The Rocky Horror Show Brings Chaotic, Joyful Debauchery to Dance Place
Monumental Theatre Company is giving the time warp a fresh twist. Richard O'Brien's cult classic The Rocky Horror Show has landed at Dance Place in Northeast Washington, running through September 6, 2026, and it is being are called a disruptively fun, wholeheartedly energetic ride that mixes the familiar with the unexpected.
The story, for the uninitiated, follows squeaky-clean newlyweds-to-be Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, whose car breaks down in a rainstorm on the way to visit their old science teacher. Seeking a telephone, they knock on the door of a mysterious castle and find themselves swept into the orbit of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a self-described sweet transvestite from the planet Transsexual, on the very night he unveils his latest creation: a tanned, hunky muscle man named Rocky. What follows is a gleefully unhinged love letter to 1950s B-movies, wrapped around a surprisingly earnest message about self-expression and breaking free from the pressures of a buttoned-up society.
What has reviewers most excited is how fully Monumental embraces the show's legendary audience participation. While other productions have reined in the raucous callback tradition that made the 1975 film a midnight-movie phenomenon, this staging encourages it to the highest degree, and critics agree it works extremely well. Pulling off a polished, professional production that simultaneously invites the same chaotic debauchery as the movie's famous screenings is no small feat, and co-directors Michael Windsor and Jimmy Mavrikes have earned high praise for making the piece feel as gloriously crazy as ever without it feeling like a retread. Staged in a spunky cabaret thrust configuration, the production is immersive in a way that celebrates its audience without expecting too much of them.
The evening's surprise standout is Cera Baker as the narrator, hailed as a must-see performer with youthful comedic wit and knockout vocal chops. Baker brings intensity, command, and a healthy dose of unpredictability to the role, growing progressively tipsier as the madness unfolds while earnestly inviting the audience to play along at every step. Oscar Madson and Clari Swaggard have also charmed critics as Brad and Janet, delivering pitch-perfect comic timing as the virginal eager beavers and delightful turns when they get to tear into the score, particularly Janet's ferocious "Touch-a Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me." Christian Montgomery takes on the towering role of Frank-N-Furter, a part that demands sweetness, menace, and undeniable magnetism all at once, and delivers a commanding physical performance well worth the anticipation. Sydne Lyons, meanwhile, makes the most of limited stage time, with a rendition of "Hot Patootie" that will melt your face off and a hilarious return as a femme Dr. Scott who changes accents like a radio being tuned.
Then there is the score itself, which reviewers flatly call a masterpiece. From the glamorous "Science Fiction/Double Feature" opener through "Time Warp" and beyond, O'Brien's songs remain nonstop earworms, and the orchestrations here retain a loud coziness even through the most erratic numbers. The production surrounding that music has drawn equal acclaim: sensationally dynamic choreography from Ahmad Maaty, hilarious projection work, an electric dreamscape of lighting, and gorgeous, vibrant neon costuming with a little Gen-Z flavor that helps the intuitive cast honor the show's pop-cultural roots while making every character feel new.
Inspired by the resurgent visibility of drag and ballroom culture, Monumental's take brings the show's eroticism into a new era of LGBTQ+ expression while still capturing the musical's inherent joy and whimsicality. The result, critics say, is a totally new take on Rocky Horror that nevertheless pays loving homage to everything that made it a monolith of popular culture in the first place.
The Rocky Horror Show, presented by Monumental Theatre Company, runs through September 6, 2026 at Dance Place, 3225 8th Street NE, Washington, DC.