In its ninth year at the Averitt Center for the Arts, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show LIVE!" will give audiences two nights - Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. - in shows filled with lipstick, fishnets and riotous, bawdy humor.
       Performed by a live "shadow cast" acting out the show alongside the cult classic film, the annual Halloween tradition has been attracting fans from around the region for well over a decade. And it is a show intended for mature audiences only.
        The Averitt's Rocky Horror production is kept alive by a consistent, dedicated group of actors who just can't get enough of bringing the annual spectacle to Statesboro.
        The starring role of Dr. Frank N Furter, "the sweetest little transvestite in Transylvania," is held by longtime Rocky Horror veteran Charlie Bowen, who has played the character for six years. His wife, Megan Bowen, has performed in the show since 2009 and will resume the role of Magenta, and original cast member and director Bob Peterson will play the part of Riff Raff. A host of other veterans and newcomers round out the rest of the large cast, all ready and eager to pull audiences in for the fun.
        Performances of Rocky Horror are expected to be boisterous and rowdy. Traditions include "callbacks" - phrases the audience is encouraged to shout in response to the dialogue - prop bags full of goodies to be used or thrown during the performance and the Time Warp dance (you can Google that one).
        Rocky Horror is the most unconventional tradition of the Averitt Center's season, and not just because of the adult content in the show. In Rocky Horror, audience interaction is encouraged and expected. In fact, it just wouldn't be Rocky Horror without it.
       "Watching the show would be okay without the audience. It's still entertaining," Megan Bowen said. "But the audience, with their prop bags and callbacks and excitement - that really feeds the show. And being part of the audience, you really get to be part of the show. Everyone is laughing at the people around them almost as much (and sometimes more) than what's happening on stage. There's a feeling of being all in it together."
        It's a night for people to come out, have fun, let loose and "get a little bit weird," she said.
         To purchase tickets, please visit www.averittcenterforthearts.org or call (912) 212-2827 during Box Office hours, Tuesday-Friday, from noon to 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Again, this show is for mature audiences only. Leave children at home, please.