Review of DFTC’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show

This past Halloween season, I discovered so many people close to me that were unaware of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This year, I worked on DFTC’s production of it as a lead Hair and Makeup artist, but this was far from the beginning of my obsession with the franchise. The campy, raunchy, music-filled show is an unforgettable experience each time.

When I was in middle school, my mom told me that The Rocky Horror Picture Show was a movie that I absolutely had to see. Watching it for the first time on my living room TV around the Halloween season was life changing. The makeup, the songs, the outfits, everything—I decided then and there that it was about the best thing I'd ever seen.

I didn't encounter Rocky Horror again much until college, save for my Halloween playlist where I had 3 different versions of Time Warp (one being the Glee version…no comment). 

Then I had what I consider to be my Rocky Horror semester during my freshman year of college. Spring semester, I took my second Thematic Option writing course with the theme “Genderpunk”, and so of course we studied Rocky Horror. In this class, we got the opportunity to take a field trip to see a live showing of Rocky Horror in Santa Monica.

If you've seen the movie but not a live showing with a shadow cast, drop everything you're doing and find your nearest showing. Stepping into the venue in Santa Monica, I knew this would be another life changingly queer and campy experience. And it was: the callouts, the shadow cast running through the crowd, the pre show. All of it made me so excited to continue in my Rocky Horror semester.

I worked briefly on DFTC’s production of Rocky Horror my freshman year, but I was more excited to watch it. It reminded me exactly of the Santa Monica one, not because it was exactly the same but because of the campy charm that live showings of Rocky Horror have. 

This year, I was able to work on DFTC’s production again, this time as a hair and makeup artist. This position was so fun because I got to truly immerse myself in the art form that is Rocky Horror. So much of the camp aspects of the franchise come from the character appearances, and channeling that through the art form of makeup and hair was such an exciting opportunity.

I think everyone should experience Rocky Horror a few times to start: definitely watch the movie, and definitely see the live show. I would say that's all you need to see, but I believe if you experience those, you'll want to experience them again. I mean, I would kill to have that red lipsticked V on my forehead again.