Don't dream it, be it.
Tim Curry may have passed away on August 25, 2026, but his legacy will certainly live on forever. While many fans love his incredible roles in notable projects such as Clue, It, Legend, Annie, and more, there's nothing quite as career-defining than his portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The gender-bending role served as his breakout, star-making performance.
He first created and played the character in the very first 1973 London stage production of The Rocky Horror Show at the Royal Court Theatre. Two years later, Curry made his Broadway debut as Dr. Frank-N-Furter when the show opened at New York's Belasco Theatre in March 1975. That same year, he transitioned the character to the silver screen, immortalizing his performance in The Rocky Horror Picture Show film adaptation.
After 45 performances at the Belasco Theatre, the original run of The Rocky Horror Show closed on April 5, 1975. Over the years, the show has had multiple runs on Broadway. The musical had a revival in 2000 and closed on September 1, 2001 after 437 performances at the Circle in the Square Theatre. Fast forward 25 years later, The Rocky Horror Show is having a second Broadway revival at Studio 54 in New York City.
The original cast featured LGBTQ+ icons including Luke Evans as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez as Columbia, Andrew Durand as Brad, and Harvey Guillén as Eddie/Dr. Scott. Many of the OG's have since departed the show, but many other notable queer stars are proudly carrying the torch. Currently, fans can see Jake Shears as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Kevin McHale as Brad Majors, and Valentina as Columbia. Plus, Rosie O'Donnell will fill in for Rachel Dratch as the narrator from October 6-18, 2026.
The Rocky Horror Show is the queer escape needed for everyone right now. The world is quite divisive, so having a show that fully embraces camp, the importance of loving yourself, and songs that'll have you humming all day is extremely crucial at this moment in time.
Everyone delivers show-stopping performances throughout the musical, but anyone who's a fan of RuPaul's Drag Race will be thoroughly impressed with Valentina's portrayal of Columbia. Ever since she walked into the Werk Room on season 9 in 2017, audiences immediately fell in love with her. Nearly a decade later, she is making her Broadway debut in a role that plays into all of her strengths as an actress and undeniable star.
Valentina isn't the only queer celebrity making her Broadway debut in the 2026 revival of The Rocky Horror Show. Glee's Kevin McHale is a standout as his portrayal of Brad is incredibly strong. McHale earned a cult following once he graced everyone's screens as the adorable Artie Abrams on the very first episode in 2009. Many years have passed since Glee has ended, but McHale's talents have only grown. He recently wrapped up his Off-Broadway debut in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee before making the move to the Broadway stage.
Besides Valentina and Kevin McHale's striking debut performances, Broadway veterans like Rachel Dratch, Lorna Courtney, Jake Shears, and Jimin Moon deliver stellar performances that round out the very diverse and epic cast. The Rocky Horror Show at Studio 54 is scheduled to close on February 28, 2027, so don't miss out on your chance to get tickets today. Learn more by visiting the official website here.
