Nell Campbell has been Columbia since before the Time Warp was a cultural reflex — discovered busking on London streets by director Jim Sharman, cast in the original stage production, then the film that followed in 1975, and now, more than fifty years later, still bringing it to rooms full of people who know every line. The Rocky Horror Picture Show Spooktacular Tour arrives at the Clemens Center in Elmira on Thursday, October 29, with Campbell as the featured original cast member.
About the Show
The Spooktacular Tour, a 40-city run across the United States and Canada produced by Scott Stander and The Stander Group, makes one stop in the Southern Tier this Halloween season. The Clemens Center screening uses a new 4K restoration of the film, paired with a live local shadow cast performing synchronized throughout. The evening includes audience participation and a costume contest with prizes for the top three entries. Running time is two hours and 15 minutes with an intermission. The film is rated R.
Campbell has not minced words about the improbability of all of this: “I never would have thought all these years later we’d be touring our little ole film. I’m so thrilled to get back on the road and to meet several generations of fans.” That cross-generational reach is real. The Rocky Horror audience does not simply age in place but replenishes itself, something Campbell credits in part to the film’s enduring role as “an inspiration and celebration for the LGBTQ+ community.”
Venue & Logistics
The Clemens Center in Elmira is a 1,652-seat theater. Audience participation at scale requires a room where callbacks carry from the rear and the shadow cast’s choreography stays legible. A theater works for that in ways a club doesn’t. The show is Thursday, October 29 at 7:30 p.m., two nights before Halloween, which should take care of the costume contest motivation on its own.
Tickets
General Admission tickets run in three tiers: $35, $45, and $55. A VIP package at $155 includes premium seating, a Rocky Horror VIP laminate, a photo opportunity with Campbell using your own camera, and a signed item of your choice (something you bring or a photo from Campbell’s own collection). An After Party add-on is available for $40 (requires a show ticket; availability is limited), with themed drinks, music, food, and a meet-and-greet with the shadow cast. Clemens Center members go on sale Monday, August 10 at 11:30 a.m.; general public on-sale is Thursday, August 13 at 11:30 a.m. Buy tickets