This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.<\/p>\n
The Rocky Horror Picture Show has evolved into an iconic pop culture staple since its debut in 1975. 2025 commemorates the movie musical\u2019s 50th anniversary<\/a>, and even after half a century, it continues to uplift and bring communities of all kinds together.<\/p>\n Rocky Horror\u2019s growth from a low-budget, underground film to a highly anticipated live event has exploded worldwide throughout its run time. It\u2019s evolved into high-energy performances relying on audience participation. Among the slew of shadow casts traversing the Tallahassee area, one in particular has made its grand return to FSU\u2019s Askew Student Life Center (ASLC).<\/p>\n Without further ado, I\u2019d like (if I may) to take you on a strange journey through a recap and actor\u2019s review of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at FSU.<\/p>\n a time warp through history<\/p>\n The Rocky Horror Picture Show was far from a success upon its initial theatrical release. The movie was adapted from Richard O\u2019Brien\u2019s 1973 musical<\/a> The Rocky Horror Show, with many original cast members returning to reprise their roles for the silver screen. These members included Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, O\u2019Brien as Riff Raff, Patricia Quinn as Magenta, and Nell Campbell as Columbia.<\/p>\n The movie was a box office flop<\/a> despite the famous names spearheading the cast. However, midnight screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show garnered a devoted cult following in subsequent years. Audiences started dressing up, creating callouts, and using props in tandem with key plot moments, fostering an interactive and inclusive environment throughout theaters.<\/p>\n On top of audience participation customs, another Rocky Horror tradition that arrived on the scene was shadow casts<\/a>: a group of actors would reenact the entire movie, lip-syncing the lines in front of the big screen. This brings us to White Mouse Productions.<\/p>\n White mouse productions<\/p>\n White Mouse Productions<\/a> is an organization open to all members of the FSU student body. Described as \u201ca theatre company for social change,\u201d White Mouse showcases work that\u2019s either student-written, student-directed, student-produced, or a mix of the three. Their shows vary from themed cabarets, 24-hour musicals<\/a>, staged readings, and full-length plays.<\/p>\n While other Rocky Horror shadow casts have performed at the ASLC in years prior<\/a>, 2025 marks the second year students have taken the lead. The project is led by Danielle Wirsansky, a doctoral candidate in FSU\u2019s Department of History and White Mouse\u2019s financial director. She directed Rocky Horror\u2019s White Mouse debut in Oct. 2024, so she\u2019s no stranger to tackling such a monster of a task.<\/p>\n \u201cI just got asked to do it because it was a really big, important project for White Mouse,\u201d Wiransky reflected on her introduction to the movie. Before directing the shadow cast for the first time, Wirsansky was unfamiliar with The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It took her a couple of watches to truly \u201cget it,\u201d but she quickly tapped into its significance in pop culture.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m queer, so I knew it was very important to queer culture and queer representation and all things that White Mouse does for social change,\u201d she said, \u201cso I really wanted to do it justice. I think all the things that Rocky Horror stands for are so important, especially in our current political climate.\u201d<\/p>\n An actor\u2019s perspective<\/p>\n After seeing White Mouse\u2019s first showing of Rocky Horror myself, I knew I wanted to be part of it someday. I auditioned for the 2025 run and was beyond thrilled to be cast as my dream role, the elusive housemaid Magenta.<\/p>\n I was admittedly very nervous to start rehearsals; the thing with shadow casts is that they must be especially specific with all movements and facial expressions. Matching the movie is absolutely vital. Trying to embody every single Magenta mannerism seemed intimidating at first, but the nitty-gritty details quickly became second nature to me. Even though it\u2019s not a typical acting experience, it\u2019s a rewarding process all the same.<\/p>\n The 2025 cast features a mix of new faces and old, with many performers returning to either reprise their roles from last year or try their hand at something new. \u201c[Rocky Horror] is genuinely the best thing I\u2019ve ever done for myself. It\u2019s been the most fun I think I\u2019ve ever had doing theatre,\u201d declares Megan Roth, who portrayed the secluded Riff Raff in 2024 and has now returned as the \u201csparkly\u201d Columbia.<\/p>\n thoughts from the Rocky Horror team<\/p>\n The cast agrees that one of the highlights of being part of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the sense of community it\u2019s built. \u201cIt was a chance to meet new people,\u201d says Themily Figueras, starring once again as Janet Weiss. \u201cHonestly, I just loved everything about this experience.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I got to FSU, it was hard to meet friends, and now I\u2019ve met so many awesome, incredible people,\u201d expresses Liam DiDonato, who plays a phantom and Ralph Hapschatt.<\/p>\n Seeing The Rocky Horror Show live is an experience like no other, and the same can be said for performing it. \u201cIt\u2019s a show where, although it\u2019s very serious and we want to put on something that looks good, it\u2019s very inherently goofy,\u201d remarks Harrison Betz, playing a phantom he\u2019s called Francesco (or Franny for short). \u201cYou can really play on a kind of humor that you don\u2019t often get to play on when you\u2019re doing a normal show.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI really love getting to play this very confident and sexy character because that\u2019s not how I carry myself in real life,\u201d adds Percy DeMocko, a phantom named Egg and understudy to Riff Raff. \u201cI love to get to be a different person.\u201d<\/p>\n To sum everything up, Ashley Sosa, who plays Betty Hapschatt and a phantom she\u2019s lovingly christened as Popsicle, says it best. \u201cFeel free to be sexy and fun and wild,\u201d she tells audiences. \u201cIt\u2019s a good time for everyone, and I promise, by the end of the show, you\u2019ll have one of those songs stuck in your head.\u201d<\/p>\n If you missed The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the ASLC on Oct. 16 and 17, there\u2019s still time to catch us at the Challenger Learning Center Planetarium on Oct. 24 and 25. Get your tickets here<\/a>, and let\u2019s do the time warp again!<\/p>\n Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to follow us on Instagram<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, and Pinterest<\/a>!<\/p>\n \t