The Rocky Horror Picture Show -
Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ - June 2, 2013



Rocky Rocks On!

By Phil Rainone with help from Tim Norek

It’s been over 30 years since The Rocky Horror Picture Show first hit theaters with its avant garde, kitschy, comedic, and yes, very weird characters. It quickly became a collage cult classic and since then it’s become a major Broadway play (Joan Jett played Columbia), and has had more toast and rice tossed at the screen than you can imagine.

What made this performance so special was that it was the first time that Asbury Lanes had put it on their stage; their stage being about forty feet or so, square. With four musicians and a cast 14 (only at the end of the show were all of them on stage at the same time), Asbury Lanes (where the stage is set up in the middle of 16 bowling lanes using about four lanes for the stage), the actors had their work cut out for them.



Talk Nerdy To Me!

The show opened with the band riffing on “Science Fiction Double Feature.” They really added a lot to the show as they fleshed out the thirty-something chords that were glamtastic! As Brad and Janet entered and started to speak their lines, the audience started to talk back to the actors mocking their lines and dropping the F bomb throughout the show. They were carrying on a tradition that has been passed down since Rocky Horror hit the big screen. The only thing missing was the tossing of the toast and rice, as a cool mockery on Brad and Janet being engaged. The audience also brought their ridicule into the present, with references about Justin Timberlake and Brad Pitt. There were times that the actors talked back to the audience, egging them on making the show even more hilarious than it already was!

The band amped up songs like “Sweet Transvestite,” “Dammit Janet” and “The Time Warp,” like they were punk classics. “The Time Warp” had everyone on their feet keeping up with the actor’s swift pace. Fuck The Cha Cha Slide and all that crap, here’s one line dance that I can definitely get behind!!

One of the interesting things about the show was the use of minimalism when it came to props. In the beginning when Brad and Janet get out of their car, two of the performers knelt down in front of them and acted like they were the front of the car with its headlights on. Maximum coolness!


Rocky Horror fans Andrea, Courtney, Ian, and Lex

They took about a half-hour intermission so you could grab a PBR, a burger, and one of The Lanes specialties: Cheesy Tater Tots!

As the story progressed Dr. Frankenfouutttttttttttttt and Rocky were campy, cool, and at times outrageous! Throughout the story every character slowly evolved until you felt akin to each and every one, no matter how ridiculous, perverted, or manic they were. Riff Raff, Dr Frank ‘N’ Futer and Columbia at times were giving it back to the audience which was cool, as they didn’t come out of character, and they both loved the challenge.
The story is based on the legendary book “Frankenstein,” but that’s where the similarities end. From there the sky’s the limit! I’m sure a lot of people over the years have seen or been involved with Rocky Horror, but for the handful of those who have yet to experience this spectacular, one-of-a-kind show (they usually ask if anyone who hasn’t seen it before is a “Virgin,” and they would put a “V” in lipstick on their forehead), here’s the best way I could describe it; Weird, nerdy, outrageous, campy and out-of-this-world hilarious!! The characters and sub plots for The Rocky Horror Picture Show have become well known over the years, but this night they were given are given a fresh reading by this crew… Oh, and yea, there’s also ALIENS!


For the bedroom scene the cast was again, very creative. With just a white sheet held up about four feet off the floor and a white light in back of the characters, they performed simulated sex using their shadows that were cast onto the sheet. The minimalist scene maximized your imagination a gazillion times over!

What also made this show extra special was the band. They took songs like “Science Fiction/Double Feature,” Touch-A Touch-A Touch-A” and “Hot Patootie-Bless My Soul” and punked them up a few notches. The cast and the crowd had a blast!

If you’d like to perform your own Rocky Horror show, I came across a Rocky Horror Karaoke DVD .You and your friends can be any character you want. It’s so much fun!
Rocky Horror + Asbury Lanes= The Coolest Show & Place On Earth!

The Cast:
Reagan Richards-Usherette/Magenta
Bryan Hansen-Riff Raff
Anthony D’Amato- Dr.Frank ‘N’ Furter
Jamie Marie Hannigan-Columbia/director/choreographer
Bre Cade-Janet
Billy Horn-Brad
Tristan Davis-Rocky
Narrator-Matt Grossman
Eddie/Dr. Scott-Rosie Corcoran
Phantoms-Jess Silverman/Patricia Allende Background vocals-Christina Shafer/Rob Firkser/Rosemarie Lorenti Band- Daniel Gittler/Ray McNaught/Ike/Matt Grossman