As The Rocky Horror Show prepares to do the Time Warp again with Roundabout Theatre Company‘s Broadway revival, Vogue has revealed the first look at the star-studded cast.
It features Luke Evans (Dracula Untold) as Frank-N-Furter, Andrew Durand (“Servant”) as Brad, Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Janet, Amber Gray (Master) as Riff Raff, Juliette Lewis (“Yellowjackets”) as Magenta, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (“American Horror Story”) as Columbia, Harvey Guillén (“What We Do in the Shadows”) as Eddie and Dr. Scott, Josh Rivera (West Side Story) as Rocky, and Rachel Dratch (“Saturday Night Live”) as the narrator.
“Frank can be flamboyant and feminine, slinky and sultry, but there’s a menace to him,” Evans tells Vogue. “I want him to feel attractive in many, many different ways so that men and women can look at him and go, ‘Hmmm.'”
Evans, Lewis, Rodriguez, and Guillén make their Broadway debuts in the production. The ensemble also includes Renée Albulario, Anania, Boy Radio, Caleb Quezon, Andres Quintero, Larkin Reilly, Paul Soileau, and John Yi.
With book, music, and lyrics by Richard O’Brien, this iteration of the iconic 1973 musical is directed by Tony Award winner Sam Pinkleton (Oh, Mary!).
“What’s fun about Rocky Horror is it has been done before,” Pinkleton says. “It’s been completely fine without me for 53 years. So coming in and saying, ‘Let me fix this,’ would not be the right choice. It doesn’t need fixing. I want to meet it at face value and embrace the many, many experiences people have with it.”
The show features choreography by Ani Taj, music supervision by Kris Kukul, set design by dots, costume design by David I. Reynoso, lighting design by Jane Cox, sound design by Brian Ronan, wig & hair design by Alberto “Albee” Alvarado, and make-up design by Sterling Tull.
The Rocky Horror Show is the story of two squeaky clean college kids on their way to visit their former college professor when by a twist of fate their car breaks down outside a mansion. They meet the charismatic Dr. Frank-N-Furter and other colorful characters in a strange adventure they will remember for a very long time.
“I totally get that there are people who think the show should be in the bin,” notes Pinkleton. “A punk alien musical from the ’70s can’t hold the multitudes and the complexities of our living, ever-changing moral compasses. It just can’t. If you try, everyone will be miserable and we’ll make something boring.”
The Rocky Horror revival kicks off with previews at New York City’s Studio 54 this Thursday, March 26, ahead of an opening on April 23. The limited engagement runs through June 21. Tickets are on sale now.
