Thursday, November 01, 2007

You can't relive your childhood - but you can visit occasionally.

That's the lesson the Cricket learned Halloween night, when he attended the Tower Theatre's midnight show of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

The reason to go, after retiring years ago, was to see Susan Steffee, who celebrated her 20th anniversary as Salt Lake's "Rocky Horror" emcee. Susan greeted the Cricket warmly, calling him an "effing whore" and giving him a big hug. (The Cricket used to be Susan's back-up emcee, back in the day.)

The Cricket wasn't the only returning cast member. Jenn, who used to be the casting director for the stage show (a k a the Latter-day Transvestites) before moving to Modesto, Calif., two years ago, flew in just for the show and to celebrate Susan's 20th anniversary. Jenn performed Magenta, the maid, as perfectly as when the Cricket was still a regular. (That's Jenn behind Susan in the blurry photo from the Cricket's cellphone.)

The Cricket hung around the stage with Susan while the cast did their pre-show festivities, and stood nearby as Susan did her traditional introductions - the "Five Effing Commandments" (the rules to keep the theater intact) and her "13 Rules for a Care-Free Life."

Then it was on with the show, and Susan surprised the Cricket by handing him the mic to handle the opening song, "Science Fiction Double Feature." You know, it is like riding a bicycle, and most of the lines came back effortlessly. It helped that Susan was doing a sight gag - involving another performer doing a modified (i.e., not violating state or local laws) striptease - so nobody would have noticed if the emcee's lines were botched.

There was dancing, singing, much water sprayed around the theater, and a good time had by all. The most fun for the Cricket was watching Susan running the show, taking the audience in hand and giving them a show they'll never forget.