Rocky Horror opens ‘Dare-ing’ season for local theatre group

Published 6:47 am Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Theatre of Dare is making some big, bold moves in its 28th year, but none is bigger or bolder than opening the season this week with “The Rocky Horror Show” at The Lost Colony’s indoor soundstage.

“Well, it ain’t Oklahoma,” laughs director Lara Parks of the risqué, raunchy parody tribute to the sci-fi and horror B-movies of the 50s, 60s and 70s. “But everything in this show is done within a spirit of over-the-top fun, with tongue firmly in cheekiness.”

For those that haven’t seen the Broadway show or the 1975 cult classic movie it inspired, Rocky Horror tells the story of newly engaged Brad (Jared Eng-Hong) and Janet (Katrina Owens) who get stranded in a storm and arrive at the home of mad transvestite scientist Frank N Furter (Stuart Parks II), who’s working on his new creation, a Frankenstein-style monster in the form of a fully-grown muscle man known as Rocky (Cory Harris). Of course, along the way there’s a lot of memorable music, including “Damn It Janet,” “Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me,” and of course, the classic “Time Warp.”

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“We expect we’ll have audiences dress up, shout out lines, and sing along,” says Evan Tillett, who plays Frank’s ghoulish servant Riff Raff. “It will be a silly, sexy, seriously good time.”

But it’s only the beginning for Theatre of Dare, which is leaping from Rocky’s naughty musical shenanigans to the heartwarming and heart-wrenching Tuesdays With Morrie in January. Then, the group will undertake its first-ever Shakespeare production, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in February, and wrap up the season with Larry Shue’s classic farce The Nerd in April.

“We’re certainly expanding our horizons,” says T.O.D. president Tim Hass. “But we think we’re up to the task. And we feel like our audiences will really enjoy the wide variety of theatrical experiences we’ll be giving them over the course of the season.”

But it all begins with the wild, wacky musical Halloween madness of The Rocky Horror Show.  So, find a costume if you’re so inclined, buy your tickets, and get ready to do the Time Warp again.

The Rocky Horror Show takes the stage October 19, 20, 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday matinees October 21 and 28 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and all performances will be at the Indoor Soundstage at the Lost Colony on Roanoke Island. Content is not suitable for younger audiences. Refreshments will be served before the show and at intermission to support The Lost Colony. For tickets and more information, go to www.theatreofdareobx.com.