Who out there doesn't know THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW or, at least, the film musical version, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW? Well, as it turns out, at least six people the night I went… but I digress. THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW is the live stage version of what became the most successful flop in cinema history. A musical with music, lyrics and a book by Richard O'Brien, the show is a twisted tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the late 1940s on. The show tells the tale of Brad and Janet, a newly engaged couple who get caught in a storm and take refuge in the castle of a mad transvestite scientist, Dr. Frank-n-Furter, on the night of the unveiling of his new creation, a muscle man named Rocky Horror. The original London production premiered in 1973 and closed in 1980, running for a total of 2,960 performances and winning the 1973 Evening Standard Award for Best Musical.
SummerStock Austin has a long tradition of producing one musical specifically written for the under 13 set every year. I was introduced to this tradition back in 2012 when I went to a performance of SummerStock Austin's production of A Year With Frog and Toad. As a childless twenty-something guy, I was the only adult in the audience who was unaccompanied by a kid. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the show and praised its ability to please all audience members, regardless of age. The next year, I attended The Bremen Town Musicians, and was pleased to see that, once again, the show spoke to adults and children. It's no surprise then, that history's repeating itself with SummerStock Austin's production of Stone Soup. In its world premiere production, Stone Soup pleases kids and adults alike and easily entertains from beginning to end.
Tackling a show like Pippin takes some major cojones. The original Bob Fosse production featured an iconic, Tony Award winning performance from Ben Vereen and was the first Broadway musical to feature the work of composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The current Broadway revival of Pippin just won four Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress, Best Actress, Best Direction of a Musical, and Best Revival of a Musical. Pippin is certainly not a safe choice for a troupe of young performers like the High School and college age artists of SummerStock Austin. That said, the award-winning SummerStock Austin never takes the safe road, and their courageousness pays off with their exciting, enjoyable, and thrilling production of Pippin.
