Guide to 'The Rocky Horror Show' on Broadway starring Luke Evans

The Rocky Horror Show is a musical about a young couple, Brad and Janet, who stumble into a strange mansion after their car breaks down. Inside, they meet Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a flamboyant scientist creating a creature named Rocky. The story parodies sci-fi and horror flicks as the unwitting duo gets pulled into wild, liberating chaos.

The Rocky Horror Show on Broadway begins performances March 26 at Studio 54, located at 254 West 54th St. between Broadway and Eighth Avenue.

The theatre opened in 1927 and previously operated as a music hall, broadcast soundstage, and nightclub (under the name Casino de Paree). From 1977-80, it operated as the legendary, celebrity-filled Studio 54 nightclub.

After a revival of the musical Cabaret succeeded there in 1998, Roundabout Theatre Company took ownership of the venue. Recent shows at the theatre include Oedipus, Call Me Izzy, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical, and Days of Wine and Roses.

The spring 2026 Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show has yet to announce a run time. The most recent revival, in 2000, ran approximately 2 hours and had an intermission.

The typical running time for a Broadway musical is between 90 minutes and 3 hours, and many have a 15-minute intermission.

The Rocky Horror Show on Broadway will play Tuesday through Sunday, with two performances on Wednesdays and Saturdays and no performances on Mondays. This standard schedule is subject to one-off changes; please visit our Rocky Horror Show page for a complete performance calendar.

The Rocky Horror Show debuted in 1973 in London, where it ran until 1980. The musical then made its U.S. premiere in Los Angeles in 1974 and transferred to Broadway a year later.

The 2026 Rocky Horror Show Broadway revival starts performances on March 26.

The Rocky Horror Show musical is by Richard O’Brien. Beyond The Rocky Horror Show, his most famous creation, his credits include acting in Dark City, hosting The Crystal Maze, and co-writing The Rocky Horror Picture Show film adaptation and its sequel, Shock Treatment. He has worked across theatre, film, TV, and music, becoming a cult-culture icon.

The Rocky Horror Show is set in motion when a young couple enter the mansion of scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Read on to discover all the characters in the musical's out-of-this-world universe

• Frank-N-Furter: A scientist who self-describes as a “sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania,” with a fluid sexuality and irresistible charisma.
• Brad Majors: A conventional, straight-laced all-American guy whose worldview widens.
• Janet Weiss: A sheltered and wholesome bride-to-be who experiences awakenings every which way.
• Riff Raff: Frank-N-Furter’s eerie and disgruntled underling who secretly craves power.
• Magenta: A maid in the mansion who’s close with her brother, Riff Raff.
• Columbia: A lost-soul groupie in Frank-N-Furter’s household looking for love.
• Rocky: Frank-N-Furter’s chiseled work of art, one designed to be the "perfect man."
• Eddie: An ill-fated delivery man who runs afoul of Frank-N-Furter.
• Dr. Scott: A scientist searching for his nephew, Eddie, who finds more than he bargained for.
• The Narrator: A detached, formal commentator adding context to the absurdity as it unfolds.

The music of The Rocky Horror Show is a playful, genre-blending tribute to 1950s–70s rock and roll, glam rock, and classic pop. Richard O’Brien’s score is a lively blend of driving guitar riffs, doo-wop harmonies, cabaret flair, and early rock pastiche, with touches of musical-theatre showmanship. Below are all songs in The Rocky Horror Show Broadway musical.

Act 1

• "Science Fiction Double Feature"
• "Damn It, Janet"
• "Over at the Frankenstein Place"
• "Time Warp"
• "Sweet Transvestite"
• "The Sword of Damocles"
• "I Can Make You a Man"
• "Hot Patootie"
• "I Can Make You a Man” (Reprise)"

Act 2

• “Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch Me”
• "Once in a While"
• “Eddie’s Teddy"
• "Planet Schmanet – Wise Up Janet"
• "Floor Show/Rose Tint My World"
• “I’m Going Home”
• "Superheroes"
• "Science Fiction Double Feature” (Reprise)"

The Rocky Horror Show has had a number of high-profile stage productions around the world, as well as a film adaptation with a huge following.

• 1973: The Rocky Horror Show musical debuted at London's Royal Court Theatre with Tim Curry as Frank-N-Furter and creator Richard O’Brien as Riff Raff. The show eventually moved to other area venues and concluded its run in 1980.
• 1974: The show made its U.S. premiere at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles, running nine months with Curry reprising his role. Meat Loaf played Eddie and Dr. Scott.
• 1975: The Broadway premiere featured the L.A. cast, apart from O’Brien as Riff Raff, and ran just 45 performances. That same year, though, the movie adaptation debuted, and it would go on to become a cult favorite.
• 1990: The West End revival at the Piccadilly Theatre set the stage for U.K. tours of the show that have run regularly ever since.
• 2000: The first Broadway revival ran 437 performances and was stacked with stars including Alice Ripley, Raúl Esparza, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Tom Hewitt, and Lea DeLaria.
• 2026: The Rocky Horror Show returns to Broadway for its second revival, starring Luke Evans as Frank-N-Furter.

Various productions of The Rocky Horror Show have been honored with theatre prizes and nominations.

• Evening Standard Awards: The 1973 London premiere won for Best Musical.
• Tony Awards: The 1975 original Broadway production was nominated for Best Lighting Design (Chip Monck). The 2000 revival was nominated for Best Musical Revival, Lead Actor (Tim Curry), Direction (Christopher Ashley), and Costumes (David C. Woolard).
• Drama Desk Awards: The 1975 production was nominated for Outstanding Actor (Tim Curry), Featured Actress (Boni Enten), and Unique Theatre Experience. The 2000 production was up for Outstanding Musical Revival, Actor (Tom Hewitt), Director (Christopher Ashley), Choreography (Jerry Mitchell), and Set Design (David Rockwell).
• Theatre World Award: Raúl Esparza won for his portrayal of Riff Raff in the 2000 revival.

The 2026 Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show will be in the running for the 2025-26 season’s upcoming New York awards, including Tony Awards.

Yes — The Rocky Horror Show's movie adaptation, titled The Rocky Horror Picture Show, was released in 1975. Initially a box-office disappointment, it evolved into a massive cult classic. The film has the longest-running release in film history, and its success grew through midnight showings and interactive screenings that continue today.

The film stars Tim Curry as Frank-N-Furter, Susan Sarandon as Janet, Barry Bostwick as Brad, and creator Richard O’Brien as Riff Raff, cementing Rocky Horror's enduring cultural legacy.

In 2016, a TV-movie remake titled The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again aired on Fox. It features Laverne Cox as Frank-N-Furter alongside other theatre veterans including Ryan McCartan, Annaleigh Ashford, Adam Lambert, Reeve Carney, Ben Vereen, and Tim Curry as the Narrator.

Learn even more about the cult classic show, from its famous audience participation element to its influence on other media and pop culture.

• Creator Richard O’Brien drew inspiration from the low-budget science fiction and horror films of the 1930s-1950s: think Frankenstein, Dracula, and 1950s alien-invasion movies.
• Rocky is a party: Audience participation began before the film version, with fans shouting responses at stage actors in the 1970s.
• Rocky talks the talk: Tim Curry discovered Frank-N-Furter’s voice by imitating the Queen’s English and adding glam swagger.
• Many productions and screenings encourage audiences to dress to theme, making it one of the most interactive stage musicals ever. Will Broadway? Stay tuned. There are actual guides to "What to Wear to Rocky Horror."
• The film soundtrack album first charted in 1978 and re-entered the Billboard 200 at number 55 after Glee’s 2010 Rocky Horror episode.
• Pop star Sabrina Carpenter's 2025 music video for "Tears" is inspired by Rocky Horror. The singer crashes her car near a house filled with an ensemble of freewheeling characters, including Colman Domingo in a Frank-N-Furter-esque role.

Get The Rocky Horror Show tickets on New York Theatre Guide. Playful, provocative, and unapologetically over-the-top, The Rocky Horror Show is ready to touch-a-touch-a-touch a new generation of audiences.