Marking the 50th anniversary of the 1975 cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” the Virginia Theatre hosted a special screening featuring a live shadow cast performance Saturday evening.
It wasn’t just a screening; it was an event set to continue the tradition of bringing the film to life. Organizers encouraged attendees to show up in costume, flaunting fierce makeup looks and fishnets galore in the style of the characters.
Right before the screening, a costume contest took place. Corsets, capes and confidence filled the theatre as Spank Knightly, drag king and costume expert, judged the costumed attendees for the grand prize, a first pressing vinyl of the film soundtrack.
A ravishing attendee dressed as Frank-N-Furter, the film’s iconic gender-bending antagonist, took the vinyl home.
“I see a lot of creativity went into creating these costumes,” Knightly said with a cackle. “It all came down to who solely looks the freakiest, along with the best at pulling it off.”
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
What started as a quirky movie night nationwide has evolved into a full-blown cultural phenomenon over the years. Fans shout at every cue, callback and prompt, proudly keeping the “cult” in cult classic.
“Every time we see Brad Majors, what do we say?” Knightly asked the crowd. “A–hole!”
As the film began, the screening transformed into a fully interactive experience. The cast asked audience members attending their first-ever “Rocky Horror” showing, dubbed “virgins” by devoted fans, to stand and accept that they were about to lose their “Rocky Horror Virginity.”
Avalon Negrette and Heather Sheahan, two friends and Champaign residents, came out to the event together and lost their “Rocky Horror Virginity” together.
“I grew up near Los Angeles and have always wanted to see the show live, as a kid when I saw the posters at my local theater,” Negrette said. “It’s a dream come true to finally be here watching it.”
Sheahan used to work at the Art Theater in downtown Champaign, which closed in 2019. According to Sheahan, whenever the Art Theater did showings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” it would be the busiest night of the year.
“It’s so exciting to finally be here, watching it for the first time instead of working. I’m really excited for the whole Time Warp scene,” Shehan said. “I would watch videos of it on the desktop computer in middle school to try and learn the dance, and now I can actually do it.”
As the scene where Brad Majors and Janet Weiss enter the Frankenstein Place and meet Frank-N-Furter lit up the screen, the shadow cast urged guests to get on their feet and join in to do the Time Warp. Prompters took their places at either side of the stage, aiding the virgins in the steps, ensuring no beat was missed.
Between songs, musical numbers and spontaneous dance breaks, it was impossible not to feel captivated by the experience. The event highlighted not only the campy charm of the film, but also the way it continues to foster a devoted community.
By the time the final credits rolled, the Virginia Theatre was buzzing with laughter, applause and the echoes of shouted callbacks.
For longtime fans and virgins alike, the night wasn’t just about watching a movie. It was about being part of a living, breathing cult phenomenon that continues to welcome anyone into its fabulously weird, absurd world.
As the crowd spilled into the streets, one thing was clear: The Time Warp will never end. No matter when you discovered it, the Virginia Theatre proved that “Rocky Horror” still welcomes everyone to its wonderfully weird family.
