Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

Downtown: It's just a jump to the left ...

The movie that won't die - The Rocky Horror Picture Show - comes to life on the Tampa Theatre's stage.

It's 8 a.m. on Sunday and Scott Mullins, a Tampa electrician, is wearing blue eye shadow and pearls. In heels, he struts across the Tampa Theatre stage with super model precision. The hair on his legs pokes through the fishnet stockings.

"I'm a sweet transvestite," he rolls. "From Transylvania."

At this dress rehearsal for Tampa Theatre's annual Halloween production of Rocky Horror Picture Show, director Brian Dare hardly says a word.

The cast knows it all.

"Dammit Janet."

"With a bit of a mind flip."

"There's a light."

Jannie Gunnlaugsson, 24, playing the character Magenta, practiced the Time Warp dance over and over for 45 minutes. She demonstrates: Elbow up, hand out, elbow up, hand out, flip palms and step back.

"None of this is important to anybody but me," she says.

Since 1995, the Larger Than Life cast has performed Rocky Horror at the Tampa Theatre for Halloween. Last year, a second show was added because of its popularity. In feather boas, bustiers and props such as candelabras, the cast performs in front of the movie, aiming to be "screen accurate," Dare said.

Many in the cast are Rocky Horror pros, performing weekly - for tips - at the Beach Theater in St. Petersburg. At Tampa Theatre, the cast gets a cut of ticket sales.

Mullins, 39, has played Frank N Furter for 17 years, including once at the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas. His electrician buddies needle him. But, he says, playing Frank is "a good way to meet girls."

Three cast members are theater students at the University of South Florida, including Will Glenn, 25, who plays Rocky. He's doing Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream next February. One cast member is a customer service rep at the AARP. Another, a liquor store manager.

Ed Schneider, who plays Riff Raff and serves as the production's assistant director, works for a prison commissary supplier.

The director, Dare, 37, is a computer programmer.

He became hooked on Rocky Horror when he was 18. He and his best friend were looking for something to do.

"Let's go to Rocky Horror," the friend said. "You'll like it."

"I was appalled," said Dare after watching it the first time.

But he loved the music - the 1950s three-chord rock 'n' roll. Now, Rocky Horror brings him fame. Dare is mentioned in Sal Piro's tribute book to the movie.

To people who say the 1975 film based on the British stage play should die, Dare responds: "Remember those great parties in high school? If you had a chance to go to that same party every week, wouldn't you?"

Like the movie, the Tampa Theatre performance caters to mature audiences.

"We keep it as clean as the movie," he said.

No full nudity.

"But there is underwear," said Dare.

- Babita Persaud can be reached at 226-3322 or persaud@sptimes.com

The Rocky Horror Picture Show - movie with live performance - will be shown at the Tampa Theatre, 711 Franklin St., at 8 p.m. on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Tickets are $10. For information call 274-8981 or visit: www.tampatheatre.org No rice, hot dogs or water guns allowed in Tampa Theatre.