As a July 31 deadline approaches, audition tapes for roles in the 2000 revival of the Rocky Horror Show continue to arrive at producer Jordan Roth's office. Roth, who says he is "amazed" at the response the production has generated, has also announced certain key members of the show's creative team.

While the speculation on Broadway chat engines over Rocky Horror has reached a fevered pitch, Roth told Playbill On-Line there are no cast announcements to make. On the other hand, the producer was able to confirm key members of the Rocky Horror production team.

As reported earlier, Christopher Ashley is directing the show. The choreographer for the show will be Jerry Mitchell and the costume designer is David Willard.

Roth has also announced that architect and designer David Rockwell will be making his Broadway debut as a set designer with Rocky Horror. Rockwell heads the Rockwell Group in New York City and designs trend setting restaurants including Nobu and Ruby Foo's, as well as the dining concourse at Grand Central Terminal. His notable entertainment projects include the Kodak Theatre (the new home of the Academy Awards as of 2002) which will be located at Trizec Hahn's forthcoming $560 million development site, Hollywood and Highland, located on that corner in the heart of Hollywood. Rockwell is also responsible for the redesign of the sky lobby in Roundabout's American Airlines Theatre.

Roth plans an Oct. 31, Halloween opening for Rocky Horror. A national radio news campaign will get underway July 26 in an attempt to announce a "last call" and push any final entries into the mail. "They have to be postmarked by July 31," a production source told Playbill on Line. "As long as they are postmarked by then, we'll open the tape."

The same source described certain casting reports as "fantasy" after Daphne Rubin-Vega was reported to have been cast in the role of Magenta. While Rubin-Vega's interest in the part was confirmed, producer Roth said no decisions had been made.

-- By Murdoch McBride