By RAEGAN NEUFELD
Tiger Media Network
For the fifth year in a row, the Hays Community Theatre is providing Halloween fun with an interactive screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
Doors open for the screening at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with the movie starting at 8:30. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the HCT website or at the theater before the show. For $10, patrons can watch the movie, throw props at the screen, follow cues in the script, and eat popcorn.
“It’s a bunch of like-minded people getting together and just having a good old time,” said HCT Board of Directors President Travis Grizzell. “It’s really gone over well the last few years.”
Since the inaugural screening in 2019, the event has become one that community members look forward to throughout the year. When the time comes, many of the attendees add their own fun to the event by dressing up as characters from the movie.
While Grizzell acknowledged that the event is not a “stereotypical western Kansas thing,” he said he would encourage people to have an open mind.
“If you just accept that it’s a little off the radar from what you’re used to, I can almost guarantee if you stay for the first 15 or 20 minutes you’ll have a good time,” he said. “It’s an absolute hoot, and it gets some people out of their comfort zone.”
Attending events like “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” can be a way for people to get out of the house and enjoy what’s available in the community, rather than just watch movies online.
“Enjoy the things that your community has to offer,” Grizzell said. “Because if we don’t, then they won’t be around long. They need support and they need to be worthwhile. That’s something we can all do together as Hays citizens.”
According to Grizzell, the movie screening and other shows bring out a diverse group of people, which is one of the reasons he enjoys being a part of local theater.
“The average person would not dream of how broad a range of people we have here that like to get out and do stuff together, and have a communal thing,” he said. “I love seeing that. I love that I’m a small part of being able to bring people to the arts in the community.”
After “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” the theater will end the year with “Keeping Christmas: A Traditional Christmas Tale.” The first part of next year will feature a Valentine’s Day dinner show and several stand-up comedy nights in the spring.
In addition to their website, information about upcoming events can be found on the HCT Facebook page.