Roundabout To Revive ROCKY HORROR- Page 2

[Kad]

Posted: 3/6/25 at 7:35pm

I’ve heard Chalamet too and it frankly (pun unintended) makes little sense to me. 

As for the “it’s problematic” discourse, Rocky Horror has largely managed to avoid it. Every so often someone tries to make an issue out of it, and every time they are rightfully shouted down. 

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 3/6/25 at 7:58pm

It's just insane to me that they'd even consider casting someone like Chalamet when Adam Lambert exists. I understand he has nowhere near the star power that Chalamet does but why even bother mounting a production of RHS if you cast a Frank does not have the chops to do the role?

Also, Tom Hewitt and Terrence Mann were HOT as Frank. Chalamet is so waifish his entire body could fit into one of their platform heels. I just don't see it. 

But if we're talking stunt casting: give me Daniel Radcliffe as Brad. 

Updated On: 3/6/25 at 07:58 PM

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 3/6/25 at 8:03pm

I wonder if they'll put a disclaimer in the program to appease the "THAT'S ASSAULT!" contingent.  

As for casting, Chalamet is an inane idea.  He can't even sing, really.

I don't really care who they cast just as long as it's not a lazy choice like Neil Patrick Harris Billy Porter Jim Parsons etc etc. 

Updated On: 3/7/25 at 08:03 PM

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/6/25 at 8:29pm

With all the discussion about Rocky Horror casting, I neglected to realize that this, along with Oedipus, is part of a pretty damn good Roundabout season.  The best, on paper at least, that Roundabout has had in years. 

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 3/6/25 at 10:33pm

I really can’t see Chalamet, hot off of a second Oscar nomination where he probably placed a very close #2, who's proven himself to be a movie star whose trajectory is only going up, even wanting to do this. Is there any legitimacy to this rumor? It sounds like something birthed by a MadLib. 

Updated On: 3/22/25 at 10:33 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/7/25 at 7:09am

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/7/25 at 11:44am

Pinkleton is a perfect choice for this material.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 3/7/25 at 11:53am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Pinkleton is a perfect choice for this material."

Can Cole sing? If so, they're a perfect choice for Frank.

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/7/25 at 2:48pm

ACL2006 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Pinkleton is a perfect choice for this material."

Can Cole sing? If so, they're a perfect choice for Frank."

They give me more of a Riff-Raff vibe. 

[CarmenDeBris]

Posted: 3/7/25 at 2:57pm

The oracle was fan casting it on instagram and they had Cole as Janet which honestly I would kill to see. 

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 3/7/25 at 3:20pm

Throwing out Dylan Mulvaney’s name for Janet. 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 3/8/25 at 6:55pm

Just Before It Was a Cult Film, ‘Rocky Horror Show’ Was a Broadway Flop

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/theater/rocky-horror-show-broadway-curry.html?unlocked_article_code=1.2U4.JbCU.dEyZuHgTbJTC&smid=nytcore-android-share

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 3/8/25 at 8:03pm

Phillytheatreguy10 said: "Throwing out Dylan Mulvaney’s name for Janet."

I don't know about Dylan Mulvaney in particular, but I do feel that this production should be Queer and Trans as f*ck. They really need to do a good casting search and this could be a very transgressive production in this hellish climate. No safe casting. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/8/25 at 8:16pm

TheatreFan4 said: "Phillytheatreguy10 said: "Throwing out Dylan Mulvaney’s name for Janet."

I don't know about Dylan Mulvaney in particular, but I do feel that this production should be Queer and Trans as f*ck. They really need to do a good casting search and this could be a very transgressive production in this hellish climate. No safe casting."

I wonder if Roundabout is going to have any say in casting since it’s part of their season and not a commercial production renting the space. I wholeheartedly agree that it should be CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL level of casting, but I’m also wary that, being in a subscriber house where the built-in audience is decidedly older (regardless of whether they like the movie) - they may balk at anything they deem “too much”. (Doesn’t mean they are right.)

This could also very well be a production that runs for a while and prints money for a dying Roundabout the way CABARET did.

 

[Kad]

Posted: 3/8/25 at 9:02pm

Of course Roundabout has a say in casting- it is their production. 

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 3/8/25 at 9:08pm

I feel like every professional production I've seen in the last 20 years have been a desperate attempt to be the movie and its so uninteresting and far too clean. The 2000s Revival has been the only one to actually want to look like something different. Seeing the cast recording at the library growing up with a short hair bleach blonde Frank was just so... awesome.

Updated On: 3/8/25 at 09:08 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 3/8/25 at 9:14pm

TheatreFan4 said: "I feel like every professional production I've seen in the last 20 years have been a desperate attempt to be the movie and its so uninteresting and far too clean."

I agree. I want rough edges, I want sleaze, I don't want squeaky-clean, gym-toned musical theatre kids trying to be edgy while giving you generic Broadway pop vocals.

 

Updated On: 3/8/25 at 09:14 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/8/25 at 9:51pm

Kad said: "TheatreFan4 said: "I feel like every professional production I've seen in the last 20 years have been a desperate attempt to be the movie and its so uninteresting and far too clean."

I agree. I want rough edges, I want sleaze, I don't want squeaky-clean, gym-toned musical theatre kids trying to be edgy while giving you generic Broadway pop vocals."

If Pinkleton's work on musicals at Pasadena is any indication, this will have a very diverse cast (in all senses of the word) and perhaps will take some big swings on the casting front, whihc may or may not work.

I also expect it to be a little messy (something he has stated he values).

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 3/9/25 at 7:47am

My issue with Rocky is people think it’s camp. The movie is far from it, one scene breaks the forth wall, but it’s played like everything that is happening is natural. The last Australian production with a woeful Jason Donovan was so misconceived that it was an embarrassment. Somewhere in the late 90’s people missed the point.

[Seb28]

Posted: 3/9/25 at 9:44am

Kad said: "I want rough edges, I want sleaze, I don't want squeaky-clean, gym-toned musical theatre kids trying to be edgy while giving you generic Broadway pop vocals."

I totally agree. But I'm afraid that some "family-friendly celeb as Frank", an ensemble of squeaky-clean, gym-toned musical theatre kids with generic Broadway pop vocals, some modern twists such as iPhones during "There's a light", maybe even implementing the daring idea of having video camera's and screens, lots of modern pop culture jokes and of course a cardboard cutout here and there is as "edgy" as it will get nowadays. And the target audience will devour it. As long as they can holler during a show it's all good.

Updated On: 3/9/25 at 09:44 AM

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 3/9/25 at 2:46pm

rosscoe(au) said: "My issue with Rocky is people think it’s camp. The movie is far from it, one scene breaks the forth wall, but it’s played like everything that is happening is natural. The last Australian production with a woeful Jason Donovan wasso misconceived that it was an embarrassment. Somewhere in the late 90’s people missed the point."

I'm going to be... so sincere. Do you know what camp is? Camp is not breaking the 4th wall and it's not even always intentional. Rocky Horror is Camp. 

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 3/9/25 at 8:38pm

Theatre Fan, I knew as soon as I wrote it, it would come out wrong. I’m not sure how to describe what I mean. But something has changed with productions of this show since the late 90’s.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 3/9/25 at 9:34pm

rosscoe(au) said: "Theatre Fan, I knew as soon as I wrote it, it would come out wrong. I’m not sure how to describe what I mean. But something has changed with productions of this show since the late 90’s."

It's that very few directors actually want to do anything with it and let the film's status be all that it has to offer. Every one knows the lines and the shout outs. It all looks exactly the same. There is no vision, just give the audience what they know. 

I will say that in addition to the original Bway Revival, I'm also a bit partial to the Rob Fowler led European tour from 2008...

 

Updated On: 3/9/25 at 09:34 PM

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 3/9/25 at 11:23pm

rosscoe, let me give it a try:

George Abbott, Broadway's greatest all-time musical comedy director, once said, "If you play it for comedy, it won't work; if you play it for real, it will."

When Rocky played it for real, the result was camp brilliance. When Rocky plays it for comedy now, the result is schlock.

Am I in the ballpark?

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 3/9/25 at 11:52pm

I’ve seen many, many productions of The Rocky Horror Show in the US and UK over the past 40 years. Some directors and cast get the concept, but so many do not. The last Broadway revival was fantastic, and I saw it eight times. One of the other great productions was at the Stratford Festival in 2018. I have fingers crossed for next year. 
 

BTW, the original Broadway production opened at the Belasco Theatre 50 years ago today (March 10, 1975).

Updated On: 3/10/25 at 11:52 PM