Final Rocky Horror in Long Beach THIS Thursday (7/27)
 

It is with a very heavy heart that I must report the end of a great run of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Art Theatre in Long Beach. I was a member of that cast back in its Balboa days. If you can make it this Thursday (tomorrow night), I highly recommend it. In addition to getting to see what is considered the best Rocky Cast (Midnight Insanity) currently performing, you'll be treated to an audience full of semi-naked people because it's also their monthly Lingerie Night. :evil:

Sadly, I won't be able to go because there's just no way I can stay out that late on a Thursday and be conscious at work the next morning. I'd consider calling in sick, but this week I'm literally the only one working in my department (there are normally three of us). :(

Nooooooooo!

When I discovered this virtual time machine a couple of years ago (at Chernabog's instigation of a group visit), I was simply amazed that this was still going on ... and, hahaha, even recognized a couple of people from back in the day.


oooooh, i wanna do this. Hmmm, think I'll PM a link to this thread to a couple of people I know in Long Beach.

Awful short notice, tho.


And, huh? Thursday night???

Omg. There is no way I can do this and function on Friday. /sigh.

Never fear though, they are moving the show up the street a bit to the Sea Point Marina Hotel.

First show, August 5th.

Awww.

The Art Theatre in Long beach was the place I first saw Rocky.
It happened to be a lingerie night--and I've not worn fishnets with a skirt in public since. :evil:

I've not been in quite some time now, and tomorrow's going to be no different (I already have plans), but I'm very sad to see it go.

Ah, memories. I believe I saw this film about 100-150 times as a kid growing up in NY. Unfortunately, I never got to see it at the 8th street playhouse where the whole thing began. I always heard that the audiences there were insane.

Um, it was the Waverly where the whole thing began (or did I mix up the order with 8th Street in my addled brain?)

Anway, Mr. Scary Twin, where did you see it all those times 'growing up in NY?'

How sad!

Even sadder is the hellish day I have on Friday which starts at 6:30 am and ends at 8 pm which means no late night for me.

Oh fine, maybe I'll just watch my DVD of Rocky in my most alluring underwear.

iSm - you're right - it was the Waverly where it all began. I first saw it in '78 at the New Yorker (the uptown theater showing it) before finally getting down to the 8th Street Playhouse, where the Waverly cast migrated to. The first time I saw it in the Village, my Mom and Dad took me and my two younger sisters. We waited outside, and when my youngest sister (who was 8 at the time) got upset by some random pot smokers, my Dad took her into the book store on the corner to find a Muppet book, which made her happy. Ah, memories!

Wow, learn something new every day. I always was under the impression that it was the 8th street playhouse where it started. My bad. :)

I saw it at some small theater on Long Island. For the life of me, I can't remember the name of the theater or the town (man, I'm getting old). They showed it every Friday and Saturday night and we were very frequent visitors, sometimes on both nights each week in the summer. I started going when I was about 13 years old so this would have been around 1979-82? I've seen it on this coast a more than a few times as well.

To this day, it freaks me out when I see Susan Sarandon in something. She will always be Janet to me. :)

That troup (Midnight INsanity) is pretty darn good. I saw them at Comic Con a few years back. There's nothing like screaming out Slut and @sshole in front of 100 scared geek virgins!! I can't imagine why they don't do it anymore at Comic Con. I was only a little drunk. :)

Oh man, this is really really depressing... Midnight Insanity is the cast I grew up with -- I went 50+ times in High School down from the Valley to the Art Theatre to see them. (Me in my daisy dukes/fishnets/cut off belly shirt to show off my navel ring, etc.). Morrigoon and other friends in high school would come too (often times dressed as witches and whatnot). "It was great when it all began..... I was a regular (les-bi-an)!"

There was a time when I could literally recite the movie from start to finish, along with the lines that you yell (I still remember most of the lines... lol). That cast had that stuff DOWN, along with the fantastically pervy pre-show.

This is the cast that I saw at the Pangages Theatre for the 20th anniversary, and at the Hollywood Bowl for the 30th anniversary last summer. "It's not easy having a good time... (Try Disneyland on acid!!!)"

I've seen Rocky Homo in Berkeley, New York, San Diego, Santa Monica, and lots of other places but the Art Theatre and Midnight Insanity will always have a place near and dear to my heart. They are by far the best cast. "They're lucky, he's lucky, I'm lucky (the bannister's STICKY!)"

Thanks for all the wonderful memories Midnight Insanity and I hope to see you at your new digs. "And crawling on the planet's face, some insects (why is my phone bill so high?) called the human race. (where's your neck?) lost in time... (whats you're favorite TV show?) and lost in space... (this movie's missing a plot and what?) ..... and meaning".

It's amazing how a movie like this and a cast like this has changed my life.

I would love to come tonight but it simply is not possible since I have to function Friday AND drive to San Diego after work tomorrow night. Why oh why aren't they doing this on Saturday???? "To the late nite... double feature.. picture show.... I wanna gooooo..."

They're not doing it on Saturday because they can't.

"It was not a certainty that the theater would be open this coming weekend due to inspections by the city thus we moved our Lingerie Night to Thursday night."

The new theater owners made them clear out all their props and was also going to require them to purchase insurance. Lame.

Good News
I got permission to come in late tomorrow, so I'm gonna go to this tonight.

Um, if I jog your memory with the Mini Cinema in Uniondale ... we will have to have our DNA compared.

Of course, I stopped being a regular there in mid-78, when I moved to California. But when I spent a semester in NY in '80, I frequented there for another few months. I'm a bettin' man bettin' that we saw each other, but never knew.

Oh, and Rocky Horror definitely changed my life ... and I did a couple of times per week (there was also a Sunday matinee at the Mini Cinema, my 'home' theater back east) from '77 through about '81-or-2.


If I'm feeling up to it, and frisky, I just may head down there tonight. But yeah, bah on the poor fates that mandated Thursday. Ugh.

Hey guys, I realize that the theater makes is special but the Midnight Insanity crew is moving the show to another venue in Long Beach.

We'll all be able to partake and enjoy RHPS and become part of a new era.

Um, if I read it right ... they are moving to a ballroom temporarily, where they will have some sort of lounge/cabaret show. That might even turn out better than stale, old Rocky Horror ... but as I understand it, they do not have a new theater that's showing The Rocky Horror Picture Show.



(of course, a time machine might give them better odds)

Ahh. I had read it that they were moving there for good and will be doing the same show and seeing how it morphs in their new venue.

Humm

/Commodore fans himself furiously/

It's a little of both. They will be showing the movie, but they said "there will be more dancing and some special surprises". One of the side benefits, especially to old farts like myself, is they will be able to get into the venue earlier to set up, so they won't have to start so late. Last night, they didn't start letting in the audience until after Midnight. The actual film didn't begin until 1:20!

It was a great, albeit quite bittersweet show last night. Mark (the leader of Midnight Insanity) got up before the actual preshow to make some announcements and thank-yous. He explained the situation regarding the venue and was very respectful of both past and current management. He thanked the previous owners of The Art for 15 great years, Kristine, the original founder of MI, cast alumni who came to support the show, and the audiences through the years for being so supportive. He was obviously very emotional but remained composed throughout his speech. My hats off to Mark for maintaining his usual high standard of class, especially when it would have been very easy to be bitter.

Because they had to clear out everything from the theater after the show, Mark said anyone who wanted to stick around could have a piece of the stage. I am now the proud owner of a 2'×2' piece of the stage's surface. Way cool!

Glad to hear you could go, SM! :)

Perhaps we should let the show settle into the new digs and set a swanking for sometime this fall? That is, if the buzz is good...

Knowing MI, it will not take long at all for them to put on a great show. In fact, I'd be surprised if the premier show isn't first rate.

Having just said that, let's definitely wait a while. Not because I don't want to experience the new show, but because it's too fücking hot! Last night while waiting outside to get in—and I was literally just standing there, not moving at all—I was dripping in sweat due to the heat & humidity.

All this just reinforces my view (from the "you aint seen what" thread) that the AFI should have included it in the top 100. :mad:

Thanks Steve.

I'll never get that picture out of my head now!:eek:

But this is a sad day, and end of an era. But the good news is the fact that the group may well be able to carry on, even if it is in a new vinue. I hope it works out well!