Men in red satin corsets, bustiers, high heels and nylon stockings, living only for pleasure … The average lives of men living in the mansions of Solebury, PA, you say? Not this time. We are speaking of the snappy reinvention of The Rocky Horror Show now at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, PA, until October 29th. 

 

The Rocky Horror Show at the Bucks County Playhouse has become an annual event these past few years, with this year’s cast offering a few welcome surprises.  There are performances which have become legends, affecting us perhaps forever. Think of Cabaret.  Immediately, Liza Minelli and Joel Grey come to mind. Think The Rocky Horror Show, and Tim Curry’s iconic interpretation of Dr. Frank N. Furter is forever impressed upon our consciousness. Little wonder that most interpreters follow Tim Curry’s interpretation almost to the letter.

 

Happily, we have something different in Randy Harrison’s portrayal.  Harrison delivers a surprisingly fresh spin on the role. Yes, that Randy Harrison, the cute, little innocent pumpkin from the TV series, Queer as Folk. Randy Harrison has been busy since then, appearing on Broadway, other New York theatre, in regional theatre, TV, and the web. His interpretation is tailored to his voice, his inflections, and his looks. At times, he appears to look like Whitney Houston (albeit with purple hair).  Harrison’s transvestite alien is unafraid to engage in a long French kiss with Brad (charmingly played by Nick Cearley, looking good in underwear), or to lick the bodies of his … subjects.

 

Speaking of others in the cast, we have the beautiful and talented Nick Adams as Rocky, the creation brought to life that very night. Don’t objectify him just because he is beautiful. Catherine Ricafort is the appropriately virginal (and occasionally sexually rapacious) Janet Weiss. The handsome Van Hughes has morphed into the appropriately creepy alien Riff Raff, while his sister, Magenta, from the Planet Transsexual in the Transylvanian Galaxy, is robustly played by Olivia Griffin. Jeff Hiller, Julian Ramos, Katie Anderson, and Danielle Diniz all add to the production’s mayhem as they caper about under Hunter Foster’s direction with Lorin Lotarro’s choreography.

 

The Rocky Horror Show is the best way to get into the Halloween spirit. Celebrate this gayest of holidays by seeing The Rocky Horror Show at the Bucks County Playhouse. Visit www.BucksCountyPlayhouse.org for more information and to purchase tickets.

 

Next at the Bucks County Playhouse: The New World in November and Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big Playhouse Christmas Show in December.