Members of Shippensburg University’s community got to do “The Time Warp” once again as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” returned to campus this past weekend, continuing a Halloween tradition.

STD Productions, in partnership with the PAGE Center and APB, brought the cult classic parody tribute to science fiction and horror B movies of the 1930s through the 1960s back to campus for three performances over the weekend. Admission was free, but audience members were encouraged to donate to the PAGE Center.

This year’s production featured Jenna Cornell as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Piper Kull as his creation, Rocky Horror, and Rachel Walker and Nate Hallman as Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, respectively. 

Overall, it was a very good performance, regardless of whether you knew anything about “Rocky Horror” before watching. For fans of the cult classic film, it was a unique take on it with the entirely lip-synced performance with a constant audio and music track in the background. For those who did not know what the film was about, it still featured the wild cast of characters and the sense of eeriness that has allowed the film to remain a hit.

It was an entirely flawless production, without any technical issues. The cast did a great job of using not just the stage but the entire CUB MPR, with characters weaving their way through the audience at certain points. 

There was a decent amount of audience participation as well, as there was a QR code you could scan on the way in that provided a list of callouts throughout the performance. A good portion of the audience used these, allowing them to poke fun at the performers and just spice up the show overall.

The show managed to stay authentic to the 1975 film while addressing the negative aspects of it. The show’s directors — Sadie Walshaw, Tiara Chescattie and Duncan Frashure — came onstage before the performance to warn about the graphic parts of the film, particularly parts featuring sexual assault. They also gave a trigger warning for the negative portrayals of the LGBTQ+ community, mentioning that they were more acceptable in the 1970s than today.

This year’s production of Rocky Horror was phenomenal from start to finish. The costume design and lighting effects were very good, and the actors all did a great job. They kept the audience captivated the entire time, thanks to both the callouts and the constantly changing main characters. It was a truly unique show compared to anything else done here at Shippensburg and will hopefully remain an annual tradition for years to come.

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