I don't pretend to be an expert on the Rocky Horror picture show, but I know a good show when I see one. Long Beach's Midnight Insanity not only runs a great Rocky, they put on a great show. From the time an audience member steps behind the yellow, rope line to the time they buckle their seat belt for the car ride home, Midnight Insanity provides a fun and exciting experience.
The First important element of any Rocky cast should be the performance. Before fun preshow activities and post show parties, a cast should make sure that they can get the job done, and Midnight Insanity does just that, straight from the Star Frank all the way down to the "Trannies." The first step M.I. takes to ensure a perfect cast is to make it a requirement for auditioning actors already have all their costumes made. This leaves time for the actors to start rehearsing directly after they are given the part instead of having to scrounge around for costumes. It also helps to show who is serious and committed to the role. Next of course is props and setting. They charge an extra 50 cents to get in so that they have the money to make it a rocky experience that everyone deserves. Next the individual cast members. M.I. is very selective about who performs on stage. It is impossible for an actor to simply "BS" his way through the stage show. All the actors seem to have been chosen for a particular reason and fit the part very well.:
Frank N'Furter: Steve Guerro plays the role of Frank N'furter. It is quite obvious that Steve enjoys his role. He goes out of his way to involve the audience in his performance and he seems to have fun with it. All glammed out in his make up he is the spitin' image of Tim Curry. Steve also has a lovely singing voice and looks sexier than many women in lingerie. Damn him!
Janet Weise: Though they haven't given her the part officially for some reason, Amy Talaska is currently playing the role of Janet. Amy is the most refreshing Janet I have seen. She is a particularly happy person and an experienced performer and carries that on the stage each Saturday night. She gives the role back it's innocence with her wide smile and her big bright eyes. She lives and breathes Janet.
Brad Majors: Bill Ung plays Brad. Unconventionally Bill doesn't resemble Brad at all, however his performance is perfect. Bill plays Brad as he should be, an all around American with old fashioned values. He plays Brad as a strong, manly guy who can be naive and vulnerable. Bill is a quiet, funny guy and it is a riot to see him transform into a domineering Brad on stage.
Magenta: Rebecca Ebstein is perfect in her role as Magenta. Becky is probably my favorite part of the show. She gives Magenta a sense of Sass that really illuminates her time on stage. It seems that no matter who is center stage, I can't take my eyes off of Becky. Her gorgeous voice and her awesome chemistry with the role makes the audience root for the bad guy. Becky is my hero.
Riff- Raff: Lavar Burkhart plays Riff. Lavar looks completely different out of his costume it's kinda crazy to see him after the show. He pulls off that errie "I'm a deranged servant" vibe very well. Despite all the loony antics of the show he always remains straight faced and evil looking as any good Riff should.
Rocky: Jim "Fozzie" Stroosma has recently started playing the role of Rocky. Before Rocky Fozzie hosted preshow and also played Dr. Scott at one time, so he already has a great bond with the other performers. His move to Rocky seemed like a very natural step for him. He looks great in those little, gold speedos and has some of the best facial expressions in the show. I think Fozzie is a great addition to the show.
Columbia: Reign Collins plays Columbia. Reign is adorable. Much like Columbia she is little and cute. She is beautiful and has a real knack for theatrics. Another definite plus is her tap dancing skills, unlike some other Columbia's, she can tap the real sequence. She gets a million thumbs up from me.
Eddie: Mark Tomaino plays Eddie. Like Reign he adds reality to his part by actually playing the saxophone. He is badass and hardcore just like Meatloaf and he knows how to swing Columbia around. His short stay on stage is a pleasant one.
Criminologist: This role is played by Diego Sanson. Diego's strongest feature is that famous little smirk of his. There is not much action in this role, but that doesn't mean it is easy to play, in fact it means you have to rely solely on your lines and your facials and Diego gets the job done well.
Dr. Scott: (Played by none other than Scott) I really love the way M.I. does Dr. Scott, they sort of push him around and kinda give no respect to the cripple thing, it is hilarious. The actor that plays this part is a great sport about it. He also has the old man act down perfectly.
The Trannies and the Trixies: M.I. has many trannies, they are all unique, original and true to the movie. They add a delightful aspect to the show. The Trixie's, are some of the most beautiful women in CA. They warm up the audience for the show and leave the men (and some of the women) wanting more.
But the show isn't the only good part about M.I.! Before the show, the cast plays around with the audience with theme nights like "Lingerie Night" and activities like devirginization to ensure that they feel "Welcomed." M.I. does a great job of bringing it's audience back every week. I can't think of a better way to spend my Saturday night then being harassed by the members of Midnight Insanity.
