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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'

'Let's Do the Time Warp Again'

There are only a few times when Union Board actually encourages students to squirt water guns, throw rice and toilet paper and hurl toast at one another in Alumni Hall. Saturday night's showing of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" was one of those times.\nThis cult classic movie usually inspires audience members to dress up like characters, scream irreverent lines at the top of their lungs and throw assorted props around the room. \nAlthough most in this crowd were dressed normally and were a bit hesitant to scream the audience participation lines, several "Rocky" veterans wandering around the room yelling them at the top of their lungs helped them along. By the end of the first few scenes, students were eagerly shouting the requisite "ASSHOLE!" and "SLUT!" whenever Brad and Janet introduced themselves. \nAnd when characters on the screen began singing the "Time Warp," probably the best-known song of the movie, most attendees sprung out of their seats and danced in the aisles, singing along at the top of their lungs. \nStudents were given bags of props by UB and threw handfuls of rice for the opening wedding scene, squirted water and covered their heads with newspapers during the rain scene, chucked toasted buns hard enough to leave bruises for the grand dinner toast, threw streamers for Rocky and Frank's wedding night and flung toilet paper after the line, "Great Scott!"\nUB members protected Alumni Hall from damage by covering the walls in black plastic, which also added to the mood of the show.\nSome audience members localized their comments, yelling, "Describe Myles Brand!" just before Frank sings, "A weakling, weighing 98 pounds..." \nLater, they yelled, "What does an Eminem concert look like?" as the screen showed a theater full of empty chairs.\nAlexandria Chrisman is a high school senior but participates regularly in a "Rocky Horror" showing in Indianapolis. She came to the IU event in full costume for her favorite character, Columbia, a red-haired, tap-dancing, squeaky-voiced Transylvanian. If there had been a "best costume" contest, Chrisman would have won hands down: she wore a bright red wig, fake eyelashes, a sequined jacket and matching bustier, striped hot pants, fishnets, glittery tap shoes and the finishing touch of a sequined top hat. \nChrisman said she hasn't counted how many "Rocky Horror" showings she's attended, "like a true 'Rocky' fan should," but estimates it's more than 50.\nShe even brought a suitcase with other Columbia outfits so she could match the character on screen throughout the show. \n"I wasn't crazy about it my first time," Chrisman says. "But the more I saw it, I started taking a shine to certain characters. I thought it would be really cool to be one of the characters who act it out up front. \n"At first I hated Columbia, I thought she was annoying, but she was the one I look the most like, so my mom and I went to work on the costume, and I watched the movie over and over until I learned the part."\nChrisman brought her mother Victoria Bigelow, an IU aluma, to the show with her. Bigelow was dressed as a Transylvanian extra, in a white buttondown shirt, sunglasses and a party hat. \n"This is only my second show," Bigelow said. "My daughter got me involved, and I'm not sure I'll go to any more. I'm just the costume maker."\nOthers in the audience came in white face paint or gothic black clothing. Junior Jeramy Foltz, clad in black leather pants, has been coming to "Rocky Horror" shows for the past four years and says he's been to about 70 total. He was one of the most vocal attendees, walking up and down the aisles screaming lines.\n"I felt like somebody had to rile up the crowd," Foltz said. "I think most people didn't know the lines, but it was pretty good that Union Board was willing to show it in Alumni Hall."\nIn the 26 years since the film premiered in 1974, audiences around the world have been doing the "Time Warp," and perhaps Saturday's showing in Alumni Hall transformed some "Rocky Horror" virgins into future die-hard fans.

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