Photos by Brittany Woolsey.
He’s tasted blood and he wants more.
Apparently, performing in the Rocky Horror Picture Show just once a week at the Art Theatre isn’t cutting it for Diego Sanson. The Long Beach resident portrays Frankenfurter in the Long Beach troupe’s shadow cast of the show every Saturday at midnight at the Retro Row theatre, but will soon be adding Friday performances to his schedule.
Sanson, along with Long Beach Rocky Horror alum Mandi Wallingford and Long Beach cult film fest king Logan Crow, is leading a new Rocky Horror group at the Frida Cinema in Santa Ana on Friday nights, beginning in August. Crow purchased a lease with the Frida last year.
Sanson said he does not anticipate his involvement in the to-be-named Santa Ana group to affect his schedule with Long Beach Rocky Horror.
“I’m what you call a glutton for punishment,” he joked. “Nothing new to this 21-year veteran.”
Wallingford said the new group will go back to the film’s roots instead of focus on overt sexuality and shock value, with hopes that the Santa Ana show will focus more on audience entertainment and, in her words, be more “bare bones.”
“We will do the virgin ritual but go back to the more traditional ones,” she said, referring to a certain act newcomers have to perform. “There will be more embarrassment than shock value. I want people to come back, not mortify them.”
Wallingford, who left the Long Beach cast about a year ago, said she expects the Santa Ana and Long Beach shows to be completely different, but she maintains audiences should attend both for that reason.
“I’m trying to tread lightly because I don’t want the Long Beach show to think I’m bashing them,” she said. “I’m totally not. I’ve been doing Rocky for more than 20 years, so I like the more traditional style of shows.”
Crow said he is looking forward to bringing Rocky Horror to Santa Ana.
“I just want to honor the film with a great and well-supported cast, and provide the Rocky Horror experience to our communtiy here at The Frida,” he said.
The Santa Ana Rocky Horror group, which premieres Aug. 15 at 11:30PM at the Frida, is currently seeking cast members. Those interested can email Wallingford at [email protected].
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