Elliot Hilden, co-executive editor

Ask any queer person you know what their favorite pieces of media are, and there is a really good chance they will mention either “Rocky Horror Picture Show” or “The Muppets,” and they would be incredibly correct in those choices, as they are some of my favorites. You can imagine my excitement when I found out that Transvestite Soup, a Minneapolis-based “Rocky Horror Picture Show” shadow cast, was performing a show themed around Muppets on Nov. 22. 

If you are unaware, the term “shadow cast” refers to a common performance modality of “Rocky Horror” in which the 1975 film plays on a movie screen, while a group of real people performs in front of the screen, reenacting the movie live. Transvestite Soup has been performing in the Twin Cities since   the   90s   and  is   now   the go-to shadow cast of Minneapolis. Another staple of a shadow cast performance is that audience participation is a time-honored tradition. Yelling at the screen, throwing playing cards and toilet paper and swinging noisemakers through the air are all part of the fun. 

I do not think I have ever had as much fun in a movie theater as I did at the Parkway for this performance. It was overwhelming in the best way possible. I do not think it is possible to not have an incredible experience when you look at a stage flaunting Hot Beaker as Rocky, Kermit and Miss Piggy as Brad and Janet, and the absolute standout performance of the night, Gonzo’s Frank-N-Furter. Some other notable characters were Fozzie Bear/Columbia, Swedish Chef/Magenta and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew as Dr. Scott. 

The show itself was a blast, but the iconicism of “Rocky Horror” is so much more than a fun performance. For many young queer folk, the movie has become a safe space, a cult classic and a home. “‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ was the first piece of media where I truly felt seen,” stated Andy Tollin, a Transvestite Soup cast member and Augsburg alum who has been working with the group for about a year. “‘Rocky Horror’ is all about embracing who you are fully and looking fabulous while doing it. It’s been a driving factor in pursuing my goals, both artistic and personal. I wouldn’t be who I am today without it.”

As if it could not get any better, the show was also a fundraiser event for The Aliveness Project, an organization focusing on HIV support and prevention through information, resources and care. The event specifically raised money for the 2025 Red Undie Run, which took place last Saturday, Dec. 6. If you want more information or want to donate to their cause (which I think you totally should), check them out at aliveness.org. 

While the “Rocky Horror Muppet Show” has passed, Transvestite Soup is always performing. The group performs every third Saturday at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis, and they even have more themed shows on the docket, including a holiday show in December and perhaps a “swampy surprise” in the next few months, according to Tollin. You can follow their work on Instagram at @transvestite_soup_rhps or on their website, transvestitesoup.org.