Theater wiz Nick Padgett seems to do it all. Each October for the past decade, the Tony Award-winning producer directs, produces and slips into his fishnets to play the leading role of Frank-N-Furter in a local production of The Rocky Horror Show.
This year, the actor and his theater company, Padgett Productions, will pay tribute to the most well-known and beloved portrayal of Frank-N-Furter: Tim Curry’s. “At the heart of Rocky Horror is Tim Curry,” Padgett says.
For those more familiar with the cult-classic film adaptation, which stars the late Curry, Padgett says the campy musical differs slightly (though you can still expect to hear earworms like “Time Warp” and “Hot Patootie”). “It comes off as a bit more raw, rock ‘n’ roll and elaborate than the movie,” he says.
The theater company, now in its 21st season, rotates some of its cast each year and incorporates new staging and technical elements to keep things fresh. But Padgett’s role as the hedonistic mad scientist endures.
Above all, Padgett says the local production has created a sense of kinship, welcoming audience members from all walks of life. He’s even officiated a wedding and facilitated a couple of proposals throughout the production’s decade-long run.
“Rocky Horror has become a Kansas City tradition during the Halloween season,” Padgett says. “It’s a connector; it’s built a community.”
GO: October 2–31. All showtimes at 8 pm. The Grand Theater at Crown Center. Learn more at rockyhorrorkc.com.
