"Rocky Horror" hits Bloomington

The 1975 cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” has become a Halloween must-see for many, complete with transvestites, red lipstick and cannibalism.

This weekend, locals and students will have an opportunity to “Time Warp” and become part of the show.

Richard O’Brien’s musical about an engaged couple who end up at the home of a transvestite scientist first premiered in London in 1973 before it was adapted into a cult film two years later. A theatrical version of the musical, presented by University Players and Union Board, will hit the Buskirk-Chumley Theater stage tonight, Friday and Saturday.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” currently holds the record for longest-running theatrical release in film history.

“We wanted to do something big,” said Caleb Blackerby, a senior arts management major and director of the University Players’ production of “Rocky Horror.” “We also wanted to use it as a fundraiser because we don’t usually charge for our shows.”

Blackerby serves on the board of directors of University Players, a student-run theater organization, and said that even though the group receives funding from IUSA, it’s getting harder to come by.

“This was our opportunity to both gain experience and potentially make some money for the group as well,” he said.

“Rocky Horror” features 24 student performers and an additional eight students working behind the scenes.

University Players decided to combine resources with Union Board to make “Rocky Horror” possible with a larger budget.

“We needed to partner with someone in order to get the necessary money, and they also have a lot more experience with marketing than we do,” Blackerby said. “So their expertise combined with our expertise, it gets put together.”

A signature part of a typical “Rocky Horror” performance is audience participation. Blackerby said audience members should dress up.

“They’ll be out of the norm if they’re not,” he said.

Although University Players has been rehearsing for “Rocky Horror” for seven weeks, the set for the show was built in only three days, which was a major challenge for University Players members, Blackerby said.

“We’re fairly confident in saying this is the largest student-built set that IU has ever seen because most student groups don’t do shows here, but this was the only big stage available to us,” he said.

Blackerby described his favorite part of the musical as “the whole show.”

“It’s so high-energy the whole time,” he said. “You really don’t stop. It’s big musical numbers over and over, so it’s a lot of fun.”

Even though the entire cast and staff of “Rocky Horror” are made up of undergraduate students, Blackerby said he doesn’t think it makes a difference in the quality of work.

“We just really wanted to use this to prove that student groups and student-run organizations can do big shows and produce things of the same quality that you would see from the professional companies here in town and the theatre department as well,” he said.

Follow reporter Rachel Osman on Twitter @rachosman.