Red, leather and risque humor are three defining traits of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
At Frederick Community College (FCC), students of all ages brought the provocative stage musical and film to life for their annual run of the musical.
The cast put on two weekends of the cult classic, with 8 p.m. showings from October 30 – November 1 and November 6-8.
Many Linganore High School (LHS) students made it to the show to support the community and their fellow Lancers. Members of the ensemble included LHS senior Alex Pietanza and LHS alum and FCC sophomore Finn Martinez.
As Pietanza shared, the production served as a gateway into a post-high school world of musical theater for the dual enrollment students involved.
“I got to learn so much from adults and other students that go to FCC,” Pietanza said. “It [participating in the cast] really helped grow my skills and talent through professional live theater.”
Though some may find it strange for high school students to participate due to the musical’s scandalous nature, Pietanza explained that it is all “just a part of the job,” and any awkwardness within the scenes they would “just laugh it off.”
Amidst the scandal, the unpredictable nature of the show brought much intrigue to the show.
“The chaos is my favorite part,” Martinez said. “This show is so absurd and insanely-high energy, so there aren’t any dull moments.”
This energy was not only felt by the cast but the audience as well. Linganore senior Alex Thomas shared his experience as a member of the audience.
“I thought it [the crowd participation] was a really cool aspect to see and take part in,” Thomas said. “What I noticed about it is there was such a wide range of age groups taking part.”
Some of these interactions included the crowd holding newspapers over their heads during the rain scene, holding up glowsticks as Brad and Janet approached the mansion and throwing cards at the stage.
“Rocky Horror has such a huge audience, and I loved being able to share that experience with the loyal fans of the show and introduce it to people who aren’t familiar with it,” Martinez said.
Though many may find the musical vulgar, the crowd interaction brought together many communities for two weekends of late-night fun.
“Whenever I see the movie from now on, I’ll definitely think of the kids from Linganore who participated in it,” Thomas said.
For information about FCC’s future theater productions, click here.
