Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 25, 2006)
6 Special Section The Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2006 Clackamas Print «gap WED as in the audience), the end result is a completely unique The Clackamas Print and inimitable blend of film and theater that shouldn’t be Why would anyone go see a missed. “The Denton Delinquents” 30-year-old movie just to wit ness what the crowd shouts at are a recently-formed group the screen? Because it’s fun, that dedicates the second and fourth Saturday of every damn it! Portland’s Clinton Street month to their performances Theater has been the weekly at the Clinton. “The Clinton home of The Rocky Horror Street Cabaret,” a group that Picture Show (starring Tim started in 1986 and is cel Curry, Barry Bostwick and ebrating its 20th anniversary, Susan Sarrandon) since it performs on the first, third started showing the movie in and sometimes fifth Saturday April, 1978. After 28 years, it of every month, including this still stands as the longest con past Sat., Oct. 21. The show began with an secutive run of Rocky Horror opening “pre-show” set featur performances in the world. The show, however, is ing the Cabaret’s M.C., Stan more than just a screening of Dietz, who introduced the the Rocky Horror film. The audience to the rules of the Clinton Street Theater is cur show, as well as shared a taste rently home to two separate of what the audience could acting troupes that simultane expect from the cast through ously perform the movie on out the night. Cabaret Director Kristina a stage in front of the screen and sit in the audience, shout Freeman, an 18-year-old full- ing jokes and mocking lines time student at Clackamas, of the movie. After mixing in feels the group is lucky to a few props on stage (as well have Dietz lend his talents Jeff Sorensen to “pump up” the cast and crowd. “[The part of M.C. is] kind of a special part,” Freeman said, “He’s got a very special quality. A lot of people don’t really have the charisma to do it, and we’re lucky that every term he says ‘I’m not coming back,’ but we end up being able to pull him in.” After the opening part of the show, members of the cast took seats on the stage, where they began audibly mock ing the opening trailers on the screen. The cast contin ued about the evening, shift ing props, changing costumes and working to re-create every scene as it appears on the screen. The audience (includ ing off-stage cast members) also played a large role in the Rocky Horror show. Most of the performance was focused toward audience participation led by the cast, either from the stage or from their seats, and included throwing rice dur ing a wedding scene, mimick ing windshield wipers during a rainy scene, or throwing dry toast during a dinner scene. Others shout ed jokes or modifications to lines in the movie, or called the characters on the screen by differ ent names whenever they entered or left a scene, making for an initially disorient ing, but ultimately hilarious twist to a movie-going practice shunned by most cor porate-owned public theaters. The Rocky Horror Picture Show steps away from the conventional realm of movies and puts the audience directly in the center of a surreal and entertaining experience that’s definitely worth a repeat visit. LEFT: “This is the part where the choreographer died!” rang out from the crowd as the final song changed and the actors on stage began a vaudeville-style kick routine. BELOW: Two Rocky Horro “Virgins” take their initiation a little too I far... with cheers andI applause from the crowd All Photos by Jeff Sorensen Clackamas Print The Clinton Street Theater hosts Rocky Horror The Clinton Street Theater sits at the comer of Clinton and SE 26th, and can be reached via their Web site at www.clinton- sttheater.com. Both the Denton Delinquents and the Clinton Street Cabaret will be performing special Halloween Rocky Horror shows Oct. 27 through 29, and Oct. 31, and the admission is well worth the $8 for all ages. The cast members admit that newcomers, or “virgins,” won’t be able to pick up on everything that’s happening the first time through, and encourage people to come back and partake in the fun more than once. The Delinquents’ site, at www.dentondelinquents.com, is still a work in progress, but already has contact information for the group. The Cabaret can be reached at www.clintonstcabaret.com, where they’ve also posted sug gestions for props and audience participation lines, as well as a performance schedule through the end of the year. The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Clinton should be familiar to Rocky Horror fans, but contacting either group by way of their Web site should help any “virgins” find out what they need to know to become part of the Rocky Horror experience. Compiled by Jeff Sorensen Clackamas Print Clinton Street Theat 2522 SE Clinton Portland, OR 972 (503) 238-8899
