Connected by one dance and a culture of pure passion and freedom of sexuality, the Rochester Rocky Horror has been around for decades. Since 1978, Rochester Rocky Horror has been performing “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975), following the story of newly engaged Janet Weiss and Brad Bostwick as, after Brad’s car breaks down, they are forced to spend the night at the sexually ambiguous “transvestite” Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s castle. When the musical was released in the 1960s, it was part of counterculture in the United States, Canada and Western Europe as one of the first films to include genderfluid identities. Initially, the show did not perform well and was removed from theaters. It was later revitalized at midnight showings, which gained a unique, “cult-like” following.
Fans are noted for creating an immersive atmosphere, dressing up as beloved characters and singing along with the songs as they become immersed in the eccentricities of the show. “People will borrow lingerie from their mothers and go to every Spirit Halloween for a last-minute gag prop. People will watch the movie on their own time to practice dance moves, stay up late sequining corsets and cut up pants for costumes on a dime budget,” describes third-year Political Science major Phèdre K. Schlagenhauff, current President of the Rochester Rocky Horror Club.
The cast performed under various names such as “Midnight Madness,” “Sensual Daydreams,” “Sweet Temptations,” and from 1982 to 1991 the cast then continued to perform under various theaters and names until 1994 in the Rochester Area. When they returned in 1995, Rocky Horror began performing at Marketplace Theater in Henrietta. Like their predecessors, they performed under various names, “Alter Egos,” “Cosmic Vibrators” and “Mental Mindfucks,” but these performances inevitably came to a close when Marketplace Theater closed just before their Halloween Show in 2000, the 25th anniversary of the film’s release.
THE COMEBACK
Rochester Rocky Horror club would return under a different name, “A Rather Tasteless Joke,” in 2003 at the Sony Lowes Webster, then move to the German House. The German House was a unique venue with a full stage and open floor seating, including a cash bar that made it possible to perform not just Rocky Horror Show but, as Schlagenhauff described it, “Rocky with more shenanigans, known as the “Rocky with more shenanigans, known as the ‘Shocky Horror Double Feature,’ Shock Treatment/Rocky Horror.”
In 2005, Rochester Rocky Horror moved to SUNY Brockport under the name “The Ancient Spirits of Evil,” and the school was home to the cast during the club’s 30th anniversary. It wasn’t until 2006, after scheduling conflicts and a lack of interest from other theaters to take on the show, that the cast began to “haunt” RIT. The original cast then divided into two casts: Hoopla, the sister cast and The Rochester Rocky Horror RIT cast. Since their arrival, they have performed one night a month during the school year. “I think the only time we didn’t have shows was during the COVID year,” says Schlagenhauff.
WHAT THEY DO
Rochester Rocky Horror Club encapsulates the spirit of Rocky Horror, but also provides a space for individuals to explore gender expression and sexuality. Meaghan Stearns, a member of the group since 2021, expresses her gratitude for the club. “I’ve connected with the Rocky community as a whole. I’ve been able to explore my gender expression, sexuality, and creativity in an environment most people don’t get to experience. It’s been fun, it’s been stressful, it’s been the most important part of my life here.”
“Anywhere you go, any Rocky cast is bound to have a long, storied and messy history. Being a “cult classic” doesn’t buy you much — and many are wary of someone who idolizes “a sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania” — so a lot of the joy you have to make for yourself. I am more than happy and incredibly proud to say that the Rochester Rocky Horror cast makes a lot of joy out of this movie,” says Schlagenhauff.
In addition to performances, the club screens The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and shadow cast — a form of acting Rocky Horror fans invented in the late 1970s, where actors dress up as the characters and perform the show while the film is playing. This, however, is only half of the experience. Dedicated fans don’t just come to sit and watch; they join in on the fun. “The other half of the Rocky experience is the dedicated fans who come back, show after show, to yell at the screen with callouts and jokes and throw toilet paper,” says Schlagenhauff.
RECOGNITION
Rochester Rocky Horror has also been recognized as the RIT mural of the month for August of 2025 by Tunnel Visionaries President Igor Polotai. Their mural, located in the DSP tunnel system, was selected because of the unique culture behind it.
“I chose the Rocky Horror Picture Show mural because it is one of my favorites in the tunnel system,” explains Polotai. “As I got to know the student culture and folklore of RIT better, it became not an oddity, but a reflection of the really interesting culture that RIT students have. And so I’ve grown a great appreciation to those students who want to continue to do weird, quirky things, because that’s really what RIT is all about: not doing the ordinary.”
Ultimately, what connects everyone, new fans and old, is that they all come to dance the iconic and upbeat line dance “Time Warp” again. It’s just a jump to the left, then a step to the right. Put your hands on your hips, bring your knees in tight, but it’s the pelvic thrust that drives them insane, swivel your hips and do it all again! “Whether you are on stage or in the audience, everyone dances the Time Warp, and that is what connects us,” expressed Schlagenhauff.
