By Amanda Marino
ammarino@indiana.edu | @amandanmarino
The Cardinal Stage Company will celebrate its 9th showing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” Saturday at 8 p.m. and midnight at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.
The Buskirk-Chumley will have two showings of the cult classic as well as other activities. Tickets cost $15 without costumes and $10 with costumes.
“We use it as a fundraiser for different education initiatives,” said Elizabeth Faranda, an IU graduate student working with Cardinal Stage Company.
She said the event funds programs like the Community Ticket Initiative, which brings local school students to matinee performances of shows at Cardinal at discounted prices of up to 80 percent off of original ticket prices.
Sophomore and volunteer at Cardinal Megan McMonigle said she and her friends went to the midnight showing last year and can’t wait to come back this year. She said she has been obsessed with the movie since she first saw it in junior high school.
“It was a night where everyone had something in common,” she said, describing waiting outside for the doors to open and seeing people in costumes singing songs from the movie.
Faranda said the ritual and pre-show activities are hosted by Daniel Petrie, who acts as the emcee for the night with an assistant.
“He said that he’s done this for four or five years,” she said.
Once people were let inside, there was music, dancing, a costume contest and even a “de-virginization ritual” complete with orgasm contest for first time attendees.
McMonigle said her friends were kind of shocked by the experience at first, but by the end everybody had had a great time. The theater was full of excitement by the end of the showing, and people stood outside for hours talking about the movie.
Faranda said the midnight show sold out last year and the 8 p.m. viewing was extremely full as well.
The audience size and participation are a huge part of the experience, McMonigle said. The crowd’s energy and excitement are what make the night so much fun.
“You don’t normally get to yell at a movie,” she said.
Adding to the audience participation are prop bags that will be sold for five dollars at the door, Faranda said. The contain things like water guns to simulate the rain scene and rice to throw at the wedding, among other relevant props.
“We have toasted 450 slices of bread,” she said.
Having 350 bags last year wasn’t enough, she said, so they made 100 more than last year, each containing a guide so that even newcomers can enjoy the experience.
“Our big thing is to bring everybody in,” Faranda said.
She said the overall event could be described as “controlled chaos,” a wild experience that people return to year after year with their friends.
“It’s definitely something different,” she said.
The group experience, especially with people decked out in costumes and having fun in the preshow, is definitely a huge draw, Faranda said.
“I hope it’s as successful this year as it was last year,” McMonigle said.
