Students and community members filled the lobby of King Hall at 11 p.m. on Halloween, one whole hour before doors opened for the midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Show. 

The showing, which took place in the show’s second week, was the biggest showing of the performance with a sold-out show. 

Some students came to the midnight performance without knowing the show at all and to simply see their friends perform. One couple, Brady Morgan and Emma Miller, even traveled all the way from South Carolina to see the show.

“I know people in the show like Ross and Alex,” said Morgan. “Our college, State Fair Community College, went on a transfer trip to come see (The ESU Rocky Horror Show) last week, and it was amazing. I loved it so much, so I wanted to come back and see it again with my girlfriend.”

A majority of attendees were dressed up in a costume, and a costume competition started off the night in the theater. Dressing up for showings of The Rocky Horror Show has been a consistent tradition for both the musical and movie.

Kathy Robertson, a woman in her 60s who attended the midnight showing at ESU, dressed up as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a character in the production. The whole experience was revitalizing for her, she said.

“Rocky Horror first came out when I had just graduated from high school,” said Robertson. “I went to midnight showings back then. When I heard they were gonna have it here at ESU, and on Halloween night, I said we have to go. (Being here is) very special. It’s like walking down memory lane. Brings me back to my youth.”

Connections over generations is what seems to make The Rocky Horror Show so special to so many people—that it brings people together by pulling them out of their shells. 

“I think it’s like a party,” said Akton Mason. “I mean, we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary. People are being themselves at midnight, which is amazing. Men are dressing up in fishnets and everything. And I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s like, what they always wanted to be. I feel like it’s what they’re wanting to express about themselves.”