Written by orange• November 2, 2024• 3:30 pm• Cabrillo Playhouse, Musical, Review, Uncategorized

The Rocky Horror Show @ Cabrillo Playhouse in San Clemente – Review

photo credit Sarah Whitwell Photography

Written by Patrick Chavis

The Rocky Horror Show is playing now at the Cabrillo Playhouse in San Clemente, October 24 – November 10, 2024.

Cabrillo Playhouse’s Rocky Horror Show takes full advantage of the small but unique space at the Playhouse to tell the musical horror comedy classic that’s not as edgy as it once was when it first came out in the 1970s. Its message against shallowness and a lack of openmindedness is even more vital today! Watching this fun, wild party on stage, I wondered what the next Rocky Horror Show would be and what’s taking so long.

Story:

The Rocky Horror Show is a horror comedy musical that follows a couple of L-7s, Janet, played by Sarah Ledesma, and Brad, played by Matt Metz. Stuck because of a flat tire, they find themselves at a castle looking for a phone. (Castles don’t have phones, dummy). While at the castle, they meet various spooky characters, who can all sing.

Besides being a popular stage play that has been going on for decades, there’s also a popular film adaptation made in the 1980s with Tim Curry called The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Because the show has gone on so long, some traditions have grown and have become a part of it, like callbacks. When a character says certain words, audience members can yell freely on the stage. Honestly, it’s so laid-back, you can pretty much yell at the stage most of the time. This was in full effect at the Playhouse and was a lot of fun — just let go and speak your mind. For people with sensitive hearing, it can get loud, and the seating at the Cabrillo is so close together, so there’s very little you will miss, but it also brings a closeness to you and others in the audience.

The show is nowhere near as edgy as it once was when it first appeared in the 1970s, as is the case with most anything that has gone on for over a decade. These revivals remind us of important messages, but if we repeat them and do not think deeply about their impact, we’ve definitely missed the point. There is a complacency in these shows that can accomplish the exact opposite of its original intent.

Set Design/Direction:

Directed by Hillary Pearson, I liked that the production utilizes a white curtain cloth with darkness and lighting to significant effect. In theater, we don’t always need big, extravagant things; small creative choices can add so much to a staging. The lit curtain was used for transitions with a grungy, spooky atmosphere, helped by the Cabrillo Playhouse’s already vintage seating aesthetic. While there’s little space, you are allowed to dance in the aisles.

Music/Acting/Chorography:

The show has pre-recorded music, and the sound system sounded fine, but nothing beats a good live sound. Joanna Tsang Segelson’s dance choreography did the job, but it’s slightly clunky, and the ensemble members sometimes needed to remember to stay present on stage. Even in a minor role, there are no minor roles, except the minor ones.

Sarah Ledesma (Janet) can gasp and scream with some of the best scream queens on the stage, and yes, she can sing.

Highlight: “Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me

Emily Price as Narrator, in clothes that would make Hugh Hefner proud, confidently narrates and improvises throughout like a boss.

He is so tall, with heels on that Christopher Vournas’s Frank N Furter looked like his head was close to hitting the top of the stage, but this doesn’t slow him down. Vournas is incredible in this role, and his wild antics are evident throughout his singing and performance.

Highlight: “I’m Going Home”

I recommend Cabrillo’s latest outing, just in time for the spooky season.