# Rocky Horror Show party theme - ideas welcome



## ChrisW (Sep 19, 2006)

OK, my wife and I are thinking about using The Rocky Horror Picture Show as our theme for this year's party. Our tentative idea is have people arrive around 7, eat and socialize. Around 7:45 escort everyone to a large studio room with chairs and video projector. Pass out Rocky horror prop bags (toilet paper, newspapeer, glowsticks, cards, etc.) and encourage full participation. Popcorn and drinks. during the show. After the show back to the party - more food, music, drink, costume contest. All costumes welcome, but anyone dressed as a Rocky Horror gets a a special bonus.
Now, some questions for discussion.
Traditionally we have had an all ages invited party. Do we explain the nature of the party on the invite and allow parents to make up their own mind, but tell them that supervision of the kids during the show is their responsibility; Limit the age on the invite to (13? 17? adults only party?) Provide a sitter(s) and have a secondary movie going on for the kids in the house? (This last one scares me if the kids get bored)
Some of our friends are seasoned Rocky Horror vets, some virgins. Do we try to explain what they might be in for?
Re: the vets - they can be VERY vocal during the show - like EVERY comeback to the dialog. It's cool in a midnight showing but really annoying in a smaller setting - and makers it impossible for folks unfamiliar with the story to follow. Do we tell them beforehand to try to hold back? I was trying to come up with a way to get them involved in "coaching" the rest of the audience. Usually we have 30-40 people. 
Any ideas on "theme" food? Eddie stew? Rocky mountain oysters?
And a basic concern - do you think sticking a movie in the middle of a Halloween party is a good idea? Rocky Horror CAN drag on if you're not really into it - do you think people will just be relieved when its over and want to leave? 
All coments and suggestions are most welcome.
You can see pictures of previous parties here:
chriswhiteart.com Go to the Halloween 2007 page...
and here:
Halloween Part 2008 pictures by ChrisWhiteStudio - Photobucket

Thanks!


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## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

You HAVE to do the time warp!!! HAVE TO!!

It is a musical, so I'd be tempted to get a karaoke machine and have a contest... oh, and a dance contest would not be out of line either. 

Black and white movies: King Kong, Mystery at the Wax Museum, Hercules Unchained.... you know Fay Wray and "take in an old Steve Reeves movie"

Somewhere in the food, there has to be meatloaf too.  l do like your choices for the food, but you could always use regular food and name it something Rocky themed - it can get silly, tho. 

Do have the movie playing, but have a separated area for guest not interested to socialize. We always run movies (Rocky Horror is a standard in the mix), people wander in and out and watch when they want to. If you want to have the props (toast, newspapers, etc) I'd make a basket near the front so people can grab the stuff, but most people I know barely know the movie itself, let alone all of the callbacks and where to use the props. 

I'd maybe try a mini trivia game with some moderately easy questions about the movie - just have the trivia questions near a ballot box (like a Jack O Lantern carved up to look like the lips? With a bucket inside to keep the paper from getting yucky and a slot at the top to drop the ballots in) and some pencils, announce in either your invites (trivia contest! Prizes!) or have some sort of signage near the ballots. Have them sign their names on their ballots and post the time winners will be announced - giving everyone a heads up about 15 minutes out. One of you will have to check the ballots, but that should be a breeze if you don't have too many questions (but do have something like 5-8 just to make it a little challenging) and not too many guests. If you get several that tie for the win, just drop the ties into a bucket and draw one to announce the winner. 


HeHeHe. I love that movie, especially the songs... "It was great when it all began, I was a regular Frankie fan..."

I'll post if I think of anything else.


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## ChrisW (Sep 19, 2006)

Frankie Girl - oh, yeeaahhh, the Time Warp is essential.
Meatloaf - love it! 
My wife always comes up with theme-named food for the buffet. We have alot of the usual Halloween fare - brain-mold shrimp salad, dipped eyeballs, witches fingers, etc. - along with the chili, hot dogs, and "regular" party food.
Good idea - basket with the props. We attanded a live performance of Rocky Horror last year and they sold prop bags with everything inside for 5 bucks. We'd hand ours out as people entered.
The movie would be shown im my studio which is separate from the house (its actually above the garage where I do our haunt for the party and Halloween). So while people could come and go, it's not as simple as just leaving the room and going into another. 
I think your idea of the trivia game related to the movie is FANTASTIC. That's a shoo-in. 

Thanks so much for the input.
Anybody else willing to weigh in?


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## Front Yard Fright (Jul 7, 2008)

What a great idea! I myself have been wanting to do a RHPS party for a while, but never got around to planning it. I look forward to seeing what you all come up with!
.


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## freudstein (Aug 9, 2007)

Awesome idea! Something I have thought about doing myself, but most of the guys need a LOT more persuasion to get on those suspenders 

It's completely up you on the age of party-goers, but in my opinion, I'd keep it adults only(at least 17+)...I'm sure kids won't really want to see their parents dressed like the characters Might be a little bit too racy.

Karaoke sounds like a cool idea for a fun contest. 

We look forward to seeing the final pics, yaaaaaaaaay


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## datura (Sep 26, 2008)

that's a brilliant idea and i agree with the time warp and the karaoke...
i wanted to get dressed this year as magenta but my man totally refuses to go as Frank'n'Furter...don't know why


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## Handy_Haunter (Oct 14, 2007)

Every year we cap off our party with the RHPS. We pop it in at midnight and us hard core folks stay for the whole thing, others filter out around that point.

Food for thought: If you go to a regular midnight showing of the RHPS, there is no age limit on who can be there. Yes, the movie is a bit racy (and the AP line... Woo! That's where the real fun comes in!), but really parents are likely to know what is and isn't appropriate for their own kids. You might include a link to the RHPS fan club website with the invitations, for the virgins out there to get a taste of it before hand. 

Speaking of virgins, if you have any (and it sounds like you will) you *have* to do a virgin sacrifice. It's a right of passage. Lipstick V on the forehead, an embarrassing slightly racy task to perform, and a virgin oath. The initiations is something that everyone remembers and everyone looks forward to. 

Love the idea of karaoke, that's just plain genius. I may have to do that next year myself. 

If you really want to go all out, you might try looking up who the local rocky acting troop is in your area. I believe you can find that information on the RHPS fan club website too. You might be able to talk the cast into coming down and doing their stuff for your party. Very cool, your guests get the full flavor, and you don't even have to scrounge up your own Rocky. 

Well, before I write a book, I love the idea. Send us pictures if you pull it off!

-Handy_Haunter


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## Handy_Haunter (Oct 14, 2007)

Rocky Horror Picture Show Fan Club


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## ChrisW (Sep 19, 2006)

Thanks for the ideas!
Datura, my wife wants to do Columbia...wait, that didn't come out right...she wants to BE Columbia, we're even attaching her old taps to a pair of sequened shoes. I'm wiling to dress as Franknfurter it the surgical gown, but will probably be Riffraff.
Handy haunter I think the idea of the "virgin sacrifice", et all, is a great idea as well.
There's a theater in Newark that still does week-end shows, and our local community college actually performed the theatrical show last year (and are doing it again this year) but I think that might be a bit too much for our place and crowd. But don't worry, we and some friends who will be invited have done the Rocky Show and should be able to lead the rest!
Thanks for the link as well.


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## Handy_Haunter (Oct 14, 2007)

I'm envious that you have so much Rocky so close. I have to drive two hours to get to the only theater in Indiana still doing it. *sigh*


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## Junit (Sep 1, 2008)

You could list on your invitations about the movie and say if they would prefer not to sit through the film they may stop out afterwards. I love the Rocky Horror shows when the theatres allow you to throw stuff at the screen and be obnoxious, but I can see how others would be looking forward to the end of it.


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## Harleykat (Oct 19, 2009)

*I love this forum...wish I had discovered it's existence a long time ago! I host singles events, and the past two years Halloween parties have been Rocky Horror themed! We do not serve food, but love the ideas of theming it up...may create a cake with the "Eddies Stew" concept, or a large MEATLOAF. LOL I also heart the Virgin Sacrifice, though knowing we will have VERY FEW of those (if any!) I would have to say "Vrigins to the Plentyoffish events Sacrifice!" LOL

We show our movie continuously, sort of as part of the decor in the room, without the sound. It makes it more like we are mixing & mingling with the characters, and really in their scenes! Of course having LARGE screens on the wall, help! The movie is soo cheap on DVD now...$7.50 at WalMart...that most end up buying it to get costume ideas.

But MOST anything goes and becomes themed. For example, I go in Medusa garb, as "Medusa the Transducer" who will turn you hard with a simple touch! LOL [/COLOR]*


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## Lainie (Sep 19, 2009)

Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!

What a great theme for a Halloween party! I used to go every weekend to the 8th Street Playhouse in the Village just to throw toast and do the Time Warp.... I like the idea of the movie playing in the background, so you feel like you're "in" the movie. Totally like the idea of the virgin sacrifice and maybe you could have a Time Warp dance off or something.

Really cool ideas


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## Harleykat (Oct 19, 2009)

*Our wonderful band (Staggercatt) learns the music from the movie....we are blessed to have it performed LIVE! Last year we took foamboard and drew up the characters and painted them all in mostly black and red (our colors) as well as famous lines, quotes, etc...was SO COOL...next best thing to movie prop style cut outs! We also have vases with candles, for centerpieces that we resuse over and over...painted those black and red (fingerpaint style) and they added sooo much ambience! This years new addition, is a "Thunder & Lightening machine" from Target! LOL How cool will that be??*


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