LAKE PLACID — Lake Placid Center for the Arts pulled garters, glitter and gold lame out of the costume closet to fashion a night of fantasy, horror, comedy and science fiction all on one reel.

Movie night never had so much fun in mind.

It's a one-night stand when "Rocky Horror Picture Show" opens with a troupe of Community Theatre Players doing the Time Warp in step with the movie Oct. 30.

Adapted by director Matthew Sorensen, the cast camped under the spotlights in rehearsal this week.

The 6-foot-something Sorensen negotiated stairs in 3-inch stilettos, his toes turned out.

"I'm going to have to get used to these," he said, strutting into the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the sweet transvestite who conjures mayhem and monsters.

Actor Colin DeHond came dressed to play Riff-Raff, the handyman.

"I've always liked the show and actually had the accoutrements hanging around — old boots and a fishnet body stocking," he grinned, lifting a pant leg.

Doesn't everyone have one in a drawer somewhere?

DeHond laughed.

"Is my hunchback big enough?"

Mwuah-hahaha.

THROWING TOAST
The story begins when newly engaged young couple Janet and Brad stumble onto a vampire's lair run by Dr. Frank-N-Furter, who has discovered how to create life.

His creation, Rocky Horror, who borrows part of a brain from an unwitting delivery boy, is a buff monster spoof of the classic Frankenstein creature.

The innocents in the show are seduced by otherworldly capers and frozen by a time machine before they can escape.

After raucous laboratory experiments, anti-heroes Riff-Raff and Magenta destroy Frank-N-Furter and Rocky then launch the castle into outer space, returning to the planet Transsexual.

"It's a bunch, bunch of fun," said actor Stu Ruttan, portraying the innocent Brad in a dandy dress coat and tie before his clothes are torn off.

"I look forward to any time the audience can interact with the stage, and this one will be intense."

Prompts in the movie screenplay encourage the audience to flash flashlights and throw toast, cover their heads in newspaper, don rubber gloves and make rain, among other things.

CULT CLASSIC
For a new generation and those familiar with "Rocky Horror" antics, the show ticket comes complete with a prop package of rice, squirt guns and toast, said Kristin Finn, a director for Community Theatre Players.

"I'm going to get dressed now," she smiled, watching Frank-N-Furter prance across the stage at rehearsal.

When Sorensen approached theater directors and asked to do "Rocky Horror," he thought they would say no.

"They said, 'OK, but you have to clean it up.' We don't expect any damage, just a big mess."

The idea to blend performance with the movie is part of the cult classic.

"About two years ago, we did a sing-along version of "Mama Mia" at the Palace Theatre, and it was very successful," Sorensen said. "Of course this came to mind."

The iconic show enticed a talented cast.

"This movie is 30 years old," Sorensen said, "and people have been dressing up and going to the show ever since. It invites people to give themselves over to absolute pleasure, and that applies to all different generations and forms of expression, especially theater."

The audience should come dressed up, he said; it's part of the show.

BRILLIANT SCORE
What "Rocky Horror" brought to theaters a generation ago hasn't really mellowed much with age.

"It's the only thing of this kind, combining genres — musical, horror, science fiction and rock opera," Ruttan said.

Actor Jason Brill, performing as the whacky Dr. Everett Scott, saw the original production on Broadway with Tim Curry, who stars in the movie version.

"It's always been about his performance," Brill said. "It's shocking and it's not shocking. As flamboyantly wonderful as Frank-N-Furter is, Tim Curry is really in his element, telling us we should all be more accepting of all people. And I think the score is absolutely brilliant, very hip and ironic."

Brill remembered the first time he saw the show live as a student actor at the School of Performing Arts.

"I thought, 'Oh! You can do that on a stage? Yes!'"

In the dressing room, with lights pouring across mirrors, actresses Sunny Rozkis and Morgan Maddox leaned sultry against the chairs.

Maddox plays the raucous Magenta, who destroys Frank-N-Furter and Rocky Horror in the end.

Both were born after the show became a classic.

"I realize I remember people going to it," Maddox said, flipping a long strand of tousled hair.

"It's the total opposite of the last play we just did. With this show, the audience is the main thing," Rozkis added.

Already seats are filling up ahead of the Oct. 30 event.

"Come to the lab, see what's on the slab," Sorensen dared.

E-mail Kim Smith Dedam at: kdedam@pressrepublican.com