Parker Lowrie and Ashley Moses mirror “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
Photos by Quinlin Gallagher
It’s just a jump to the left, and a step to the Studio Black Box Theatre in Grover Beach, where SOPAPlayers is putting on its 16th shadow-cast production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
For those unfamiliar with this cultural phenomenon (yes, I’d go that far): At its bare bones, performers act out the movie as it is projected behind them while the audience throws props, shines lights, and screams call-backs.
This year, the SOPAPlayers cast includes 13 incredible actors, a handful of whom were part of SOPAPlayers’ original cast in 2011.
It’s 100 minutes of insanity where you can forget the outside world and enjoy the madness.”
I have had the absolute pleasure of seeing the 2026 version five times: twice during tech rehearsal (getting photo and video for social media); twice at the Studio Black Box Theatre; and once at the sold-out show at the Palm Theatre in San Luis Obispo on Monday night. And if I were free this weekend, trust that I would be there again.
If you have never seen the 1975 movie, here’s a disclaimer: this show is loud, raunchy, and a beautiful celebration of queerness. If you are uncomfortable with a packed 50-seat black box theatre audience shouting “Slut!” at the man playing Janet, the show’s self-proclaimed heroine, then this may not be the show for you.
I myself was terrified to watch the show for the first time last year, as loud displays of sensuality are out of my comfort zone. But I quickly learned that’s not what the show is about. It’s about being authentically yourself and saying “screw you” to anyone or anything that stands in your way.
It’s 100 minutes of insanity where you can forget the outside world and enjoy the madness.
Shannon Lowrie, who owns the Studio of Performing Arts, SOPAPlayers, and the Studio Black Box Theatre, directs the show. She started the Rocky tradition in 2011 and plays the role of the Criminologist this year.
Lowrie faces the notable challenge of staying on stage for nearly the entire show, even though her character appears only sporadically throughout the film. Every single time I looked, she was fully in character, watching the story unfold around her.
A standout moment comes at the end of “I Can Make You A Man—Reprise,” where Lowrie adds her own flair to the role by playing electric guitar along with the song. She is joined by her husband Simón Lowrie, who plays two characters with very different personalities. Eddie is a rock-‘n’-roll, motorcycle-loving “no good kid,” whereas Dr. Scott is Eddie’s uncle, a very serious, no-nonsense man who only wants to find his missing nephew. Simón Lowrie plays both roles beautifully, and it’s easy to miss that he’s playing two parts until the very end of the show, when he takes a bow for both.
I implore you to come to the Studio Black Box Theatre in Grover Beach and join this amazing cast in doing the ‘Time Warp.'”
Their son Parker Lowrie lays it all on the table on stage, most of the time sporting nothing but a bra, a skirt, and a pair of ridiculously large fake breasts, which he and the rest of the cast don’t hesitate to make the most of, especially during the show-stopping number that is “Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me.”
Ashley Moses plays Brad, Janet’s fiancé and—as you will hear the audience call him—an asshole. Moses nails Brad’s mannerisms and is a delight to watch onstage. Moses is joined by her sister, Madison Shaheen, who plays Frank-N-Furter. From the second you hear her heels hit the floor, Shaheen has the audience under her spell.
Shaheen plays Frank with an obvious love of and dedication to Tim Curry’s original performance, mimicking his every move down to the slightest twitch of a lip (not to mention her attention to detail in her costumes, makeup, and even matching temporary tattoos).
Frank’s creation Rocky is played by original SOPAPlayers cast member Connor Fitzgerald. If I could describe his performance in one word, it would simply be “hilarious.” Fitzgerald brilliantly captures Rocky’s naivety and childlike wonder at the world around him. Not everyone on stage is a Rocky fan, however; Taylor Haenel plays Columbia, Frank’s “groupie” who is continually replaced by his new lovers, the most recent being Rocky.
Much to my surprise, this is Haenel’s first year performing in a Rocky shadow cast. Her confidence shines onstage as she brings the perfect mix of bratty diva and razzmatazz to her character. The highlight of her performance is the tap solo she does in tandem with the “Time Warp.”
The rest of Frank’s employees are played by Nataly Lola (Riff Raff) and Andrea Ford (Magenta), who do an amazing job bringing this incestuous sibling pair to life. Lola balances Riff’s stoic nature with his comedic notes, making the audience laugh time and time again. Ford brings Magenta’s craziness to life wonderfully, and the pair play off each other well.
The cast is rounded out with four Transylvanians who make up the ensemble/background actors: Olivia Dominguez, Benjamin Hansen, Michael Massicotte, and Dug Baker. They all do an amazing job of keeping the energy up, whether by dancing in the aisle or shooting water guns at the audience. This Halloween, Hansen also steps into the role of Rocky.
If you are free this weekend, I implore you to come to the Studio Black Box Theatre in Grover Beach and join this amazing cast in doing the “Time Warp.” But be warned: only a handful of tickets remain, and the Halloween show is already sold out. If you want to see the show before the cast returns to Transylvania until next October, get your tickets for Friday night now.