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Local companies to perform ‘Rocky Horror’ this weekend

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Courtesy of WPA

Katherine Harkins (left) as Janet and Anthony Marino Jr. (right) as Brad in the upcoming Westmoreland Performing Arts’ production of “The Rocky Horror Show.”

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Courtesy of WPA

Kevin O’Leary as Frank-N-Furter for the Westmoreland Performing Arts’ upcoming production of “The Rocky Horror Show.”

It’s the Time Warp times two with two local production companies bringing “The Rocky Horror Show” to the stage this Halloween weekend.

The show, a precursor to the 1975 movie “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” is a live musical where the actors “shadow cast” their roles on stage while the movie plays in the background.

Actors and Artists of Fayette County (AAFC) will produce the show at the Geyer Performing Arts Center in Scottdale, and Westmoreland Performing Arts (WPA) in Greensburg will stage the show at the Westmoreland County Community College.

The cult classic finds sweethearts Brad Majors and Janet Weiss stuck with a flat tire during a storm. Looking for help, the couple discovers the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, where they meet a host of wild characters.

“I’ve always loved the movie and the live show,” said John Cunnard, director of the show for AAFC. “The live interactions with the audience and the performers on stage are a fun and crazy time.”

Cunnard directed the show in 2019 and said it was a success with about 760 attendees. The AAFC board wanted to make the show an annual event, but the pandemic stopped that from happening in 2020 and a limited cast precluded it in 2021.

“Here we are in 2022, back with a full cast to do the ‘Time Warp’ again,” Cunnard said, referring to a well-known songs in the show that teaches the audience the steps as its sung.

That interaction is one of the things that makes “The Rocky Horror Show” so much fun.

“And when the show closes with a reprise of ‘Time Warp,’ and the audience is on its feet, they take part in the show at that point as full cast members,” said Tony Morino, the director of the WPA production. “It’s really an incredible experience for all involved.”

This will be the first time the WPA has put on “The Rocky Horror Show.”

“Many of us have such a great history with this show, and it makes us so happy to be able to stage this first-ever version for WPA,” Marino said. “It’s also great to share it with a new generation of cast and audience members who aren’t familiar with the magic of the show when done live.”

To aid in the interactive experience, both shows have prop bags for sale for the audience filled with items that are to be tossed during the show.

“When you hear the word ‘sponge,’ you throw a sponge; ‘cards,’ playing cards are tossed; ‘great Scott,’ toilet paper is tossed,” Cunnard said.

Marino said, while “The Rocky Horror Show” is a world of mythical creatures, aliens and more, the theme for this year’s show is “fairy-tale characters and mythical creatures.”

“We encourage the audience to come dressed as anything they think falls within this category, as almost anything goes,” Marino said.

Cunnard said audience members at the AAFC show are encouraged to dress as their favorite “Rocky Horror” character from the show or movie.

“This year we are doing the show in a 70s theme so it is really groovy and hip and neat with throwbacks to the 70s included in the show,” Cunnard said.

For the AAFC performance at the Geyer Performing Arts Center, regular prop bags are available at the door for $5, and deluxe prop bags are $20. Cunnard said audience members can get $15 off the deluxe bag by visiting five local sponsors including Bad Rabbit Cafe & Roastery, Fox’s Pizza Den (Scottdale only), Wish’s Bar and Grill, Michael’s 50s Diner and Carson’s Tavern. Each location will provide a different colored coupon through Oct. 29. Presenting all of the coupons will result in the discount.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27-29. An additional showing starts at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 28. Tickets are $17 per person.

Cunnard said a special pre-show begins 30 minutes before each performance. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.geyerpac.com.

The WPA performance at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood, takes place at the college’s Science Hall Theatre. Shows are at 8 p.m. and midnight on Friday, Oct. 28 and Saturday, Oct. 29.

Tickets are $20 at the door or can be purchased by calling The Palace Theatre Box Office at 724-836-8000.

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