PIONEER THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS
The Rocky Horror Show
Concert Version
Music, Book and Lyrics by Richard O’Brien
Salt Lake City – Pioneer Theatre Company presents a brand-new musical concert event. Richard O’Brien’s raucous musical The Rocky Horror Show is being offered as a special event, for three performances only, in a script-in-hand, singing-and-dancing concert-style presentation on Friday, October 24at 8:00 p.m. and at 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 25, 2014.
Remarking on the new program, PTC Artistic Director Karen Azenberg said, “A similar series called ‘Encores!’ is regularly one of the hottest tickets in New York City, and it’s always one of my favorite experiences when I visit. By doing only three performances, with a full onstage orchestra, limited costumes and scripts-in-hand, you get to experience some undiscovered gems, or your new favorite, with the stellar performances you’ve come to love at PTC.”
The Rocky Horror Show, a tribute to horror B-movies of yesteryear, tells the tale of newly married couple Brad and Janet lost in the woods on a dark-and-stormy night. They soon meet Frank N. Furter, the “Sweet Transvestite” mad scientist about to reveal his latest Frankenstein-esque creation – with a little help from drive-in usherettes, creepy sidekicks, and, of course, the “Time Warp.”
The production features Broadway’s Tony Vincent as Frank-N-Furter, and Utah State Senator Jim Dabakis as The Narrator.
The show contains strong themes, sexual content and language.
Audience members are encouraged (but not required) to dress up.
“Props kits” will be available for purchase from the theatre, or audience members may bring their own kits (please no water, no rice, no open flames, and no real sausages).
TONY VINCENT plays Frank ‘N’ Furter. Vincent’s Broadway credits include Rent, Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas), and Green Day’s American Idiot (St. Jimmy). He originated the role of Galileo Figaro in Queen’s We Will Rock You (London’s West End, Las Vegas), and he has fronted the rock band Queen on multiple occasions, including Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee and Party In The Park. In 2002, he was chosen as one of the first artists to bring the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber to Asia in Andrew Lloyd Webber: Masterpiece (Live From Beijing) and was a finalist on NBC’s The Voice.
JIM DABAKIS plays the role of The Narrator in the show. Dabakis is a member of the Utah State Senate, where he represents the state’s 2nd senate district. He is also a former chairman of the Utah Democratic Party and a co-founder of both Equality Utah and the Utah Pride Center.
ERIC SANTAGATA plays the role of Brad, local actor ASHLEY GARDNER CARLSON plays the role of Janet, and GAREN MCROBERTS plays the role of Rocky.
The cast also features CARLETON BLUFORD as Riff Raff, GINGER BESS as Magenta,LATOYA RHODES as Columbia, DANIEL T. SIMONS as Eddie, and DAVID BEACH as Dr. Scott. AUSTIN ARCHER, ANGELA CHATELAIN AVILA, JARON BARNEY, LEAH HASSETTand KIM SAVA round out the ensemble.
PTC Artistic Director KAREN AZENBERG directs and choreographs, after having directed The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee earlier this season. Originally from New York, Azenberg’s work there includes Lyrics and Lyricists (92nd St. Y), Blocks (a collaboration with Jonathan Larson), Prom Queens Unchained, and choreography for Richard Greenberg’s The Dazzle (Roundabout). Other credits include National Tours of Carousel and Brigadoon, Neil Simon’s Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Regional Theatre Premiere at Geva), over fifteen productions of West Side Story, one of which earned her a Dramalogue Award for Outstanding Choreography, and many others.
Guest artist HELEN GREGORY music directs and conducts the production. Gregory’s credits include national tours of Oklahoma! Grease, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She has also worked at regional theatres across the country, including the Asolo Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, and the Maltz-Jupiter Theatre, where her work has received six Carbonell Award nominations. She returns to PTC after music directing and conducting Rent, Something’s Afoot, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for the company previously.
PTC Head of Wardrobe AARON SWENSON designs costumes for the production. Most recently, Swenson designed costumes for Geography Club and Avenue Q for the University of Utah’s Department of Theatre. Additional design credits: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Plan-B Theatre, 3rd Revival); Assassins, tick…tick…BOOM! and The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Dark Horse Company Theatre); Nine Dragons, There’s a Monster in My Closet!, andThe Dinosaur Musical (University of Utah Youth Theatre). He also works as PTC’s Head of Crafts/Resident Costume Crafts Artisan.
Lighting design is by guest designer KIRK BOOKMAN. Bookman’s Broadway credits includeThe Sunshine Boys with Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, The Gin Game with Julie Harris and Charles Durning, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Right You Are for the National Actors Theatre. Off–Broadway: What Then at the Ohio Theater, The Cook at Intar Theatre 53 and Recent Tragic Events at Playwrights Horizons (starring Heather Graham). He has numerous regional credits in New York City, as well as around the country. His ballet credits include the English National Ballet, Santiago Ballet, the Cincinnati Ballet, Kansas City Ballet and Hungarian National Ballet, and projects with the San Francisco Symphony – including A Flowering Tree directed by Peter Sellars. This marks his PTC debut.
Sound design is by JOSHUA C. HIGHT. Hight is an established live sound engineer in both London and Salt Lake City. His other projects of note include working with Sommerset House for the 2012 Olympic Games, Of Monsters and Men, Collective Soul, Fallout Boy, Slash, the Psychedelic Furs, Citizen Cope, the Dropkick Murphys, Gogol Bordello, Kate Nash, Easton Corbin, Sevendust and many more. Hight is a Graduate with Distinction of London’s Alchemea College of Audio Engineering and the Resident Sound Designer for PTC.
Hair and makeup design is by PTC resident designer AMANDA FRENCH. French has worked for Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Utah Opera, Egyptian Theatre Company and the University of Texas as Austin. She is a contributing writer in the tenth edition of Stage Makeup by Corson, Glavan and Norcross, and her work can be seen in The Costume Technician’s Handbook by Ingham and Covey, and Wig Making and Styling: A Complete Guide for Theatre and Film by Ruskai and Lowery.
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Pioneer Theatre Company operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. Pioneer Theatre Company, Utah’s only fully professional theatre, performs at Roy W. and Elizabeth E. Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, located on the University of Utah campus at 300 South and 1400 East in Salt Lake City, easily accessible by TRAX light rail. Free parking is also available and the theatre is equipped with an elevator, handicap parking, hearing assistance devices and other easy-access features.
INTERVIEWS: Interviews with the cast and artistic staff are available at a press event to be held on Monday, Oct.13 from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. This will be the only opportunity for press to interview the cast and artistic staff. Call 801-581-7222. WHO: Pioneer Theatre Company WHAT: The Rocky Horror Show – Concert Music, Books and Lyrics by Richard O’Brien WHEN: Friday, October 24, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. Saturday, October 25, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, October 25, 2014 at 10:00 p.m. WHERE: Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre 300 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City PRICE: $20 – $40 ($5 more day-of-show) MORE INFO: Box Office: 801-581-6961 Open 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Mon – Fri www.pioneertheatre.org
CAST:
Ashley Gardner Carlson……………………………………… Janet
Eric Santagata*………………………………………………….. Brad
Jim Dabakis………………………………………………………. The Narrator
Carleton Bluford*………………………………………………… Riff Raff
Ginger Bess*……………………………………………………… Magenta
Latoya Rhodes…………………………………………………… Columbia
Tony Vincent*………………………………………………………Frank-N-Furter
Garen McRoberts*………………………………………………. Rocky
Daniel T. Simons*……………………………………………….. Eddie
David Beach*……………………………………………………… Dr. Scott/Ensemble
Austin Archer……………………………………………………… Ensemble
Angela Chatelain Avila*……………………………………….. Ensemble
Jaron Barney………………………………………………………. Ensemble
Leah Hassett………………………………………………………. Ensemble
Kim Sava*………………………………………………………….. Ensemble
ARTISTIC TEAM:
Director-Choreographer……………………………………… Karen Azenberg
Asst. Director-Choreographer…………………………….. Lenny Daniel
Music Director and Conductor……………………………. Helen Gregory
Costume Designer……………………………………………. Aaron Swenson
Lighting Designer……………………………………………… Kirk Bookman
Sound Designer……………………………………………….. Joshua C. Hight
Hair and Makeup Designer…………………………………. Amanda French
Production Stage Manager…………………………………. Mary P. Costello*
Stage Manager…………………………………………………. Augie K. Mericola*
Asst. Stage Manager…………………………………………. Christian Stringham
* Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association.