anticipate immersing themselves in “a full theatrical experience, onstage and off.”
“The best thing is they get to be part of it,” Cygrymus said. “We welcome the audience participation. We’ll be selling prop bags and they can throw things and all that. The best thing is, them knowing that they’ll come and know they’ll be part of the show.”
The show begins at 8 p.m., and tickets are available online at monriverarts.ticketleap.com or by calling the box office at 412-405-8425.