Drake Hosts Second Annual Rocky Horror Shadow Cast
Student-led troupe staged a free midnight screening of the cult classic film at Sheslow Auditorium.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Dance
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Drake Theatre People and the Student Activities Board hosted a second annual Rocky Horror shadow cast performance at Drake University just past midnight on Oct. 30 in Sheslow Auditorium. Admission was free, and attendees received prop bags with bubbles, playing cards, noisemakers and gloves along with call-out instructions.
Why it matters
The event keeps a 1975 cult film and its 1973 stage-musical roots in active campus performance, with a student cast that had about one month to prepare after being selected in late September. Junior Caeden Canuso said the film holds personal significance for its representation of the queer community and the acceptance it offers outsiders.
The production followed a second annual format, with the cast preparing in approximately one month after late-September casting. The inaugural 2025 performance was staged in Sussman Theater, while this year's show moved to Sheslow Auditorium, and attendance figures were not reported.
The players
Drake Theatre People
The student theatre organization at Drake University that co-hosted and staged the shadow cast production.
Student Activities Board
The Drake University student group that co-hosted the performance alongside Drake Theatre People.
The details
Live actors recreated the movements and actions of the film's characters while the movie played on a screen, following cues for lines, choreography and scene timing. The cast used a scooter instead of a motorcycle to recreate the character Eddie's arrival.
Timeline
Oct. 31, 2025: Inaugural shadow cast performance held in Sussman Theater.
Late September 2026: Cast members selected for the production.
Oct. 30, 2026: Second annual performance held at Sheslow Auditorium just past midnight.
Big Picture
The shadow cast format extends the midnight-screening tradition of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which adapted Richard O'Brien's 1973 stage musical into a 1975 film that audiences often perform along with on screen.
The performance was free to attend and held just past midnight in Sheslow Auditorium on Drake's campus. Attendees could bring the printed prop bags and call-out instructions to participate in the screening.
The takeaway
Campus shadow cast productions turn a familiar film into a participatory event, and the audience's own call-outs and props are part of the show.
Further reading
Explore more campus and local performance coverage in Dance.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times-Delphic.
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