Grand Forks Halloween weekend was absolutely terrifyingly fun this year. With everyone going out every night over the weekend, come Monday morning, we were all dead. On Monday, October 31st, at 11:59 PM the Empire Arts Center was booming with people. We all gathered there to see Wild & Untamed Things put on their annual “The Rocky Horror Picture Show – LIVE.” I have lived in Grand Forks for 3 years now, and every year I have wanted to go. For three days over Halloween Weekend, they put on a show at 7 pm – the PG-13 version – and at 11:59 pm the rated R one. I, of course, had to go to the rated R performance.  

After picking up our tickets at will call, my friends and I quickly made our way over to get a prop bag. These bags were $5 and all of the proceeds went toward those who were affected by hurricane Ian. In the bag, there were a variety of fun toys and props to make the experience of watching the show interactive and fun. For instance, one of the props was a squirt gun. In the movie, the main protagonists Janet and Brad are caught in a rainstorm. During this time, audience members would squirt their water guns in the sky to simulate the rain.  

 As the clock struck 11:59 pm, the host and director of Wild and Untamed Things came out and started the show. The man resembled the infamous Pitbull, and the Rocky Horror regulars were letting this man have it. The back-and-forth joking between him and the audience went on for a while, before he invited all of the “virgins” on stage. Virgins, in this case, are not the kind of virgins I am sure you are thinking about. When we entered the theater, some cast members asked us if we had ever been to the show before. After we answered no, they announced that we were virgins, and marked our hands with a red V. Now, I do not want to spoil what they asked us virgins to do on stage, but let’s just say that involved some stripping and sexual innuendos.  

 After the virgins exited the stage, the show began. For those that do not know what this experience entails, it is when a cast performs the movie while the film is playing behind them. It is similar to the depiction in the movie, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” The show was amazing. It was funny, and the audience made it 100% better. The members of the audience who have been to these performances before had hilarious callbacks while the movie was playing. They would yell and scream at the hate-able narrator and cheer the loudest whenever Dr. Frakenfurter strut the stage.  

If you have ever considered going to a showing of Rocky Horror, I recommend it. The comradery and environment at the performance was unmatched to anything I have ever been to. This was only my second time ever seeing RHPS, and it was more fun watching it this way than being alone in my bedroom. The performance will return next year, and it will be their 20-year anniversary of doing the show. In the words of the amazing host, “it is gonna be crazy,” so if you are shivering with anticipation, keep your eye out for “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” when they return next year! 

Claire Arneson is a Dakota Student Editor. She can be reached at [email protected].