A pair of fishnets, some red glitter pumps, a corset, sequin gloves, lipstick and some form-fitting gold shorts: the standard attire for students gathered in a McKenzie Hall classroom Tuesday evening.
Both sexes gathered in the lecture hall to adjust their lingerie and assist each other with hair and makeup in preparation for the dress rehearsal of this year’s Halloween production of the ’70s cult classic, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
A man in tight gold shorts stands around taking in the view and showcasing his abundant back and chest hair. He comments on how chilly the room is.
Women giggle in the corner as they attempt to discretely change into their outfits, and cast members admire one girl’s selection of a turquoise dress with black lace, short skirt and voluminous bustle.
The “Rocky Horror” theatrical group, known as Forbidden Fruit, got its start at the University 10 years ago. Ever since, it has continued the cult tradition of performing on All Hallows Eve by dawning tranny-wear and inviting students and the community of Eugene to join them in mocking their favorite sci-fi transsexual Transylvanian musical. The performance includes three midnight shows at the Bijou Arts Cinema on East 13th Avenue and Ferry Street this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
“It’s really cool and always a little weird,” said Connie Bowers, who plays the character Columbia. The performance is designed to be interactive. The actors themselves don’t speak the parts but rather pantomime them, in the shadow-cast style. The effect is something like “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” in which actors chime in with their own cruder versions of lyrics or lines and poke fun at the characters, making puns.
“It changes all the time because we come up with different callbacks and we come up with different costume ideas,” said University student Jana Meszaros, who plays one of the lead characters, the virginal Janet. The audience is encouraged to chime in with their own lines and also bring plenty of fun things to throw at the movie, like toast, playing cards and toilet paper.
“I think it’s a really good show to see because it kind of opens up your mind to a little bit of the things we’ve been up to all year,” Meszaros said. “We really work hard to put this show together and to make it fun for people to come to, and it’s a great place that you can just come and let loose and not worry about anybody judging you about anything and really be in this moment.”
The environment of the show is supposed to mirror the bizarre, or maybe taboo, subjects embraced by Rocky Horror itself. Sam Hedegaard who plays the character Rocky, spoke to the Emerald while he got dressed, pulling his jeans over his gold spandex shorts.
“It’s a safe place, and we try and keep it that way so people can feel free to express themselves as well as respect other people’s boundaries,” he said. “Being able to be themselves without fear of reprisal because you know we’re all dressed up like trannies, half naked. You can’t get much worse than that, and once you get down to that sort of even level it all becomes a lot of fun for everyone.”
Allegra Herdklotz-Yasutake, who portrays Riff Raff, explained how the show allows her to express herself in a different way. “I’m not really an actor but I like being a ham, so getting up on stage and running around in a costume,” she said. “It’s a fun way to be the center of attention, but at the same time you don’t have to be loud or act.”
The group itself is excited to finally do what it loves on a regular basis with the support of the Bijou.
Most of all, it seems, those in Forbidden Fruit appear thankful for the opportunity to participate in a safe and open environment. “How many places can you go on a Saturday night and have a room full of people throwing toilet paper and toast and running around in their underwear?” Herdklotz-Yasutake asked. “Not very many that I know of.”
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