Oakland’s ‘Rocky Horror’ reclaims shock

By Milan Paurich

Are you ready to do the “Time Warp” again?

People still talk about The Oakland Center for the Art’s smash 2004 production of Richard O’Brien’s camp-tastic “The Rocky Horror Show” as though it were yesterday.

Because the musical was such a box-office bonanza for the Oakland, the temptation to reprise one of their greatest hits was irresistible. Of course, most folks probably wonder what took them so long.

In a recent interview, Robert Dennick Joki — director/star of the Oakland’s eagerly anticipated new “Rocky Horror” — discussed what the show personally means to him, and why his version could prove controversial, especially among fans of the previous incarnation.

Q. “The Rocky Horror Show” has been a big part of your life. When did you first fall in love with it?

A. I first saw “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” when I was a teenager at Sunday School. Our group leader made us watch a documentary about the evils of Hollywood that presented a list of movies deemed “inappropriate” for good Christians to watch. “Torch Song Trilogy,” “Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask,” “Alien,” “Star Wars,” “Agnes of God” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” were all condemned. After class, a few of us went to the video store and rented the movies we were forbidden to see (laughs). After watching “Rocky” that first time, I remember being confused, fascinated and horrified. I also remember arguing the following week in Sunday School that, since the main characters were from another planet — a planet where transvestitism is the norm — it wasn’t a sin for Frank N Furter to wear a corset and fishnet pantyhose. It made perfect sense to me but not to the other people in the room who were now praying for me.

Q. Whose idea was it to bring “The Rocky Horror Show” back after the Oakland’s wildly successful 2004 production? And what led to your ultimate decision to return to “Rocky”?

A. “Rocky Horror” remains the Oakland’s most requested show. In fact, every time I direct a show, someone asks when we’re doing “Rocky” again. For the first few years I’d just smile and change the subject because I really had no interest in directing something that had already been produced locally. I figured the interest would eventually die down, but people kept asking. Then, while we were planning the 2009-10 season and looking for a Halloween show, one of the committee members suggested a “Rocky Horror” revival. I agreed to direct but only if I could have total artistic freedom. I decided to design and direct as if I’d never seen the movie version — as though someone handed me the script and told me to go strictly by my instincts.

Q. Is this going to be a Xerox of the earlier production, or a brand-new take on a cult favorite?

A. The Oakland’s first production of “Rocky Horror” was pretty much a carbon copy of the movie. The costumes and set were very similar, and so were the performances. I’ve seen many productions that have gone that route.

The problem is that it’s very difficult to copy such iconic performances. I mean, who does Tim Curry better than Tim Curry? Nobody. That’s why I decided to take this production in a completely different direction. Honestly, I’m a little worried about how people are going to respond to the show. We’re taking a huge risk. It’s like passing out gifts on Christmas Eve dressed as the Easter Bunny. I know there will be a lot of people expecting to see something a little closer to the movie, but I’m hoping that the music, performances and design elements will win them over.

Q. In his review of the 2000 New York revival, Variety critic Christopher Isherwood remarked on how ironic it was that, while the original ’75 version of “Rocky Horror” was described as a “garish, ear-assaulting musical put-on of pseudo-science and ambi-sex porno entertainment,” the ’00 “Rocky” nearly qualified as “wholesome family entertainment.”

Have you brought the old “shock-of-the-new” back to “Rocky Horror,” or is your update closer to “High School Musical: The Drag Version”?

A. I spent most of the summer working on the costume design for this production, and I’m very proud of it. I took inspirations from Vivienne Westwood, Bob Mackie, Leigh Bowery, and Lady Gaga. You’ll see a lot of mixed time-period ensembles, as well as garments made from unconventional materials. A lot of the style/look of the original show was scandalous in the ’70s, but these days it’s all pretty pass . I’ve gone to great lengths to give audiences something they’ve never seen before, and to reclaim some of the original shock and awe.

Q. How easy/hard was it to cast “Rocky Horror” (and to resist the urge to simply re-cast everyone from the earlier production)? Who’s appearing in the show?

A. I had a rough time casting “Rocky,” which is surprising because it’s such a popular title. The fact is, there are a lot of shows going on in the Youngstown area right now. While I think that’s wonderful — especially for theater patrons — by the time we held auditions, a good portion of the local acting pool was already otherwise engaged. I had to pull a couple of favors and wound up using a smaller cast than I’d originally planned. But I ended up with a really amazing group of people. The only thing I’m less than thrilled about is that I’m playing Frank N Furter. I was really hoping that we’d be able to find someone that would audition and shatter the Tim Curry mold, but it didn’t happen.

Shawn Lockaton is Riff Raff; Melissa Cook plays Magenta; and Eric McCrea and Alyssa Connelly will be our Brad and Janet. There are a bunch of newcomers as well, so it’ll definitely stray from the ’04 production.

My Frank N Furter has traded in the traditional black curls for a blonde Mohawk. Columbia (Molly Makselan) channels Lil Kim in her Time Warp rap solo. Rocky has opted to wear a red jockstrap instead of golden hot pants. Dr. Scott will be played by a woman (Geri DeWitt) and will be riding around the stage on an electric scooter, compliments of Boardman Medical Supply in Girard.

Eddie is a 6’5”, kilted, blue haired, hooligan. Tail coats and white ankle socks with high heels have been strictly forbidden (laughs). If you were to look at a cast picture of this production, you would never guess we were doing “The Rocky Horror Show.” I’m really excited about that.

Q. Will there be rice-throwing and umbrellas at every performance?

A. We’re only encouraging audience participation for the midnight shows. Grab bags will be available for patrons who want to play along. Anyone who doesn’t want to get wet or leave the theater with rice in their hair should probably plan on coming to an 8 p.m. show (laughs). My biggest complaint about both the movie and stage versions is that the plot gets a little bit muddled. People love the music. They love dressing up and throwing rice. But many people have no idea what the show is really about. One of the themes that seems to get lost is that Frank N Furter, Magenta, Riff Raff and the Transylvanians are aliens. They come from the planet Transsexual in the Galaxy of Transylvania. I tried to keep that in mind when putting this show together.

If there really were aliens living among us, and they were trying to blend in, how would they act, move and dress? How would they interpret American style and popular culture? I’ve tried putting myself in the place of an outsider looking in.