“Rocky Horror Picture Show,” written by Richard O’Brien, originally began as a British rock musical in 1973 and soon became a cult classic for people around the world. 38 years later, the event is still going strong at UNCW with the Association of Campus Entertainment’s annual Rocky Horror event.

For those who have never attended a Rocky Horror showing, it is an event that requires audience participation with props, costumes and live shadow performances. Actors will follow the film’s storyline, acting out various parts of the movie and giving cues to the audience to use their props. To preserve the originality of the cult film, ACE is staying true to the initial event by incorporating the great audience interaction that comes with every Rocky Horror showing.

“We have a full shadow cast and we’re gonna have extras that are also participating as well as call outs during the show,” said ACE films Co-Chair Dustin Clark. “We are going to have 200 free prop bags and they’re gonna have toilet paper and other things that relate to the movie to be used.”

Since 1977 when audience members began interacting with the movie, people have been dressing up in costumes emulating specific characters, forming new rules and bringing more props to each viewing. From the shadow performances to the props used, ACE is maintaining the uniqueness of the film.

“We try to keep the cult fans by letting people line up really early and we don’t actually start handing tickets out until 11 but the line can start lining up whenever, we are going to be here at 7,” Clark said. “So then the cult fans who are really interested are going to be in line and be ready whereas the people who just want to see it are probably going to show up later and hopefully still get in.”

ACE decided to let Wilmington students volunteer for the shadow performances and scheduled meetings to help the actors get into their characters. The main characters will be played by Gage Holcomb as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Taylor Yakowenko as Janet, and Jesse Kale as Brad.

“We are trying to add a few of our own spins but stay true to the original. As we go through we will add our own twists that we thought were funny or tweak our favorite parts,” Yakowenko said.

The rated R film, which is well known for its risqué scenes, will be acted out in full by the shadow cast without any censoring by ACE.

“It’s really weird because we are acting while the movie is playing and we are acting out this really ostentatious, eccentric, and eclectic show in front of these people,” Kale said. “I’m not an actor so it’s really strange for me to want to perform in front of these people and it’s strange that its Rocky Horror because I perform these moves that I would never do like the pelvic thrust in front of friends.”

This will be the fourth year that ACE will hold a Rocky Horror event around Halloween, and like every year, they are expecting a sold out crowd.

“In the past there have been huge turnouts, we are expecting to have to turn away a hundred people, even people who don’t go to UNCW see that we are doing Rocky Horror and they come,” Yakowenko said.

Since this is a UNCW student event, tickets are free with student ID and will be distributed at 11 p.m. Oct. 29. Fans can begin lining up for tickets anytime on Saturday at Lumina, but make sure to get there early as this is event only occurs once a year and is in high demand.

“We stayed pretty close to the [original] performance,” Clark said. “I’m excited for this event and I know that we are going to have a huge turnout.”