Overview
Synopsis
One fateful night, Brad Majors and his fiancée, Janet Weiss — a wholesome, well-behaved, utterly normal young couple in love — innocently set out to visit an old professor. Unfortunately for them, this night out is destined to be one they will never forget. A thunderstorm and a flat-tire force them to seek help at the castle of Dr. Frank ’N’ Furter, an alien, transvestite scientist with a manic genius and insatiable libido. Brad, Janet, and Frank’ N’ Furter’s cohorts are swept up into the scientist’s latest experiment. The night’s misadventures will cause Brad and Janet to question everything they’ve known about themselves, each other, love, and lust. A loving homage to the classic B sci-fi film and horror genres with an irresistible rock’n’roll score, The Rocky Horror Show is a hilarious, wild ride that no audience will soon forget.
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Context
The Rocky Horror Show was born out of creator Richard O’Brien’s love of the science fiction and B horror films of his youth. He set out to combine the unintentionally humorous elements of both genres with aspects of schlock-horror films, muscle flicks, and fifties rock and roll music; thus, like Dr. Frank ’N’ Furter’s monster, The Rocky Horror Show was born.
O’Brien began writing the musical in the early 1970s. At the time, he was living in London and struggling in his acting career. He
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Act One
The Usherette, backed by the Phantoms, enter the theatre. They welcome the audience to their derelict cinema and let them know the type of “film” that the audience is in for by paying homage to classic science fiction and B horror movies of the 1940s-70s (“Science Fiction Double Feature”).
Janet Weiss and Brad Majors, two high school sweethearts have just left a wedding of two of their friends. The ceremony has inspired Brad himself to propose, which Janet happily accepts.
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Character Portrayals
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Songs
Act One
- “Science Fiction Double Feature” —Usherette, Phantoms
- “Damn It, Janet!” — Brad, Janet, Phantoms
- “Over at the Frankenstein Place” — Janet, Brad, Riff Raff, Phantoms
- * “The Time Warp” — Riff Raff, Magenta, Columbia, Phantoms
- “Sweet Transvestite” — Frank ’N’ Furter, Brad, Riff Raff, Magenta, Columbia, Phantoms
- “The Sword of Damocles” — Rocky, Narrator, Ensemble
- “I Can Make You a Man” — Frank ’N’ Furter, Ensemble
- “Hot Patootie” — Eddie, Ensemble
- “I Can Make You a Man (cont.)” — Dr. Frank ’N’ Furter, Janet, Ensemble
Act Two
- “Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me” — Janet, Magenta, Columbia
- “Once in a While” — Brad
- “Eddie’s Teddy” — Dr. Scott, Narrator, Columbia, Ensemble
- “Planet Schmanet - Wise Up Janet Weiss” — Frank ’N’ Furter, Narrator, Janet, Magenta, Ensemble
- * “Rose Tint My World (Floor Show)” — Columbia, Rocky, Brad, Janet
- * “Don’t Dream It — Be It” — Frank ’N’ Furter, Columbia, Rocky, Brad, Janet
- * “Wild and Untamed Thing” — Frank ’N’ Furter, Columbia, Rocky, Brad, Janet, Dr. Scott
- “Transit Beam” — Riff Raff
- “I’m Going Home” — Frank ’N’ Furter, Ensemble
- “Super Heroes” — Brad, Janet
- “Science Fiction Double Feature (Reprise)” — The Usherette, Phantoms
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Key Terms
The art of designing and arranging movement sequences for theatrical dance and physical storytelling.
A passionate, niche audience devoted to a specific play or performance style, often regardless of mainstream popularity.
A genre that combines elements of humor and morbidity, exploring serious themes through satire or irony.
A group of performers who function as a unit in a production rather than as individuals with leading roles.
A form of self-referential drama where the play draws attention to its own theatricality. This device challenges the audience’s suspension of disbelief and is used in Epic Theatre and postmodern works.
A revival is a new production of a play or musical after its original run has ended, often reimagined for a new generation of audiences. Revivals may stay faithful to the original staging or update elements like design, casting, or interpretation. They are a cornerstone of theatre tradition, keeping classic works alive and relevant.
Rock and roll is a musical genre that originated in the United States in the 1950s, combining rhythm and blues with country and gospel influences. Characterized by strong beats, electric guitars, and youthful energy, it quickly became a symbol of rebellion and change. In theatre, rock and roll often represents social upheaval, generational conflict, and the rise of new cultural voices.
A rock musical is a form of musical theatre that incorporates the rhythms, instrumentation, and energy of rock-and-roll into its score. Emerging in the late 1960s with shows like Hair, rock musicals often bring a contemporary, rebellious edge to the stage. They blend theatrical storytelling with the raw power of popular music to attract younger and more diverse audiences.
Satire is a dramatic style that uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to criticize human behavior, social institutions, or political systems. In theatre, it highlights flaws and hypocrisies through wit and parody, encouraging audiences to laugh while also reflecting on serious issues. Satire can range from lighthearted comedy to biting social commentary, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking.
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