The phenomenon began with Richard O’Brien’s 1973 stage production “The Rocky Horror Show.” In 1975, the show was adapted into a film version, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Like the movie, the musical version transports audiences into a glitter-filled, seductive, fantastical world filled with strange characters and moments of self-discovery.
The University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film and Television (TFTV) will present the musical Friday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Oct. 25.
They will hold a postshow discussion Friday, Oct. 23, and offer an ASL-interpreted performance Saturday, Oct. 24.
This is a poignant time to put on the musical with the passing of Tim Curry on Aug. 25. He is known for his portrayal of the iconic Dr. Frank-N-Furter character in the film.
The university program offers hands-on training and professional-level performance opportunities for students who make up the cast.
The production stars Jack Feeney-Muñoz as Brad, Lillian Anagnost as Janet, Harrison Dodge as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Annie Houglum as Magenta, Savana Dorame as Columbia and Christine Winn as Riff Raff.
Patrick Holt is doing double duties as the show’s costume designer and The Narrator. He will appear as Tempest DuJour, his drag alter ego, as the latter.
Holt competed as Tempest DuJour on Season 7 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
Dodge, a senior at the UofA who is majoring in music and minoring in theatre arts and musical theatre, was born and raised in Tucson and graduated from Catalina Foothills High School.
He has appeared in only one other TFTV production, “Almost, Maine.”
The actor has worked with Saguaro City Music Theatre on productions such as “Shrek the Musical,” “My Fair Lady,” “Annie” and “The Addams Family.”
He has also performed in several productions with Gaslight Theatre while in college.
As a member of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus, he had a chance to work with the Arizona Opera on productions of “Carmen” and “Tosca.”
Dodge first became interested in acting in high school. His first major role was in “Urinetown,” in which he played the villain Caldwell B. Caldwell.
Dodge also has a background in music direction. He began directing music in high school with ‘Mary Poppins’ and has continued in college.
At UA, he has acted in several student films for “I Dream in Widescreen,” including “Synesthesia” and “Playing It Ghoul,” as well as scoring music for student films.
Dodge auditioned for “The Rocky Horror Show” because he wanted to be part of a production with great social and cultural importance.
When auditions for the season were announced, his friends thought he would make a great Brad.
“Going into the audition process, I prepared materials for both Brad and Frank-N-Furter. Once I finally got into the room and was doing the whole thing, Frank-N-Furter just felt infinitely more compelling to me,” Dodge said.
With his character, Dodge wants to pay tribute to those who came before him while still bringing his own unique take.
“Obviously, with the role, you are paying homage to Tim Curry and his performance any time you do the show. A lot of it has been taking Tim Curry’s performance out of my head, even though it’s amazing, and allowing myself to make my own choices and interpretation and really create a character that is authentic to me. That’s what Frank-N-Furter is really all about. It unveils a lot about yourself as you do it,” Dodge said.
Dodge is leaning into Frank-N-Furter’s over-the-top personality and sensuality in his portrayal.
“If I had to attribute Frank-N-Furter to an animal, he’s very much a peacock in nature, very flaunty and very sexual obviously. It’s been quite a process playing with that and making sure everybody we’re working with is comfortable. We’re taking away that barrier we put around ourselves and allowing each other to be more physical with one another,” Dodge said.
This is Dodge’s first time wearing heels in a show.
“I don’t think I’ve done a rehearsal not in heels this whole process. That’s really been important for me in being in character and having that physical attribute,” Dodge said.
Dodge said playing the character has instilled a new confidence in him.
The actor knew the musical and film version, but he never attended a shadow cast screening until he was cast for the show.
“It’s so fun being a part of an experience where people are encouraged to be themselves and be a little obnoxious because there aren’t many public spaces where we’re allowed to do that anymore … It’s pervasive and always culturally relevant. I feel like no matter how accepting we’ve become as a society, the movie still has something to say and something to offer,” Dodge said.
His family has some connections with the film. His mother played Janet in a shadow cast when she was in college, and his father went to a showing of the film with his prom date.
During rehearsals, the cast practiced responding to audience callouts, which are common during performances of the musical.
“It’s such a phenomenon that everybody knows what you’re about to say, and they say something to either make people around them laugh or try to break you onstage. It’s not often you do a music theater show, and you’re getting yelled at,” Dodge said.
Christie Kerr, the artistic director of TFTV, is directing and choreographing the show.
Kerr directs, choreographs and works as an intimacy coordinator at theaters around the country.
For TFTV, she has recently directed “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Bright Star,” “Vanities: The Musical” and “Jerry’s Girls.”
This is Kerr’s first time working on “The Rocky Horror Show.” She was part of the season selection committee that chose the show for the 2026-27 season.
“We were looking for ways to continue to engage new audiences and students. Particularly with the 50th anniversary of the movie, it seemed like the right time to do it … Then, unfortunately, Tim Curry passed. After that, they announced the Broadway revival. We had actually applied for the rights before they even announced that there was a revival. I was afraid we weren’t going to get the rights anymore, but they allowed it … The more I continue to study it, the more I’m loving it. It is so much fun, and the cast is having a blast. It’s such a collaborative team effort with all of our designers, with sets, lights, projections and video,” Kerr said.
Kerr said it can be a challenge to do a title that is so well-known because audience members come in with expectations.
“There’s a lot of ‘Rocky Horror’ purists out there that might hate this. I’m willing to take that risk. I wanted us as a collaborative team to work together and create what’s best for us and for the students,” Kerr said.
For the show, they are working with intimacy coordinator Matt Denney. Kerr said with this show, intimacy coordination helps to make the students feel comfortable, especially during bedroom scenes.
As director, Kerr wanted to give the show a more gothic feel, particularly through the costumes.
“I said from the get-go, ‘I’m not interested in recreating the movie. The movie is brilliant, but I don’t want a cookie cutter. I want to make this uniquely our own,’” Kerr said.
Kerr said she wanted audience members to participate, but only to a certain extent. Outside props are not allowed.
“It’s a delicate balance. I went to see The Loft screening with the shadow cast they do monthly, and it’s wild. That’s just a steady stream of shouting at the screen, which is great because it’s a movie. I know with the Broadway revival for a while, they said, ‘We don’t want it,’ and they said, ‘We do want it.’ There was this weird back and forth. I was actually in New York in May, and I got to see the show. It was fun to see how they handled it. It wasn’t crazy. I don’t want to discourage that. I want people to have fun, but I also want to remind them that these are live people on stage, and we do want to hear what they’re saying and singing… I have warned the cast that this is the one element that I can’t control, and I don’t know how it’s going to go. I think it’s going to be different night by night, depending on who’s in the audience and how rowdy they get,’” Kerr said.
Audience members are encouraged to participate in the dance for “The Time Warp” and to come dressed up for performances.
As with the movie, the characters are a definitive part of the story.
During rehearsals, Kerr worked extensively with cast members on table work to help develop their characters.
“We were really talking at the beginning a lot about character development and exploration. Who are you and why are you here? So, they really feel everybody in the show has a very vital role and a very vital part,” Kerr said.
Along with the main cast, there are nine ensemble actors who play background characters, known in the show as “Phantoms.”
Kerr said there are usually four to six Phantoms, but she wanted to offer opportunities for more actors.
The cast totals 18.
The creative team has added a few Easter eggs to the show. The team decided to pay tribute to Curry by using his image in the set.
“We are dedicating our run to his memory. We can’t not acknowledge the brilliance that was Tim Curry and how he helped shape this,” Kerr said.
For the show, they shot original video footage. TFTV also used video in their production of “Love and Information.”
“We thought that was really unique, different and fun. We were like, ‘How can we incorporate that again in a unique way?’ Since this is taking place in the Marroney, we have our big film screen. We can utilize that for some of the elements that we’re doing,” Kerr said.
Kerr also wanted to bring something different during the preshow performance of “Science Fiction/Double Feature.”
“I said, ‘We are talking about all of these old films. What can we do uniquely and creatively to continue to tell that story?’ Without giving away too much, we have a little movie montage that we have created,” Kerr said.
UA School of Theatre, Film & Television presents “The Rocky Horror Show”
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 25. ASL-interpreted performance Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Marroney Theatre, 1025 N. Olive Road, Tucson
COST: $25 for adults, $23 for seniors, military and UofA employees, $5 student tickets for high school and college students
INFO: tftv.arizona.edu
