The Parcel of Rogues theatre group in Yellowknife is ready and confident for their 10th anniversary show!
With shows ready to go throughout November 21st to the 23rd, Yellowknife’s Northern Arts and Cultural Centre is once again working with Parcel of Rogues to bring Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show to the north!
Eli Purchase, the Director of the performance, explained that this show is the musical theatre production that inspired the 1975 film, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, starring Tim Curry.
“It’s a really big play on those 1940’s, 1950’s kind of sci-fi story, with a couple, newly engaged, car breaks down, end up at this foreboding castle with a lot of eccentric characters inside! It really has inspired a lot of movies and shows, and of course drew inspiration from a lot of those classic sci-fi and monster shows.”
(Photo credit: Olivia Patterson Photography.)
Eli reports that the cast and crew for the show have been feeling incredibly confident, and that the rehearsal process been going quite well.
“One of the other Directors, Ashley Deavu, mentioned that it’s this intricate puzzle with so many pieces, and when you see one or two pieces out of place, it’s kind of confusing, but once it all comes together, it’s just truly magical!”
He adds that the set is “intricate” and is unlike anything he has worked with before.
“Our other Director, Phoenix Smith, her dad works in the film industry in Alberta and basically built the set. I am expecting the curtain to go up and to have audible gasps from the audience!”
Eli has been working in theatre for many years, and has been involved with Yellowknife’s theatre industry since 2010. He explained that he has always been a fan of the Tim Curry movie, and once he learned that it was based on a musical, it was always a production that has been sitting in the back of his mind.
Eli also took a moment to speak on another important factor of the show, that being it’s strong queer themes.
“Today (November 20th) is the Trans Day of Remembrance, and Rocky Horror is a show that is rooted in LGBTQIA2S+ identity. It was a groundbreaking show in the 70’s to feature such a diverse cast and providing a space for everyone to be their true selves. The show provided much needed representation after three decades of the Hollywood Hays Code, which prohibited any depiction of any LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, so that identity is really rooted in the show, so I just wanted to highlight that.”
Tickets to the show can be found on naccnt.ca. Eli warns would-be audience members that the Thursday premier is almost completely sold out. He also made sure to express his thanks to the sponsors who made the performance possible: Quality Inn, Bella Dance Academy, Cabin Radio, Event Rentals Yellowknife, Olivia Patterson Photography, Stewart Rear McDonald, and Western Arctic Motion Pictures.
