Rocky' fuses tradition and vision in glam production

It's never easy to remake a classic. With a show that has such an established cult following as "The Rocky Horror Show," it is difficult to balance nostalgia with artistic reinterpretation.

This past weekend sophomore director Jennifer Gerson succeeded in infusing the show with her own unique spin while remaining true to the spirit of the original production. Through a mix of '70s glam rock extravagance and '50s B-movie kitsch, Torn Ticket II's "Rocky Horror," presented in Cohen Auditorium, was an entertaining night of fishnets and stilettos, supported by strong design and driven by a talented cast.

Following along with the show's glam rock concept, the stage was outfitted in a "steel mill meets David Bowie" set by freshman designer Melinda Cross. Making use of the limited space, "Rocky" was not bogged down with hundreds of set changes. The minimalist approach gave the show a streamlined look and allowed the crew to focus on the show's other technical aspects.

One of the often overlooked challenges of staging a musical is the decision of where to place the pit orchestra, or in this case the rock band. "Tiny Tim and the Half-Nelsons" were literally front and center, and even in costume. Pit director, senior Tim Nelson had a running dialogue with the actors, providing much more than accompaniment. The musicians' unusual role kept with the interactive nature of the show.

Senior choreographers Daphne McCurdy and Megan Hammer constructed creative dances for "Rocky" that were reminiscent of Madonna's "Erotica" videos. Each dance number had energy to spare, a commendable feat considering most the cast was outfitted in heels and corsets for the majority of the show. Through scenes ranging from onstage sex acts "hidden" by a scrim to the "Time Warp," "Rocky" kept the pace silly enough to appease administrative censors while maintaining a sense of its inherent sexiness.

The task of capitalizing on the show's inherent sex appeal was tackled by sophomore costume designers Heather Tamarkin and Joanna Troy. Working with Gerson's glam rock theme, they created a series of scantily clad and saucy pieces. The pair impressively succeeded in individualizing each character's costume while unifying the overall look of the whole ensemble.

Surrounded by a cool set, rockin' band, assorted dance numbers, and fashionable costumes, the performers could have been swallowed by the show's glamorous presentation. The talented and diverse cast, however, managed to shine through and carry the production while the design elements served as support.

Sophomores Greg Fujita and Julia Arazi were excellent as the betrothed Brad Majors and Janet Weiss. Their befuddled wonderment upon stepping into a castle of freaky folks, as well as their descent into a world of sensual experimentation, was a humorous m‚lange of morals gone awry.

Junior Mike La Fazia was a statuesque Frank 'N' Furter, parading across stage in what looked to be 5-inch platform heels. Aside from a pair of legs that would make a supermodel jealous, La Fazia's best asset was his stellar tenor voice as he rocked Boy George-esque numbers and soul ballads alike.

Junior Andrew Beattie took an interesting turn as Rocky, the golden, Adonis-like creation of Frank 'N' Furter. Beattie was the embodiment of the "male bimbo" in his turn as the androgynous playboy. He physically resembled a less Herculean version of Rocky. Beattie delivered the vocal punch and na‹ve comic energy necessary to pull off the role.

Senior Taylor Shann, the omniscient narrator, and junior Armen Nercessian, the delivery boy Eddie and the scientist Dr. Scott, were well matched to their roles. Shann had a fuddy duddy effervescence that was best showcased in his interactions with the audience before the show began and right after the intermission. He was also most amusing in a duet with Brad wherein they take shots of whiskey and lament Brad's relationship with Janet. Nercessian's turns as the punk Eddie and Dr. Scott showcased his comic muscle and panache for peculiar eastern European accents.

The best characterizations were Frank 'N' Furter's trio of luscious vampire/alien servants: senior Kalani Hawks as the top-notch tapper Columbia, sophomore Emi Norris as the coquettishly charismatic Magenta, and sophomore Kirigin Elstad as the sinisterly sexy Riff Raff.

The most versatile actors of the evening proved to be the four Phantoms. Not just mere members of the ensemble, they played everything from radiators and doors to Brad and Janet's broken down car in the best site gag of the show.

The matter of audience participation was also difficult to balance in this production. Although a sheet of sample responses was included in the program, only a fraction chose to participate. There were also a handful of people who knew every single line and interjected at inopportune times, which occasionally threw off the actors.

Frank: "It wasn't all bad was it?"

Audience: "It wasn't all Brad either!"

No it wasn't all Brad. TTII's spring major was a fun night of theater that deserved a larger audience than bought tickets. The dynamic design elements complimented the strong ensemble concept and had many dancing the "Time Warp" all the way home.