In 2017 The Denton High Drama Club adult shadowcast of Muskegon was born. We had monthly performances at our home theater the Harbor Cinema but they closed permanently in 2020 due to the Covid lockdown. Now we travel the West half of Michigan with a new name fitting the change, The Rocky Road Shadowcast. Generally we cover the lower half of the West Michigan shoreline and East out around US-127. Venues performed for include…
Harbor Cinema, Muskegon MI (closed)
Celebration! Cinema Plaza 1 & 2, Muskegon MI (closed)
Wealthy Theatre, Grand Rapids MI
The Sun Theatre, Williamston MI
The Playhouse at White Lake, Whitehall MI
Circle Theatre (outdoor performance), Grand Rapids MI
Saugatuck Woman’s Club, MI
And we’ve been performing annually for the Sun Theatre in Williamston since 2017 and Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids since 2018.
The cast and crew are all talented volunteers where the costs and stipends are funded by our prop bag sales, one of the hallmarks of the Rocky Horror experience of ‘audience participation’, venue friendly items tossed into the air “up and back” at key points in the movie. The $5 plus tax fee for prop bags would be added to the ticket price and promoted that, each ticket includes a prob bag, with the venue later reimbursing prop bag sales to Rocky Road. So the venue provides the film but there’s no cost to the venue for The Rocky Road Shadowcast performance or preshow. Prop bags are venue friendly consisting of items like TP, cards, balloons, rubber gloves, sponges, and glowsticks (no ‘old school Rocky’ toast, rice, hotdogs, confetti, water, or flame). The cast helps with clean up after the show.
We try to plan shows several months in advance allowing for the venue time to promote it but if necessary can work to schedule sooner.
Shows are typically Fridays or Saturdays. Doors usually open 6pm for concession and there’s sometimes a line (suggestion, general admission encourages early arrivals and on time start), start time is advertised as 7pm since the Preshow starts at 7pm lasting 30min, movie starts 7:30pm with a 1h 38min run time. Times are a little flexible but are in this area to provide the cast enough time for post show photos, help with venue clean up, costume changes, and packing up props so the drives back home for the shadowcast aren’t too late.
Some version have a menu option of either US or the UK option, although counter intuitive use the UK option.
An example of the show description…
“This screening of the Rated-R Rocky Horror Picture Show includes a (holiday theme) raucous preshow and The Rocky Road Shadowcast during the movie! Approved Prop Bags and instructions are included with your tickets. No home prop bag items please. Audience participation encouraged! There will be audience members shouting risqué callbacks to screen, singing, and costumes of cosplay, drag, holiday theme, and just plain looking hot are all encouraged (Halloween season shows include a costume contest)! Corsets, fishnet stockings, and heels, regardless of gender, are always a hit! Respect your neighbor and enjoy the show! Some shows sell out so purchase in advance or at least confirm available seating. Arrive early to grab your seat, prop bag, hit the concessions, and to be in time for the pre-show!”
We’ve never had to cancel a show. If there’s an illness a performer is replaced with another of our volunteers or with an audience member for short stints as part of the Rocky Horror ‘audience participation’.
It can be helpful for the venue to partner with another organization or charity and/or tie in with a holiday the cast will dress to and encourage audiences as well for costume contest along with a holiday themed Preshow. We can do a local holiday/celebration theme or traditional holidays with a Rocky Horror twist with themes such as Pride Month in June, Independence Day in July, Hotter Than Hell or Killer Beach Party in August, Oktoberfest Sep/Oct, Halloween in October, Deer Hunter Widows & Widowers in November, a ‘Not Your Family’s Xmas’ in December, New Year Dec/Jan, Valentine’s Day in February, St Patrick’s Day in March, (dry) April Showers theme in April, Flower Power in May.
*The June Pride and October Halloween month weekends get reserved early and fast.
The Rocky Road Shadowcast is an LGBTQ, Body Positive, all races and ethnicities supporter.
The principle contact and Emcee is also our producer Michael Baribeau (stage name Sweet Pea) who’s been with the cast since the beginning and has 20 years stage experience. Use the contact email and be sure to include interested dates and times.
