The original creator – The legendary Richard O’Brien announced to star in the 50th anniversary gala opening in Adelaide

The 50th Anniversary production of world-wide hit Rock ‘N’ Roll musical The Rocky Horror Show has announced today that the legendary international creator of the global phenomenon Rocky Horror Show, Richard O’Brien will take to the stage as a special guest star alongside previously announced Australian media icon Myf Warhurst as The Narrator as part of the 50^th Anniversary global opening night gala celebrations at Adelaide’s Festival Theatre on April 19.

Richard O’Brien will be part of a special press conference at Adelaide Festival Centre on Tuesday, April 18 – for registration details please refer to the bottom of the release.

Richard O’Brien said:

“Back in the 1970’s when someone asked me to entertain the Christmas staff party at the EMI Film Studios and I turned up with a song called Science Fiction Double Feature who would have known this was the germ of the idea to turn into today what is The Rocky Horror Show.   

“To be celebrating 50 years is beyond my wildest expectations – from the humble beginnings back in 1973 at the Royal Court Theatre in London.  There is no better fitting place in the world than Australia to launch this 50th Anniversary Tour with over 14 productions since its very first production in 1975 – The Rocky Horror Show is one of Australia’s most performed and beloved musicals of all time.”

Richard O’Brien and Myf Warhurst will join international star and triple Oliver Award winning performer, David Badella, who will play the role of Frank N Furter in Adelaide. Australian audiences may remember Badella as the lead in Oh, What A Night! where he performed alongside Marcia Hines and Gary Sweet. David comes to Adelaide with an impressive international star resume from both Broadway and London’s West End having performed roles in Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Jerry Springer the Opera, The Rocky Horror Show, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Producers, Chicago, In the Heights and most recently & Juliet. He can also currently be seen playing the President of The United States in Amazon Prime’s third season of Jack Ryan.

Acclaimed actor and writer, Nicholas Hammond will also take on the role of The Narrator for the final two weeks of the Adelaide season (from 2-13 May). Best known for his roles as Friedrich von Trapp in the original film The Sound of Music, Nicholas Hammond’s global career has included his own American prime time series, The Amazing Spiderman and appearances in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Love Boat, Magnum PI, Murder She Wrote and recurring roles on Falcon Crest and Dallas. He was also recently in the Australian production of Cinderella.

They join principal cast Stellar Perry as Magenta (X Factor, The Voice, Bell Shakespeare’s The Lovers), Ellis Dolan as Eddie/Dr Scott, Darcey Eagle as Columbia, Ethan Jones as Brad, Deirdre Khoo as Janet, Loredo Malcolm as Rocky and Henry Rollo as Riff Raff.

Starring alongside them on stage as The Phantoms will be Josh Gates, Catty Hamilton, Jackson Reedman and Erica Wild, Keane Fletcher and Kristina McNamara round out the cast as the Swings.