The Queer Artists Keeping Rocky Horror Alive

November 11, 2026

There’s something about The Rocky Horror Picture Show that refuses to die out. Fifty years after its original release, the cult classic is experiencing another moment in the spotlight, this time with the Broadway revival at Studio 54 extending its run into 2027. But while mainstream audiences are rediscovering the pleasure of doing the Time Warp, the real freaks have never stopped. In fact, they've been doing it better underground for decades.

This Halloween was the first without Tim Curry, whose legendary portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter helped make the film an enduring beacon of queer culture. His passing in August made this year's celebrations feel particularly significant. And with Broadway bringing renewed attention to the production, there's something worth remembering about the people who have kept The Rocky Horror Picture Show alive outside of the theater: the drag artists, nightlife producers, makeup artists, and queer performers who have turned it into something of their own.

Words by Kally Compton
Photography by AJ Jordan and Luis Suarez

For Sterling Tull, the makeup artist behind the Broadway character’s looks, that relationship started long before landing the job. Growing up Mormon, Tull first encountered Curry through grainy YouTube clips at around twelve years old, after searching for footage of his performance as Pennywise in IT. The suggested video was “Sweet Transvestite.”

“I watched Tim’s magnetic performance on a blurry screen— and it absolutely opened up my world,” Tull recalls. “I had never seen something so strange yet incredibly alluring.”

For the Broadway production, Tull wanted to preserve the film's unmistakable visual identity while pulling from British Trad Goth, New Romantics, Club Kids, Grace Jones, David Bowie, and the drag scene. The result needed to feel “authentic, messy, grimy, and punk.” And while Broadway may be the most visible iteration of Rocky Horror right now, Tull recognizes the shadow cast as an essential part of its survival.

“It demonstrates that Rocky Horror is for everyone and anyone,” Tull says. “I wanted the makeup in the show to reflect the drag and dress-up culture that kept it alive.”

That culture was on full display across New York this October, where two very different productions brought their own interpretations of the iconic Transylvanian castle to life. Both were queer and trans-led, both sold out, and neither had much interest in simply recreating what audiences have already seen.

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW: EXTRA-TRANSSEXUAL

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Extra-Transsexual had three sold-out shows between The Sultan Room and TV Eye. If the original film was about embracing the strange, this production took that sentiment and ran with it, building an unapologetically trans and queer interpretation with a cast pulled directly from New York's nightlife underground.

Rather than attempting to imitate the original characters, each performer brought their own personality, gender expression, and theatrical sensibility to the role. Latex maid costumes, Sequin capes, red burlesque numbers, and theatrical maximalism transformed the production into an elevated drag show.

Lesbian Bar Princess, Malea Kimberly directed and co-produced the event, opening the night with a burlesque number as the lips. She explained that the goal was to bring in artists who were “loudly queer and trans,” particularly nightlife performers who are theatre kids at heart but feel disenfranchised by commercial theater. “The amount of trans talent that exists in New York is unreal,” says Dykes and Dolls co-founder and the production’s co-producer Anna Campbell. “We all should be hiring trans people as often as we can, both in and out of nightlife.”

For comedian Jer Block, getting to produce and play both Janet Weise and Frank-N-Furter was an opportunity to indulge in a particularly unapologetic side of transness. “As a trans woman, I feel immense pressure… to shoulder a sense of traditional womanhood, since the genesis of my womanhood is untraditional,” she explains. “Frank kicks that feeling in the teeth, and I love embodying him completely.”

The sold-out shows are a pretty good indication that audiences are hungry for exactly this kind of interpretation. What started as a passion project has become an annual Halloween fixture, with a growing cast and an audience eager for more.

We all should be hiring trans people as often as we can, both in and out of nightlife.

LIPS: THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

At House of Yes, producer and director Hex Winters and a cast of flexible freaks brought their own version of the castle to life for multiple sold-out performances throughout October. Now in its fourth year, the production understands that the venue is just as much a part of the experience as the show itself. Set inside a circus-inspired nightlife space, the production leaned into the theatricality of its surroundings while keeping the original film's punk sensibility intact.

This wasn't simply a shadow cast with performers acting out scenes alongside the film. LIPS created its own theatrical moments, incorporating live performance, filmed sequences, and plenty of audience participation. The gender-bending casting was especially fun, with characters reimagined outside their original gender presentations. This show had it all: tap dancing, live tattooing, sword choreography, aerial birdcage numbers, and so many more gags that can only be experienced.

For Winters, the production is an opportunity to push the boundaries of what nightlife performance can look like. “I think we have the best performers in the world,” Winters claims. “I think our show is better than Broadway's, and you can print that.”

The real showstopper was Brooklyn drag artist God Complex as Frank-N-Furter. Bringing a sexy, carefree confidence to the character with A LOT of cigarette smoke, they managed to make the role feel entirely their own. “In the end, Frank is a rock star. A Diva. Confident in her ego. No need to explain herself,” God Complex says. “They don’t need to. They still adore her without definition or explanation. And she doesn’t give a shit. She knows she’s brilliant.”

That attitude extended beyond the stage.

During the first intermission, Riff Raff, played by recently crowned King of Drag, Lollygag gives God Complex a tattoo live on stage. The moment was part of a larger effort to imagine the relationships between characters beyond what audiences see in the original film. God Complex describes the scene as an intimate, charged exchange, even comparing its sailor-on-sailor power play to the work of Tom of Finland. Frank's iconic tattoos, like the “Boss” heart tattoo, became the inspiration for the live collaboration.

With a cast of artists who move between drag, dance, theater, and nightlife, LIPS takes full advantage of everyone's individual talents. The result is a show that feels like a party, a play, and a very horny fever dream all at once.

“The most important thing for our version of this show is that [the audience] take[s] away queer joy and a celebration of real Brooklyn underground performers,” Winters reflects.

And that's perhaps the point. The Rocky Horror Picture Show has never belonged to just one stage, one cast, or one interpretation. Its legacy lives through the people who continue to reinvent it, finding new ways to make its outrageousness feel relevant to another generation.

Broadway might be having its Rocky Horror moment, but New York's underground has been celebrating it all along. If this Halloween proved anything, it's that the film's legacy is in very good hands. So, when next October rolls around, don't just watch from the sidelines. Put on your fishnets, learn the callbacks, and find your local shadow cast. As the song goes, “Let’s do the time warp again.” And again.

Culture

Belvedere Has Us Taking Our Coffee After Dark

Right in that sweet spot, before temperatures dropped and while leaves were still a gorgeous array of colors, Belvedere brought a group of journalists out to Warsaw to get a taste of what they're all about. The trip started with a journey into the city's architectural world and contemporary art scene, contextualizing Belvedere so that we could understand not only who they are as a company, but why they are that way to begin with. After a walk through Old Town and a trek into a number of museums and art galleries, the answer became quite clear: Belvedere is all about craftsmanship and is continuously informed by a rich heritage that has mastered the art of embracing change. Sure, they love tradition, but they're not interested in letting that keep them in the past. They move with the times, and actually, working with pop culture names we know and love, like Gabriette, is what sets them apart.

On the first night of my trip to Poland with Belvedere, we tried a myriad of cocktails that left me ravenous. The lychee, passionfruit, and jalapeño martinis were all standouts. Important to note: I hate tequila; I’m very pro-vodka, which is another reason I was the perfect person for this. The jalapeño martini was exactly what I wanted in a margarita alternative, adding a little kick and subverting expectations of a vodka-based drink. But what really took the cake for me was the espresso martini. I was looking forward to it, not only because Belvedere had teamed up with Gabriette for the release of the Dirty Brew, their coffee bean-infused vodka, but also because it was being whispered about like it was some God-like thing.

“How did you get that?” writers at the dinner table asked. We’d just concluded a conversation on Charles Bukowski poetry and also this trend of toe-accentuation in fashion and how journalists need to expand the conversation there, both of which were started by me. The espresso martini wasn’t served at the cocktail hour before our first dinner, which made it all the more enticing. I had high hopes for what this coveted drink might taste like. It exceeded my expectations by far. I hate for this to sound like a commercial, but genuinely, sipping that espresso martini was like licking a coffee-flavored ice cream cone. Delish.

On the second day, we got to investigate the magical powers of Belvedere and figure out what exactly made those lychee and passionfruit martinis so good. After a gorgeous drive through the Autumn trees of Żyrardów and out of the city center of Warsaw, we found ourselves in a quietly tucked-away world of distilleries, where we discovered that harvesting, mashing, and fermenting are the core processes that rye has to go through to turn into a shot of vodka. And with that, shots of vodka were handed out to everyone. Some downed them, some sipped, and some simply sniffed, having had a long night of lychee martinis.

Later that night, everyone was brought out to Nobu, where caviar was bumped all night, as were tunes. Bread soup, miso cod, smoked wagyu, and an endless supply of cocktails pre-gamed the main course of the night: an after-dark dance party. The room rang with music, and suddenly dinner guests were on their feet, energized by the experience and dancing ‘til the night came to a close, because that's exactly what Belvedere does to you. It makes you want to get up and dance with the guy next to you until the sun comes up again.

Culture

Rabanne and Genius Took Open Mic Off-Screen

November 07, 2026

Last night, Genius took its beloved Open Mic series and brought it off-screen, venturing into Brooklyn for a stripped-back night of R&B. But the low-key vibe that permeated Industria in Williamsburg didn’t restrict that feeling of electricity from coursing through the crowd of creatives, culture lovers, and open-hearted humans. Jordan Ward and Arin Ray treated everyone to an intimate concert, where soul could be felt in every lyric. The dancefloor was full of warm bodies that swayed to smooth notes, sonically and fragrantly, as the room was scented by Rabanne’s latest Eau de Parfum, 1 Million Black. It was a multi-sensory experience for multi-hyphenates from all corners of New York.

The guest list was equally tuned in, with Justine Skye, Sasha Keable, Ravyn Lenae, Hunna G, Nikita Redkar, Alioune Fall, and Genius’s own Rob Markman among those in attendance. For a series that was originally created with the intention of getting up close and personal with the real people behind the music we listen to, the adaptation from screen to stage was a natural extension of the segment’s DNA. Open Mic is all about undressing the world of music and just letting the artist + microphone formula work its raw magic. The event hosted by Rabanne and Genius did exactly that.

To liven the night even more, there were curated cocktails, temporary tattoos, real tattoos, and many yards of open dancefloor. The collaboration was a full-circle moment for Rabanne, who has always been embedded in nightlife culture. Yes, when you go out in New York, you smell the famous fragrance brand everywhere, instilling memories of laughter and movement. But this isn’t the only way they have been a part of the party world. In 1978, founder Paco Rabanne opened Black Sugar, a Paris nightclub where young creative people in alt communities convened over their shared livelihoods. So, the night was one that was true to the artistic and emotional world of Genius and their Open Mic series, but also to Rabanne. Together, they reminded us that in such a digital age, some things really do just hit harder IRL.

Words by Selena Aiyla

Culture

Cohabs Has a New Lab House in Hamilton Heights

November 06, 2026

It’s easy to get lost in the sauce of New York City. With 8.5 million people and five boroughs, you’d think it’d be commonplace to find connection and inspiration with those around you. Yet, amid the bustling crowds and the constantly changing neighborhoods, finding people and places that truly feel like home is increasingly rare. The Cohabs Hamilton Heights Lab House is taking that energy we so crave from the city and bringing it inside.

Creativity flows as freely as conversation does with the intentionally social design of the home. Meant to feel cozy, safe, and lived-in, the house is spacious and invites gatherings of all sorts. Core pieces like Adeline Jadot’s bespoke rugs take from that same idea of connection and question how far it can extend. When designing these pieces, she took inspiration from Hamilton Heights’ jazz scene and included wisping piano notes and music-playing figures in the visuals. It was a way of opening up the room not just visually, but emotively. In this interview, Lionel Jadot, interior designer of the home, tells us all about his vision for this project and why it was one that resonated with him and his personal philosophy from the very beginning.

Interview and Words by Selena Aiyla

This space is located in Hamilton Heights. How did that locational identity make its way into your design process?

This project is what Cohabs calls a “Lab House.” It means that we experiment with concepts, ideas, and technical and aesthetic solutions. Testing these ideas in real life, at full scale, allows us to analyze both their feasibility and their relevance, and to decide what we will continue to implement in future projects and what we won’t. It’s a very time-consuming process, but also a lot of fun.

Do you have a connection to uptown Manhattan yourself?

Not personally, since I’m Belgian, but I really love the neighborhood’s down-to-earth, honest, and authentic atmosphere.

Adeline Jadot’s bespoke rugs were such a core part of the Lab House’s design, and they featured many references to the neighborhood’s connection to jazz music. Did that theme similarly influence you at all?

The concept behind this house was also to celebrate existing materials and artistic interventions. The idea was to create a more minimalist yet warm environment, with a strong identity. Quite a delicate balancing act. We had to focus our approach on bold, powerful gestures, such as the use of glass bricks and metal mesh in the stairwells.

You’re an artist of multiple disciplines: film, architecture, visual art, etc. How does that multi-hyphenate background affect your work?

I’m self-taught, and I’m deeply in love with chaos as part of the creative process. I love surrounding myself with an abundance of elements, objects, and materials that create an environment buzzing with creative energy.

In the end, what I do is a form of collage. I bring together objects and materials that aren’t supposed to belong together. I provoke collisions, and I love losing control, especially when collaborating with others.

How did this project compare to some of the other spaces you have designed for?

I design objects, private homes, hotels, and restaurants, but with Cohabs, we’re telling a story about community. We’re creating spaces for people from very different backgrounds who will live together. I love the idea that by creating an inspiring environment for them, we can encourage communal living and foster a real sense of belonging to the Cohabs community.

What do you and Cohabs have in common?

I also create communities of creative people. Zaventem Ateliers in Belgium is a perfect expression of that. It’s a former 6,000-square-meter printing factory that I’ve transformed into a unique creative hub, where I personally curate the selection of designers who can join and become part of this creative family. I also integrate young local designers into all my projects, following the same philosophy.

We’ve created a concept called the “Realistic Circle,” which is essentially a virtuous collaborative circle where no creative or financial interference is imposed on the collaborations we develop.

What was your favorite part of this collaboration?

Working with Adeline was incredibly easy. As I mentioned, I approach my work like a film director. I cast talent, we discuss the script, and then they bring their own interpretation, which I embrace. For me, giving people creative freedom always leads to great results.