The Rocky Horror Show had just added a new attraction — Broadway star Terrence Mann — to its eclectically cast mix of rockers, personalities and solid theatre talent. But no one could have predicted the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center and its devastating effect on New York theatre.
After doing only 42.8 percent business and bringing in $63,262 the week of the attack, The Rocky Horror Show closes Sept. 23. Jordan Roth's revival of Richard O'Brien's cult musical comedy opened Nov. 15 at Circle in the Square, after beginning previews Oct. 20, 2000. It ran 356 performances, hundreds more than the original's Broadway run, after 30 previews.
Roth, for whom Rocky was his first producing venture, was pleased with the show, despite the premature close. "We had a great year on Broadway. We did what we set out to do. We brought a new audience to Broadway and created a new kind of Broadway experience," he said.
Whether or not Rocky may rise again, Roth was unsure. It would depend on whether or not the Mayor's office offers money to bail out producers and whether or not the theatrical unions offer enough pay cuts to make the show profitable. "It is entirely possible," Roth said but acknowledged it's too early now to tell anything.
Talk, which could not be confirmed as of press time, places a reopening (appropriately enough) around Halloween, Oct. 31. Several shows, including The Syringa Tree and Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding are taking a month-long hiatus to wait for the return of tourists to New York City. Mann was Tony-nominated for playing Javert in Les Miserables and the Beast in Beauty and the Beast. Other Broadway credits include Rum Tum Tugger in the original company of Cats, the ringmaster in Barnum, Greg Reed in Getting Away With Murder, Saul in Rags and the narrator in Jerome Robbins' Broadway.
Mann was the last addition to Rocky Horror, home of bizzare casting. Recent company members included "Beverly Hills, 90210"'s Luke Perry, replacing a vactationing Jarrod Emick, political comedian Kate Clinton replacing a vacationing Dick Cavett and "Saturday Night Live"'s Ana Gasteyer permenantly replacing rocker Joan Jett.
The cult musical also features Dick Cavett (Into the Woods, Otherwise Engaged, television's "The Dick Cavett Show"), Lea DeLaria (On the Town, Chicago, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, "The First Wives Club"), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent, Two Sisters and a Piano, Flawless ) and Alice Ripley (Side Show, James Joyce's The Dead, King David, Les Miz, Sunset Boulevard).
Director Christopher Ashley helms the show. Producer Jordan Roth is the son of producer Daryl Roth (Wit, Three Tall Women and The Bomb itty of Errors) and himself the producer of the Off-Broadway hit, The Donkey Show.
The stage version of the show ran on Broadway for about one month in 1975. The film version, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," was also released in 1975 and was directed by Jim Sharman. The film featured many members of the Broadway cast and starred Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O'Brien, Jonathan Adams, Meatloaf, Little Nell (Campbell), Charles Gray and Patricia Quinn.
Tickets are $20-$85. Circle in the Square is located at 1633 Broadway, on W. 50 St. For tickets call Tele-Charge at (212) 239-6200.
