On Saturday, Oct. 23, I visited one of downtown Augusta’s quirkiest locations, Pexcho’s American Dime Museum, and let the Misfit Theatre Group’s shadowcast of the Rocky Horror Picture Show wash over me.
I wanted to write about my experience there because, growing up in Augusta, I often heard people my age say, “Oh, there’s just nothing to do in Augusta,” or “I’m moving to [insert slightly larger city here] because there’s so much more to do.”
MORE: World of the Unusual is at Pexcho’s American Dime Museum
On the contrary, there is quite literally something for everyone in Augusta, and that’s in terms of shopping, eating or in this case, entertainment.
Now, I fully understand that seeing a shadowcast, (the typical way to take in a live performance of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, which is a theatre troupe mouthing and acting out the actions of the 1975 cult film starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick while the movie plays on a screen behind the cast) isn’t everyone’s idea of a fun Saturday night out. That said, it just goes to show that if you only look, you can always find “something to do.”
According to its website, the Misfit Theatre Group is “Augusta’s non-traditional performance troupe known for bringing cult films to life on stage, fully interactive experiences and… Splattervision!”
I’m not quite sure what Splattervision is, so I’ll have to report back on that after the group’s performance of Sweeney Todd in February 2022. There should be ample opportunities for splattering in that one.
MORE: Excho’s Museum Gets Inspiration from P.T. Barnum’s Side Shows
The cast brought a ton of energy, and the costumes and makeup were excellent. I went with two friends who were more familiar with the movie and show than I was, and they also felt it was an excellent rendition.
The sold-out performance was the second of two nights in a row, and from how audience members were bounding and chatting excitedly as they left the theater, it seems like everyone felt they got their money’s worth out of the performance.
It may seem hard to believe, but our Christmas morning edition will be published two months from today, and there will be ample events and happenings until then. And we make it easy! You need only to search “Charmain Brackett” in the search bar on our website to read advances and reviews for all types of entertainment, from music to stage plays to comedy and more from our resident features editor.
The world is shaking loose from a (very) long COVID-19 hibernation nap, and performers and musicians have been hurting. What better way to show support than to get out and see them! Our creatives need us now more than they ever have, and attending their shows and concerts (with the proper precautions, of course) is just about the best public service an “Augusta lover” can do.
Instead of just saying we love Augusta — which I’d wager many of this paper’s readers do — let’s get out and help that community thrive. We can do it one show, song and joke at a time.
Tyler Strong is the Business Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at tyler@theaugustapress.com
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