THE ROCKY HORROR IMPROV SHOW Returns To Unexpected Productions This October

Unexpected Productions will once again turn up the camp, chaos, and rock-and-roll with the return of The Rocky Horror Improv Show, a late-night improvised rock musical parody inspired by the legendary cult classic. Performances will take place Fridays in October at 11:30pm at the Market Theater in Pike Place Market.

Directed by Dan Posluns, the show was born from a genre mash-up experiment during Unexpected Productions’ Playborhood. “I pitched Rocky Horror as a genre to the Playborhood director, and the show was just completely wild,” Posluns recalls. “It was raucous and hilarious, and it was clear from the performance that there was meat on the bone for a fully realized show.”

Unlike shadow casts or traditional screenings, this production doesn’t use material from the original. Instead, the cast takes suggestions from the audience to spin a brand-new, fully improvised rock musical every night. “If you squint at it, maybe it has the same outline as Rocky Horror, but with entirely new characters, stories, and songs made up on the spot,” Posluns explains. “Let’s just say we made it a late show for a reason—this isn’t the kind of improv you’ll want to bring your grandmother to, unless your grandmother happens to be exceptionally cool.”

The show preserves Rocky Horror’s fearless spirit, queerness, and rock energy while offering an immersive audience experience. Instead of shouting callbacks, audiences directly shape the story with suggestions—one night might find lovers trapped in a haunted castle, another inside a submarine or an office building. Even the infamous Frankenfurter is reimagined fresh each night.

This year’s production is bigger than ever, with an expanded cast, a live band, upgraded sound system, and outrageous costumes. “As improvisers, we often play close to reality, but this show gives us license to smash conventions with a baseball bat,” says Posluns. “The show doesn’t just work—it soars beyond anything you dreamed.”

Seattle Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (Spokane Valley Summer Theatre)

7.9% of votes

2. REEFER MADNESS (The Spartan Theatre)

7.5% of votes

3. THE COLOR PURPLE (Village Theatre)

6.9% of votes

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