Go ahead, do the Time Warp in the Tower

Cast of the Rocky Horror Show.

Winter forces people indoors, for better or worse.

Imagine being stuck in the same house as the two old but likable biddies in Frank Capra's 1944 "Arsenic and Old Lace." Not so bad if you're a woman, or Cary Grant. At one point in the film, in which the women kill elderly bachelors with poison-laced elderberry wine, Grant famously says, "This is developing into a very bad habit."



Maybe Elton John's "Elderberry Wine" song had metaphorical depth. Regardless, quaffing it from two murderers might not be such a good idea.

Rocky, what have you done?

In the wrong-place, wrong-time vein, perhaps a thunderstorm strands you in the middle of nowhere and your names are Janet and Brad. Perhaps you've passed a mansion some miles back after a tire has blown on your car. There is no cell phone reception, and the niceties of society appear unattainable without a 2-mile hike back to that spooky mansion.

Of course, the next step is doing the Time Warp ... again.



Things could be worse. Definitely. My wife took me to the live production of the obscurely aforementioned play in Fresno's Tower District. And it was mind-blowing. Like a lot of my generation, I saw the Tim Curry movie version of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in theaters. It was one of those midnight events in Anchorage when the outdoor temperatures made doing anything inside preferable to sitting in a frozen car.

I loved it. At the time, the concept provided a natural segue from my obsession with Kiss records.

The doctor is in

Daniel Chavez Jr. directs the Fresno version of the "Rocky Horror Show" at the California Arts Academy's Severance Theater in Fresno's artsy Tower District. He also choreographs, designs the costumes and plays the role of Frank-N-Furter. With the platform heels, he stands a head taller than most of the cast.



Donald Munroe of the Fresno Bee says “if it were a pulse it would be in heart-attack territory ... this vibrant new production is a stellar experience.” I stole the quote right off the official Rocky website.

Munroe isn't easily impressed. I've read his reviews. Plus he's a sufficiently cynical reporter who did his time in Anchorage at the same paper I worked for. Eight months of winter offers perspective on life and indoor entertainment.

Go see the musical

Chavez and crew have added another week of performances Dec. 27-31, 2012. Interesting way to close out the year. I just purchased another three tickets for my son Calvin and two of his friends. What else do you give a kid for Christmas who attends college in Seattle? Punch him in the face? Naw.

My comment on watching Rocky: very cool. It wasn't a Kiss concert, but the cast danced, sang and generally rocked the show like nothing I've ever experienced. Quite a naughty delight.

Typically, I try to include some reference in these blog posts to clean energy. I thought of this briefly while not trying to focus too intently on the gyrating dancers and came up with the following question.

Clean energy epilogue

OK, so how do the doctor and mad scientist Riff Raff, played by the highly talented Brian Pucheu, get their energy? Zero-point? Anti-matter?

The ray guns at the play's climax conjure Flash Gordon. No explanation needed, really. But when you need to get to Transsexual, Transylvania, and it's not in northern Romania but another planet, a power source is a must.

Hmmm. I wonder.

Perhaps we should be looking more closely at the 1975 musical stage production created by Richard O'Brien, who reprised his role in the movie. Could it be that O'Brien knows more than he's letting on? Has he been compromised by the military-industrial complex and forced to keep quiet?

To quote comedian George Wallace: "I be thinkin'." Aw hell, who cares. Go see the play.