Matthew Altman & ensemble – Courtesy of Nick Shotwell: Shotwell Photos.
Tim Hunt – Courtesy of Nick Shotwell: Shotwell Photos.
The intrepid team of Zach (Rosing) & Zack (Neiditch) once again proved their mettle as top-notch producers with their bi-annual production of “The Rocky Horror Show,” Friday at the Basile Theatre at the historic Athenaeum. Like their past productions, the duo’s current edition of the offbeat, head of its time musical based on the 1975 film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” is highly entertaining and better than ever.
“The Rocky Horror Show,” with music, lyrics and book by Richard O’Brien, like the cult classic movie it is based on, is a hilarious tribute to corny B movies, associated with the science fiction and horror genres from the 1930s to the early 1960s. The musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple, Brad (Suraj Choudhary) & Janet (Logan Hill), getting caught in a storm and after their tire goes flat, they make their way to the home of a mad transvestite scientist, Dr Frank-N-Furter (Tim Hunt). While there they witness the unveiling of his new creation, Rocky (Johnny Ray Hughes). an artificially made, fully grown, physically perfect muscle man.
Johnny Raye Hughs & Kogan Hill – Courtesy of Nick Shotwell: Shotwell Photos.
Directed by Zack Neiditch with Zach Rosing serving as producer and video/sound designer, along with an exceptional production team which helped create “The Rocky Horror Show” —their collective efforts have resulted in is a tour de force.
Contributing as well to a production that would succeed in any market, large and small, on any stage, is a first-rate cast of actors, singers and dancers who uniformly turned in performances that were splendid. Aside from the previously mentioned leads consisting of Hunt, Chudhary, Hill and Hughes —all of whom were outstanding— certain other performers stood out for the believable of their characterizations. They included Elizabeth Gee as Magenta, Matthew Altman as Columbia and Craig Kemp as Narrator. Also turning in dynamic vocal and acting performances was the six-member chorus, with Kevin Burzon commanding the stage with his presence.
Positioned upstage was a seasoned band that was notable for its interpretation of O’Brien’s score. Also deserving of praise is Kenny Shepard for his choreography, Shane Canal’s functional scenic design, Anthony James Sirk’s spot on costumes and Michael Johnson’s lighting design. Of course, it did not hurt that Rosing, one of Indy’s finest designers and the producer of the show, created the show’s video and sound. All, in all, the caliber of the show’s production values was Broadway quality.
For tickets and information about “The Rocky Horror Show,” which runs through Nov. 2, visit athenaeumindy.org
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