SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 12, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Time is fleeting, and as Halloween approaches, you are invited to do the Time Warp again at Pioneer Theatre Company.
Gephardt Daily spoke with local actor and singer Ginger Bess, who is playing Magenta, ahead of the opening of “The Rocky Horror Show,” which goes from Oct. 20 to Oct. 31. The live theatrical version of the rock musical features special late night performances and a rotating cast of notable Utahns playing the Narrator, including Babs De Lay, Steve Urquhart and Randall Carlisle.
A tribute to B-horror films, “The Rocky Horror Show” features some of the most iconic characters in musical theater history: squares Brad and Janet, mad scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter, his “monster,” and, of course, a swath of drive-in usherettes and creepy sidekicks.
The show was first produced on stage in 1973 at the Royal Court Theatre in London, with music, book, and lyrics by Richard O’Brien. It was then made into a 1975 film, starring O’Brien, Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon. Both the film and musical have become cult classics, with a long-running tradition of audience participation through props, call-back lines and costumes.
While the theater has presented “The Rocky Horror Show” in concert form twice, the 2023 mounting marks the company’s first full production of the glam rock spectacular. PTC Artistic Director Karen Azenberg helmed the initial two concerts and once again directs and choreographs.
The only two actors that have appeared in both concert versions, in 2014 and 2015, as well as this year’s show at PTC, are David Beach as Dr. Scott and Bess as Magenta. Bess’ PTC credits include “Les Misérables,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Rent,” “Sunset Boulevard,” and “Chess,” among others. She’s also played Roxie Hart in “Chicago,” Mary Magdalene in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Mrs. Walker in “Tommy,” Susan in “Tick,Tick…Boom!,” Betty Haynes in “White Christmas,” and Sally Bowles in “Cabaret.” Bess also tours the country with her vintage jazz band, and received national recognition as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Bernstein’s Mass with the Utah Symphony. She chatted to Gephardt Daily about her path as a performer up until now, the show itself, and what else is coming up for her.
Bess told us more about her journey to becoming a professional actor and singer. “I’ve always loved performing, even from the time I was very young,” she said. “I started out in piano first and then, you know, I always liked to write my own plays growing up and make all the neighborhood kids do them with me. I didn’t grow up in a family where anybody else was doing theater or things like that. I didn’t know that much about it. But I did always love it and then I got into junior high and high school and got into different productions there, and yeah, it kind of took over. You can’t control it once it’s in your system. You just have to keep going forward.”
Bess attended Utah State University as a vocal performance and pedagogy major, studying opera initially then switching over to musical theater. She then received her degree from Weber State University.
She told us more about her journey with the musical. “I actually was a big fan of ‘Rocky Horror’ before I did the show,” she said. “I was obsessed with the movie for years and years and I was even Magenta in college for Halloween. So I’ve always loved rock operas, I gravitate towards that style. So when the audition came up over 10 years ago, I jumped at the chance, hoping, and then when we were cast, it was just such a wonderful time because it’s a different type of theater experience than you would normally get. It’s a big party and the audience is typically included, and they’re their own character. They’re one of the characters.”
She added: “It’s so much fun. I mean, you very rarely get a theater experience like that. And every time I’ve done it, the cast has been phenomenal, so you look forward to going every single day and seeing what new party it is, and every show is different because of that, because the audience plays such a big part.”
Bess described how she’s worked with three different Dr. Frank N. Furters. Jeremiah James, who plays Frank in this version, was the recent cover for the role of Nick Arnstein in the Broadway revival of “Funny Girl.” “Completely different but then all amazing in their own way,” she said. “Each one has their own flavor, and it’s really fun just to kind of see how the rest of the cast adapt to that new flavor, but every single time has been so much fun. And one thing though, that they did all share in common was that they took on the role in their own fantastic, exuberant way.”
Bess also talked about taking part in the fully staged musical compared with the concert versions.
“The other two were two weeks, from the first day of rehearsals to the last performance, so it was really, really fast,” she said. “And you know, even for Pioneer Theatre Company it was a completely new experience like you go into, you go to a Pioneer Theatre Company show and these gorgeous velvet seats in this theater are just beautiful. But then if you go to see ‘Rocky Horror,’ and there’s all the props and the paper and the popcorn and it’s just like a whole… it’s been completely transformed every night. I think every night about the people that have to clean it up. I think about it every night.”
Bess also told us that legendary scenic designer George Maxwell has come out of retirement to work on this show.
“I think most of the shows I’ve done at Pioneer were designed by George Maxwell,” she said. “And he’s one of the best there is, I mean, you know you are going on something fantastic and even the designs we were shown the first day of rehearsal, I think it’s pretty brilliant that he’s picking and pulling from a lot of previous productions, just different pieces. But it was exciting for me as someone who did ‘Rocky Horror’ before to see that they were going to use a couple of the pieces from before like the lockers, because I love the lockers and the way they were designed and decorated.”
She added: “Anyone that’s been to ‘Rocky Horror,’ props are a big part of it. If people can, they should definitely get a props bag from the theater; you can purchase one there. There’s certain times in the show, that a lot of the regulars know exactly what to do, that you get take out your props and throw them on the stage, it’s really, really fun to get to have full-on audience participation. Onstage, the Phantoms and some of the actors use those lockers to reveal the prop that you’ll be using.”
The props kits are available for pre-order here for $5, or can be purchased at the performance. Pre-ordering a kit is recommended and homemade kits or props won’t be permitted into the theater.
There will also be some special late night shows, Bess said, and even a handful of Sunday performances.
“It really is, if you really just scrape it right down to nothing, it is a rock concert, a rock concert more than anything else,” she said. “There’s a phenomenal band that’s going to be onstage with us. Even though it was written more in the 1970s, it’s got this edge. And I think even the younger generations are just going to really love it. The music is so much fun. And what I also love about this type of production is people sing along with us and that’s not not the norm for theater. But we want people to sing along.”
We also asked her if her sons will be attending the production.
“To each his own, I feel like it’s a little rambunctious for maybe a 9 year old,” she said. “You never know; depends on the 9 year old. I feel like my 13 year old probably would really love it. But yeah, we’ll see.”
She also talked about what’s coming up for her.
“Well I’m doing a lot of concerts with my jazz band,” she said. “So we’re still finalizing a few, especially with the holidays coming up. But that’s pretty much the next big thing I’m going to be working on. And then I’m also currently teaching at Weber State University. I’m teaching private voice and I’m also the new director over the vocal jazz ensemble there.”
Finally, she told us what roles are still on her bucket list.
“I love ‘Sweeney Todd,’ I’ve done it before but I would love to do any part again in that,” she said. “But I also love, maybe it’s because I just saw both of these recently on Broadway, but I love ‘Parade,’ I would love to be any part in ‘Parade.’ But pretty much any rock musical that comes along, I will at least put my hat in the ring.”
For more information about Bess, click here. For tickets and more information about “The Rocky Horror Show,” click here.
