The Rocky Horror Show Playbill Design- Page 3

[Ensemble17591322022]

Posted: 3/4/26 at 1:01am

Interesting. Audience interjections were very present in the last revival. They’d better make space for them or there’s going to be a lot of stepping on lines. The theatre may be large but when you’ve got kids in the front row belting “a$$hole” and “$lut” at you, size won’t matter. 

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 3/4/26 at 2:07am

I don’t get the fascination with audience participation in the stage show. It’s a whole other beast than the movie. 

[MidWestTheater]

Posted: 3/4/26 at 10:43am

That's interesting that this production seems to be ignoring the "audience participation" element from the movie. (Who's to say, the show hasn't started yet) I remember seeing the last revival, and I was a fan of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, but I wasn't super as familiar with audience participation script. There was a guy next to me, who knew everything to say, and he was yelling it out, as were others. But let's also remember it's not just yelling things out, but also there are things like throwing rice, waterguns, the newspaper on the heads. In the last revival, they encouraged it and even sold bags with the props in them to use during the show.

I know this is "The Rocky Horror Show" and not "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", but the movie has eclipsed the show by leaps and bounds. So we will see if this new revival embraces the tradition of going to see the movie or not.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/4/26 at 10:47am

It seems like something that is going to be happening and they're going to need to prepare. 

[ER765]

Posted: 3/4/26 at 10:58am

Kad said: "It seems like something that is going to be happening and they're going to need to prepare."

100%. I don’t see how this wouldn’t be on their radar from day dot…

[darquegk]

Posted: 3/4/26 at 11:23am

I've been to two productions in the past that actively discouraged audience participation, saying "I want audiences to see the show Richard O'Brien wrote, not the show that the audience wrote."

Neither one was any fun.

[tacotheatrelover]

Posted: 3/4/26 at 11:50am

For the past 3 years before my dad passed in September, me and him would always find midnight screenings of rocky horror and local productions and drive ridiculous hours just to see them. The audience participation was always key to the entire thing both times, with the shadow casts and the actors on stage eating it up every single time.

I know it's not the film and audiences should, y'know. Use proper etiquette. But also, this should be expected from the producing team and those involved with the show. If they wanna take themselves seriously, that's cool, go ahead. But when your show's audience has had DECADES of setting up it's community and the way things go, you'll be leaving a lot of people disappointed in your show.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/9/26 at 4:34pm

The show is going to be two hours with an intermission, for those interested.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 3/10/26 at 9:51pm

“The Rocky Horror PICTURE Show” has eclipsed its source material so much that newer generations have no idea that it even originated as a stage show. They just think someone had “the smart idea” to adapt the film for the stage. 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 3/10/26 at 11:08pm

CarlosAlberto said: "“The Rocky Horror PICTURE Show” has eclipsed its source material so much that newer generations have no idea that it even originated as a stage show. They just think someone had “the smart idea” to adapt the film for the stage."

Indeed. I read a BBC article today about Luke Evans making his Broadway debut in The Rocky Horror Picture Show [sic]. I just looked it up, and it looks like the mistake has been fixed, but Jesus ****ing Christ.

[Observation]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 1:18pm

I know this isn't related to the Playbill Design, but I can't find the other Rocky thread. I just saw on Insta they posted photos of the cast in what I assume are the costumes for the show. Personally, I love it! 

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 1:40pm

I don't believe they're costumes but stylized for the shoot as it lists a stylist, not a costume designer.

[Observation]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 1:47pm

iluvtheatertrash said: "I don't believe they're costumes but stylized for the shoot as it lists a stylist, not a costume designer."

Ah! good to know, thanks for the clarification. I wouldn't be mad if those do become the costumes. So excited to hear thoughts on this revival later this week

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 2:07pm

I like some of them but not all. Sorry, but I want Rocky in gold shorts 😆 

[Observation]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 2:14pm

iluvtheatertrash said: "I like some of them but not all. Sorry, but I want Rocky in gold shorts 😆"

As long as they're short and snug, I don't mind! haha 

[joevitus]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 2:20pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I spoke to a cast member yesterday and asked About audience participation in that huge space (something all my Rocky friends have been pretty skeptical about) and was told “oh yeah we were thinking about that but we’re not sure. I mean, people will definitely do it but this isn’t like the movie so it’s not encouraged or anything”.

And my heart just SANK."

Personally, I like that approach. I've always found audience participation at the stage show 1) rude (yelling insults at people standing right in front of you, and you're assuming sophmoric come-backs are funnier than the actual script), and 2) idiotic (almost all the lines are movie-specfic and don't make sense in terms of a production that doesn't simply reproduce the movie onstage). I realize there's no way to avoid it, but I wish people could appreciate the show and midnight showings of the film as two very seperate experiences. 

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 2:36pm

If they're going to be discouraging call-outs, I'm probably going to sell my tickets and skip it. Don't do Rocky Horror if you don't want to go all out. I'll wait to hear from preview reports, but that's a REAL turn-off.

[Peppa222]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 4:17pm

I really am quite shocked that they haven't figured out/integrated a stance on audience participation from the get-go. I also don't understand the "It's not the movie!" argument. I've seen the movie, but my experience with Rocky is mainly through the dozens of regional/community productions I've seen (not screenings, not shadow casts, full-on theatre productions). The call-out culture is a huge part of the experience. 

I could understand having a segregated performance schedule: some shows with audience participation, some not, clearly marked when you're buying a ticket, so everyone could select the kind of experience they'd like to be a part of. But this wishy-washy "We'll see what happens!" attitude around it feels like a recipe for disappointment, for one group or another.

I bet we'll see an Instagram post clarifying what the expectations are after the first few performances, but it seems odd not to have this figured out already.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 4:28pm

They did a publicity event with the cast attending a screening with a shadow cast, so callouts have to be on their radar. 

[joshdog2014]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 7:00pm

They previously (archive.org link) had a message about callouts on the website but it seems like they have since removed it?

"WE’RE SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU.
HERE’S HOW ALL OF US CAN HAVE THE BEST TIME:

Dear fans,

1. Have a blast
2. Shout when the spirit moves you
3. Respect our actors and your neighbors, who are all live people

Dear newcomers,

1. Have a blast
2. Know that some folks may call out some lines, it's all part of the fun
3. Remember, they're (almost) all aliens.

If you have any questions, please contact Audience Services at 212.719.1300 or email [e-mail]"

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 7:05pm

The movie/stage show doesn’t work without the callbacks now are they going to stop people from bringing in their props to throw ? 

[joevitus]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 7:27pm

iluvtheatertrash said: "If they're going to be discouraging call-outs, I'm probably going to sell my tickets and skip it. Don't do Rocky Horror if you don't want to go all out. I'll wait to hear from preview reports, but that's a REAL turn-off."

What? Are the jokes in the show itself not good enough or something? Do you insist on turning stagings of The Sound of Music into Sing-A-Long occasions? 

Updated On: 3/23/26 at 07:27 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/23/26 at 11:54pm

The annoying part for me during the last revival were the call outs that seemed completely made up by the groupies who attended, from their local productions.

There were performances where they would scream something after every single line. It was annoying and rude.

This production should havd projections of what can specifically be yelled back to have control over it. They won't stop audiences from participating.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 3/24/26 at 12:04am

joevitus said: "
What? Are the jokes in the show itself not good enoughor something? Do you insist on turning stagings of The Sound of Music into Sing-A-Long occasions?"

If Sound of Music had a near 50 year history of sing-a-longs in their stagings? Yeah... kinda.

Rocky Horror has call backs. It just does, attempting chastise people for it and curtail it at this point is INSANE behavior. As if they're doing something wrong? Get over yourself, not every show is for you. If you are in the market for Rocky Horror then you are in the market for ROCKY HORROR and all that entails. If you don't like that, then don't go. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 3/24/26 at 12:17am

TheatreFan4 said: "joevitus said: "
What? Are the jokes in the show itself not good enoughor something? Do you insist on turning stagings of The Sound of Music into Sing-A-Long occasions?"

If Sound of Music had a near 50 year history of sing-a-longs in their stagings? Yeah... kinda.

Rocky Horror has call backs. It just does, attempting chastise people for it andcurtail it at this point is INSANE behavior. As if they're doing something wrong? Get over yourself, not every show is for you. If you are in the market for Rocky Horror then you are in the market for ROCKY HORROR and all that entails. If you don't like that, then don't go."

So no one is ever supposed to get the chance to enjoy a well-written show on its own terms because audiences have to make it all about themselves when it comes to Every. Single. Production? That's just absurd.

You're talking to a long-standing fan of the material. I actually experienced audience participation when it was good, and I enjoyed it. The midnight showings in the 70's and 80's were a unique experience I wouldn't trade for anything--and I was calling out lines, throwing rice and flicking on my Bic lighter, rushing to the foot of the screen to do the Time Warp, and tossing toilet paper along with everyone else.

But that audiences shouldn't ever get a chance to just see a production of the show as opposed to the audience participation stuff is nonsense. I also think this hems directors in--they feel compelled to follow certain timing or staging moments because they know--"Here comes X line. Can't do anything different because the audience is going to scream X at that moment anyway." Reserve that stuff for midnight showings of the movie, or let there be specific performances of the show reserved for audience participation, with the bulk of the performances free from it. It's so frustrating for this play get buried underneath what is mostly crap now anyway. It is strong enough to entertain on its own. 

Updated On: 3/24/26 at 12:17 AM