Shock Treatment
&emdash; DVD release date!
Gender Bender with an Extra Twist
The 303 Collective in Saginaw, Michigan is showing the Rocky Horror Show with a twist. It stars Caitlin M. Berry as Frank: a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman. Although fairly common (and hotly debated) in Showcasts, a female Frank isn't very common in the stage show.
Midnight Insanity Floats a New Theater
For those who haven't heard, Long Island Shadowcast Midnight Insanity had lost their theater due to issues with the (almost) new owners. Although the sale of the theater fell through, Midnight Insanity has moved... to the Queen Mary, making them one of the few (only?) literal "floating shows". older news story here, and details from Mark Tomaino himself on Google Groups.
Rocky Horror in NBC's The Office
Because we're in the summer of reruns, NBC has been airing short "webisodes" of The Office. During episode four, "Stanley", Oscar reveals that he and his friends go see the The Prince of Tides. When asked why, he says, "well, we don't like it and we make fun it of it. It's like a Rocky Horror thing we do".
Sequined Thunder from Down Under
The Age, a newspaper from down under has an interesting article about midnight movies and their history in Australia. It has some nice stories about how Rocky gained ground: "Melbourne was slower to catch on to the audience theatricality that became such an entrenched part of the Rocky Horror experience. It was not until the 1980s movie Fame, with a scene in which characters dressed up and acted out roles at a Rocky screening, that Melbourne cinema-goers 'got it'". There's also a photo of a (presumably local) trannie.
Meat Loaf as a Disc Jockey... with Zombies!
Fangoria is reporting that Meat will be in the upcoming movie Urban Decay. With Dean Cain and Brooke Burns, he'll face off against a "homeless cannibal zombie". If you're into zombies or movie makeup, check out the pictures.
Meat Loaf and Steinman Settle Bat Suit
Meat is on the road, promoting Bat out of Hell III... and has announced that the recent legal tangle over who owns the phrase "Bat out of Hell" has been settled. He and Jim Steinman (who wrote several of the songs on Bat 3) have been fairly amicably fighting over it recently. Meat said in a recent interview, "It resolved itself very quickly because neither one of us wanted to argue [...] There's a mutual love and respect there". Good articles here and here.
Deep in the Heart of Texas
Rockwell, TX is having a free showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the amphitheater at Harry Myers Park tonight at 10pm. Call 972-771-7762 for more information.
Susan still Sexy
While she came in second behind Goldie Hawn, Susan Sarandon nabbed 22% in a poll of the sexiest baby-boomer celebrities. I wonder how Lifetime's favorite "sexy older man" actor Barry Bostwick would have done?
Tim Curry is a Queer Duck
If you missed it, the Queer Duck Movie was released on DVD on July 18th. With Tim Curry as a "supporting vocal" talent.
Let there be... Snakes on a Plane?
According to Advertising Age, New Line is pushing Audience Participation for the upcoming movie Snakes on a Plane. They have a website "that allows fans to write an online script for in-theater viewing, similar to the old Rocky Horror Picture Show, that's aiming for massive audience participation. The promotion encourages people to organize viewing parties and lists theaters where special events are planned around the movie". Wait... did they just call Rocky "old"?
New Rocky Showing in West Virginia
The Cinema Theatre in Huntington, WV has started showing RHPS on Fridays at midnight. At only $3 a ticket, this is the first showing in town in the last 15 years. They plan to continue to show it as long as they sell tickets -- hopefully that'll be for the next 15 years. Also read about memories of Rocky in the area.
Auditions in Santa Clarita, CA
The College of the Canyons is holding auditions for an October production of the Rocky Horror Show.
Mad Scientists and Geniuses
Proving yet again that Rocky fans are above the rest, events at the Mensa World Gathering, beginning today in Orlando, will include "seminars on Norwegian history, ham radio and beading"... and a screening of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
RHS at St. George's Hall in November
If you're in the UK and near Bradford, St. George's Hall will be showing the Rocky Horror Show, directed by Christopher Luscombe from November 20th through the 25th.
Curry's Album lands Grammy
The soundtrack to Spamalot, featuring Tim Curry as Arthur, has won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. Atop last year's Tony, it looks like people like Spamalot a lot.
Head to star as John
Former Furter Anthony Stewart Head will be starring in "Him & Us", a ABC comedy pilot inspired by the life of Elton John (but not produced by him as some news stories are reporting).
Stageshow in New Jersey
Monmouth University in New Jersey will be showing The Rocky Horror Show this month, with performances running from Feb 10th through Feb 25th at the Woods Theatre. No Valentine's Day show, though.
Elizabethtown and Swing on DVD
The recent movie Elizabethtown, which features Susan dancing in front of red curtains is now out on DVD. She's not wearing fishnets, though.
Update: Swing is out on DVD as well, with Barry Bostwick.
Geraldine Fitzgerald in Mama Mia!
Geraldine Fitzgerald, Magenta in the European Tour of the Rocky Horror Show, will be stepping in as Tanya in the London production of Mama Mia!
It's Rest Home Blair!
Rik Mayall is going on tour from April to August throughout the UK. His Blair B'Stard Project is a live version of The New Statesman.