The Rocky Horror Show is a long-running British horror comedy stage musical, which opened in London on 19 June 1973. It was written by Richard O'Brien, produced and directed by Jim Sharman. It came eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals". It tells the story of a newly engaged couple getting caught in a storm and coming to the home of a mad transvestite scientist unveiling his new creation, a muscle man named Rocky Horror. The musical was adapted into the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which today has a worldwide cult following and has the longest running release in film history.
The Rocky Horror Show began as an experimental rock musical developed in early 1973 by actor-composer, Richard O'Brien with director, Jim Sharman, for a three week run at the Royal Court Theatre in London. he musical went into rehearsals with the working title "They Came from Denton High," which was changed just before previews at the suggestion of Sharman to The Rocky Horror Show Richard O'Brien wanted to combine elements of the unintentional humor of B movies and portentous dialogue of schlock horror. O'Brien took a small amount of the unfinished play to Sharman who decided to produce it at the small experimental space at the Royal CourtJim Sharman had some success with the original Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar during which he met Richard O'Brien, who had played Herod for just one performance.
Sharman brought in fellow Australians Nell Campbell, a.k.a. 'Little Nell,' and long-time production designer Brian Thomson, who had designed his productions of Hair and Superstar. Costume designer Sue Blane and musical director Richard Hartley rounded out the original creative team. The Theatre Upstairs was run by the Royal Court as a project space for new work. Veteran stage producer Michael White produced the play and Pete Moss later became musical director.
After two previews, the show premiered at the Royal Court's 63-seat Theatre Upstairs on 19 June 1973 and ran until 20 July 1973. The show performed without an interval. The production was a critical and commercial success. Record producer Jonathan King saw it on the second night and signed the cast to make the Original Soundtrack Album over a long weekend that was rushed out on his U.K. Records label. King was involved heavily in the initial promotion for the show as well as being the other backer of it financially with White. The Cast included Tim Curry, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell, Julie Covington Richard O'Brien.The success at the Royal Court allowed the production to transfer to the 270 seat Classic Cinema on Kings Road, London, from 14 August 1973 to 20 October 1973Next to the Comedy Theatre and then transferring to the Kings Road theatre, a run-down converted cinema seating 400 and scheduled for demolition where it ran for seven years closing in 1979. The show received critical praise as well as awards. A cult audience of attendees went over and over. It became a highly regarded "it" trend in London of the mid 1970s
