'Rocky Horror Picture Show' seduces SLO audience

Fans and followers eagerly stood in line outside the Fremont Theatre downtown in corsets, wigs and outrageous make up for a special screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Women – and men – in heels and fishnets stockings presented their tickets and scurried inside to claim their desired seats in the center section of the theater.

There was an overall feeling of inexperienced “virgins” (first timers to a theater screening) in the side sections of the theater, but an overwhelming presence of devoted fans in the center section.

Before the screening, those who thought their costumes worthy climbed onstage for a costume contest. The contestants showed off their costumes – or lack thereof – with a courtesy turn or a small curtsy. The audience acted as judges, shining their flashlights on each contestant and cheering loudly for their favorites. Among the top of the 28 contestants were four men in drag and a girl in a surgeon’s mask.

For a theater showing of this cult classic, it is customary to bring props like rice, newspapers, flashlights or lighters, rubber gloves, noisemakers, party hats and toilet paper. Each prop is used for audience participation in a different scene of the movie.

Out of concern for the historic theater and in anticipation of a giant post-show mess, the Fremont did now allow any rice, lighters, water pistols, toast or hot dogs to be brought in as props during the performance. This policy was generally respected by viewers, who used flashlights instead of lighters, but many still brought Triscuits in lieu of toast.

There are also many callback lines for the audience to say. Whenever someone on screen said “Brad,” the audience yelled “asshole!” and whenever they heard “Janet,” they yelled “slut!” back at the screen.

As the thunder cracked and the rain poured down in a scene where main characters Brad Majors and Janet Wiess blow a flat tire and get out of the car to get help, Janet holds a newspaper over her head in the rain. The audience did the same. Viewers generally squirt water into the air during the rain scene and cover their heads with newspapers so as not to get wet.

During the famous “Time Warp” song, there was a mad dash for the aisles and onto the stage. “It’s just a jump to the left. And then a step to the right,” the crowd sang along with the movie. About 50 people onstage did the “Time Warp” and then collapsed to the floor at the end of the number.

When Dr. Scott, the professor Brad and Janet were on their way to visit, enters the castle lab, Brad shouts, “Great Scott!” Viewers responded by throwing rolls of Scott Paper Co. toilet paper back and forth, the ends streaming white in the dark theater and hitting oblivious audience members in the back of the head.

At the ending credits, the audience cheered for their favorite characters as their individual pictures came on, and again yelled “asshole!” at Brad and “slut!” at Janet.

Moviegoers ranged from parents and kids to older couples to students.

“That was really fun with everyone yelling back,” said Kelsey Murray, a junior at Mission College Preparatory High School. “I had a really good time.”

“It was rad,” said Kara Berard, a senior at Nipomo High School, who came with her cousin Rachel Pack, a junior at Arroyo Grande High School. Both girls wore costumes to the show.

“She just wanted to dress up like a whore, and I was going for Magenta,”Pack said. The girls both had a fun time at the sho, but “I wish they would play it more here though,” Pack said .

Janice Blackham, a resident of Atascadero who saw the stage production in New York and has been to numerous screenings of the movie, said she was impressed with San Luis Obispo’s turnout.

“I was pleasantly surprised by how many people knew the callback lines,” she said. “I thought it was good. They should do it more often.”

The next screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is March 24 at World Rhythm and Motion Studio, located at 150 South St. The shows at 8 p.m. and midnight will feature a live cast acting out the movie in front of the screen, as is tradition. Tickets to the show can be purchased at Boo Boo Records on Monterey Street and Traditional Tattoo on Foothill Boulevard.