Alfalfa's Shadows act to make B-movie better

Alfalfa's Shadows might be one of Cape Girardeau's best-kept secrets.

About 15 years ago, Carly Trautwein organized a local shadow cast for the campy B-movie, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," and played the lead character, Dr. Frank N. Furter. She has moved on, but the cast still performs the movie in front of the movie. ("Trust us, it's actually better this way.")

Until a year ago, the cast had a home at the Wehrenberg Cape West 14 Cine. After it was sold to Marcus Theatres, renovations were made that displaced the troupe of midnight actors.

Last week, the cast assembled for a show at a smaller venue, Ragsdale's Pub. It was time to do the "Time Warp" again.

Rachel Bagot joined the cast 10 years ago. "When I was 15, I was a lifeguard at Capaha Pool," Bagot said. "One of the other lifeguards saw that I was kind of eccentric. She said, 'Hey, you should go to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I'm in the cast.' I said, 'I don't know what that is, but, okay. So I went as kind of a helper, but I had never seen the show before."

Chrissie Shay, left, as Columbia; Dustin Steede, as Magenta; Shanda Boren, as Dr. Frank N. Furter; and Matt Antill, as Riff Raff mimic a scene in the movie.

Bagot saw how much fun the group was having. With the audience participating and smiling the whole time, "I was like, "I want to be in this! Can I go to the next show? Let me help with this prop, and this prop." I just worked my way in, and they brought me in like family," Bagot said.

A regular cast member was not able to play Rocky for the show at Ragsdale's, so Bagot came down from St. Louis to fill in. She has played several roles, including Magenta, Janet and Frank N. Furter.

Iris Anderson has been with the cast for three years. She started by playing Rocky and has been Janet for the last two years. "It has helped me come out of myself," Anderson said. "I was just a mom and a wife, and it helped me find myself in the world again."

The St. Louis shadow casts, Flustered Mustard and Samurai Electricians, assisted Alfalfa's Shadows with funding their portion of the rights to show the movie. "Rocky Horror is about family and acceptance," Anderson said. "We support each other, and this show would not be possible without their large donation." Ragsdale's also paid for half of the rights.

Genny Weathers had seen the cast perform a few times, and they were looking for new people. "That could be me!" Weathers recalled. Now she plays Brad next to Anderson's role as Janet.

Rocky Horror, portrayed by Rachel Bagot, emerges from tank in the Rocky Horror Picture Show.Fred Lynch

Chrissie Shay started as a stage hand and was friends with the cast when the part of Columbia opened up six years ago. "They said I would be perfect for it, and apparently I have been perfect ever since."

Matt Antill had previously been an audience member. Now he is playing Riff Raff for his first show with the cast. "Chrissy recruited me," he said. "She was in the last River City Players show with me."

Magenta is played by Dustin Steede, a six-year cast member. "My goal is to play every role at least once before I retire from the cast," he said. "It's really great to be an entertainer. If I can make the audience just laugh to death, my goal has been accomplished."

The cast is looking forward to performing again in front of the big screen at Cape West Cinema.

"We have a commitment [from the theater], but we won't be able to use prop bags," Anderson said. "We'll be invited back for the summer show. If we don't throw things."

Alfalfa's Shadows member David Newlon portrays the criminologist in the movie.

flynch@semissourian.com

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Props thrown by the audience remain at the end of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show."