Cole Escola as Dr. Frankenfurter

[RussT2]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 1:40pm

I recall reading recently about RHPS coming back to Broadway. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think Cole would make a really great Dr. Frankenfurter. During the last few minutes of Oh, Mary! their voice at times reminded me of Tim Curry singing "I'm Going Home".

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 2:15pm

Cole would be sensational, and their partnership with Sam Pinkleton certainly helps make this feel like it could be a reality. It would be a great way to follow up their Tony win.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 2:23pm

I’d actually prefer them as Janet…

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 2:46pm

With how much of a miss Sam Pinkleton made on La Cage at Pasadena, this Rocky Horror is kind of giving me concern lol. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 8:27pm

The Sweaty Tiktokker claimed this was a thing the other day.

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 8:48pm

Honestly, this production is going to have some really high expectations given the loyal following it has and the fact that the live stage production hasn’t been done in NYC in 25 years. I’d actually be more afraid that Roundabout might creatively box Pinkleton in so they don’t irk their subscriber base - which having Escola play FnF seems like it would be the expected move.

I honestly want him to take some big swings with this, including something like Cole as Janet. CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL was a MAJOR swing by that team and it was a runaway hit. Now’s the time to take the inherent queerness of these older musicals and really subvert expectations.

Also, Cameron Loyal as Rocky or I don’t want it.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 8:50pm

Cole Escola as Janet would be inspired. Might be a step down for Cole, though.

I doubt this would ever happen given how busy he is (and he's also a little old for it), but.....Colman Domingo for Frank.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 9:04pm

Frank is ageless!

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 9:22pm

For me, he would make a really good Riff Raff.  JMO

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 9:55pm

My suspicion, and this is JUST a gut feeling, is that Escola will fall through (if they were ever an actual option), and we'll be seeing Mason Alexander Park, who has played Frank everywhere and is becoming more of a fixture. 

[Kad]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 10:22pm

Cole is kind of inspired casting imo. They can certainly nail Frank’s mercurial petulance, but they can also be dark and menacing (their role on season 4 of Search Party is wild).

Updated On: 7/2/25 at 10:22 PM

[emilyfaye48]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 10:26pm

I'd love to see Cole play ALL the parts in Rocky Horror a la Cher's West Side Story

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/2/25 at 10:28pm

If we get rotating narrators again, please sign James Austin Johnson up.

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/3/25 at 7:44am

emilyfaye48 said: "I'd love to see Cole play ALL the parts in Rocky Horror a la Cher's West Side Story"

After seeing the other posts since mine last night, I was JUST coming back to type this 😆 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 7/3/25 at 8:05am

I’d be curious to see Darren Criss as Frank.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/3/25 at 8:37am

BorisTomashevsky said: "I’d be curious to see Darren Criss as Frank."

There’s no world in which one of the queerest musical theatre roles in the canon, in a major revival directed by one of the queerest working directors, will be played by a straight, cisgendered man in this day and age.

Updated On: 7/3/25 at 08:37 AM

[trentsketch]

Posted: 7/3/25 at 9:15am

Just Cole Escola onstage with a bunch of cameras and projectors.

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/3/25 at 9:41am

ColorTheHours048 said: "BorisTomashevsky said: "I’d be curious to see Darren Criss as Frank."

There’s no world in which one of the queerest musical theatre roles in the canon, in a major revival directed by one ofthe queerest working directors, will be played by a straight, cisgendered man in this day and age."

…The man played Hedwig…a gender-neutral character…by a queer director…in 2015.

I wouldn’t necessarily support this because its a safe choice, but Darren, while not explicitly stating it, is engaged with the queer community enough where I’m sure if they did select him, it wouldn’t be an issue.

Plus, Frank is a “transvestite” -  someone who cross-dresses for sexual pleasure. Their gender could be anyone, having been played by straight cis men, but also Amber Riley (on Glee) and Laverne Cox (that godawful FOX version)

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 7/3/25 at 9:51am

ColorTheHours048 said: "BorisTomashevsky said: "I’d be curious to see Darren Criss as Frank."

There’s no world in which one of the queerest musical theatre roles in the canon, in a major revival directed by one ofthe queerest working directors, will be played by a straight, cisgendered man in this day and age."

Frank is a bisexual male. He could be played by a straight male as easily as being played by a gay male. Are you certain about Darren’s orientation, by the way? He may be closer to Frank’s orientation than you think. 

[witchoftheeast2]

Posted: 7/3/25 at 10:06am

BorisTomashevsky said: "ColorTheHours048 said: "BorisTomashevsky said: "I’d be curious to see Darren Criss as Frank."

There’s no world in which one of the queerest musical theatre roles in the canon, in a major revival directed by one ofthe queerest working directors, will be played by a straight, cisgendered man in this day and age."

Frank is a bisexual male. He could be played by a straight male as easily as being played by a gay male. Are you certain about Darren’s orientation, by the way? He may be closer to Frank’s orientation than you think."

As far as I know he has not addressed it and we don't get to say what it is. That's for him and him alone to disclose. 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 7/3/25 at 10:17am

^ In that case I’d consider him as much of a candidate for the role as anyone else. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/3/25 at 10:26am

His wife of 6 years, Mia, would like a word with you 2:

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/3/25 at 10:30am

Sam Pinkleton went out of his way to cast all queer performers in his production of La Cage. Regardless of your opinion on that production, he clearly goes out of his way to cast queer people whenever possible.

Darren can paint his nails and speak up for the queer community all he wants - and I commend him for it - but he’s decidedly not queer.

Cole for Frank.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 7/3/25 at 10:31am

Criss on playing queer roles;

“But I want to make sure I won’t be another straight boy taking a gay man’s role.”

Here's Why Darren Criss Says He Won't Play Gay Characters Any Longer

Updated On: 7/3/25 at 10:31 AM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/3/25 at 10:32am

He just won a Tony for playing a robot. As far as I can tell, he’s never come out as a robot. Let an actor act.