‘Rocky Horror Show’ gets a new look at the Oakland?Center
By ANDY GRAY Tribune ChronicleDirector Robert Dennick Joki plans to warp audiences' expectations about the ''Rocky Horror Show.''
''Every production looks like the movie,'' he said.
So when the idea came about to restage the musical at the Oakland Center for the Arts for the first time since 2004, Joki said he was only interested in doing it if he could take it in a different direction.
''I didn't think it would be any fun doing a carbon copy of the movie,'' he said. ''I pretended I'd never seen the movie, that I was handed a script for a new musical.''
That meant updating the look of the show. Joki said he tried to embrace the plot, the idea that aliens have come to Earth and are trying to fit in. If they looked to television for inspiration, they would be bombarded by images of people like Paris Hilton and Lady Gaga.
''How would aliens interpret American popular culture,'' Joki asked. ''Everything from the set design to the choreography to the costume design, we tried to do from the point of view of an outsider.''
They even re-imagined the dance steps for ''The Time Warp.'' It's still a jump to the left and step to the right, but Joki encouraged choreographer Debbie Pesce to interpret those instructions in a new way.
The cast for the ''Rocky Horror'' features Alyssa Connelly, Eric McCrea, Shawn Lockaton, Melissa Cook, Molly Makselan, Geri DeWitt, Rick Morrow, Andrew Labedz, Nicole Zayas, Marisa Zamary, Kristen Sailor, Richard Boccia, Shaun Lipe, Alisha Kopcsos and Joki.
Joki also is responsible for the costume design and co-designed the set with Christopher Bosi.
''The Rocky Horror Show'' will be staged at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Nov. 6-7 and 13-14 with special midnight shows on Saturday and Nov. 14. Audience interaction kits will be sold at midnight shows only. Audience members are discouraged from bringing items to throw at the actors during any of the shows.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for senior citizens and $10 for students and can be reserved by calling 330-746-0404.
Those participating in the Downtown Zombie Crawl sponsored by the City of Youngstown and Mahoning Valley Historic Society at 6:45 p.m. Friday can attend opening night of ''Rocky Horror'' for $10.
On display in the Star Gallery during the run of the show is the work of Amy Rigby, a recent Youngstown State University graduate who specializes in illustration.
