“Rocky Horror Picture Show” on a national tour after Tim Curry’s death

There are few films as legendary as The Rocky Horror Picture Show. More than five decades after its original release and after the death on Aug. 25 of its star, Tim Curry, at the age of 80, the cult classic hit the road for a 40-city Spooktacular Tour. The night will, of course, feature a screening of the film accompanied by a live, local shadow cast performing in sync on stage.

Barry Bostwick, who played Brad Majors in the original film, will host the tour. He’ll be on site to meet fans, take photos and help orchestrate the evening on select dates.

Bostwick spoke about the tour, which was already in the works before Curry’s death, and reflected on the loss by paraphrasing lyrics from one of the movie’s songs, “Dammit Janet.” “The river was deep, but you swam it. The road was long, but you ran it. Dammit, Tim. I love you,” he said.

Bostwick knows just how much the film has meant to the queer community and now LGBTQ+ fans will have the opportunity to celebrate this beloved classic with a fun night out. In New Jersey, the tour had a stop at the State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick and the Scottish Rite Auditorium in Collingswood earlier this month.

“How many times have people come up to me and said the film has saved their life? More than I can count. Or people have also said they have found their identity or realized that there are choices in the world that I was not aware of in the sense that I am of a different identity. It’s really been the joy of my life. As an actor in show business, there are not many things you do that change the world or make people question it, so I have been incredibly lucky to be a part of this group, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which has pushed the boundaries for acceptance,” Bostwick said.

Despite the film being around for more than five decades, live, in-person showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show remain a special part of what has allowed this film to become one that brings people together in a powerful way. Especially now, in 2026, when we live in a time dominated by digital streaming services and seemingly endless options to watch from the comfort of our own homes, there is something special about gathering together for a fun, interactive event like this. It’s the perfect way to get into the spooky spirit of the Halloween season. Adding even more excitement to the night will be the Spooktacular Costume Contest, where prizes will be awarded to the three most outstanding “creatures” in attendance.

“Brad says in the movie, ‘It’s just a party, Janet.’ That is the way I approach these events, too. We are just throwing a party wherever we are,” Bostwick said, adding that with the Q&As they’ll do, the show will be lots of fun. “We give the audience space to just act up and just become part of this movement that is just never ending.”

On select dates, Bostwick will be singing the song “Once in a While,” which ended up being cut from the original movie but was featured in the original stage production The Rocky Horror Show, which launched in the early 1970s. “It was cut from it for good reason; it would have really slowed the movie down,” Bostwick said, adding that it’s a really good song but would have been in the wrong place in the movie. “Sometimes I will do it live just to remind people of that.”

Bostwick is no stranger to live performances, having started his career in theater and even playing the role of Danny Zuko in the original Broadway production of Grease. Still, a huge part of his career is with filmed productions, and that makes perfect sense given his outstanding resume. With an incredible 192 acting credits across television and film, Bostwick has certainly made his mark on the screen.

“I like the TV medium especially because it is quick, it’s fast and you do not spend days and days on one scene. You have to have an instinct for whatever the character is and whatever the scene that particular episode is. It is also similar with independent feature films, which I love doing. They do not have a ton of money for production, so you are lucky if you get three weeks to film. It really keeps you on your toes and ends up having to have more of an improvisational feel since you may only have one or two takes to do something,” he said.

Looking ahead at the actor’s career, it seems that even now, in the 2020s, after more than 50 years in Hollywood, Bostwick shows no signs of slowing down. In 2021, he had a major role in the Netflix holiday romantic comedy Single All the Way. Despite staying active in numerous television and film productions, the actor hasn’t appeared in too much spooky fare like his breakout role in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. That’s especially interesting considering how much horror has exploded in popularity over the past few years, with several horror films even earning nominations at the 2025 Academy Awards — a rarity for the genre.

When asked if there are any current horror filmmakers Bostwick would love to work with this in this current golden age of horror he said, “I honestly do not watch horror much. I go to these conventions to meet fans, and I am often like, ‘Who are these people?’ However, in 2015, Darren Lynn Bousman directed me in a film called Alleluia! The Devil’s Carnival, which was a sequel to The Devil’s Carnival. Then I did another movie with him called Tales of Halloween where I played the devil. I would always be so ready to work with him again. He is so clever and quick. He also did four of the Saw movies, and he is a big fan of mine and I am of him,” Bostwick said.

Despite all the creepy content being released right now, The Rocky Horror Picture Show remains an iconic favorite for so many people. It’s hard for any movie to continue filling seats for in-person events decades after its release, but the fact that this film still has such a strong presence in popular culture — and continues to bring people together for live screenings — is something very few movies have been able to achieve.

Bostwick said he thinks the reason the movie has remained so culturally relevant is “because of the music. It is very basic rock and roll. I think it is because of Tim Curry’s incredible performance in it. It is a coming-of-age movie, and for a lot of people when their kid turns 13, they allow them to go see it and become immersed in the sexual experimentation. Also, it really is just a fun movie. Not only because of its sexual themes but also the callbacks included in it to ‘50s and ‘60s horror films. The whole Frankenstein parallel was really well done by co-screenwriter Richard O’Brien.”

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