The Rocky Horror Show at Oasis

I went back to Oasis tonight after seeing Roxxxy Andrews recently, and noticing that The Rocky Horror Show was back for Halloween. I had never seen Ray of Light's production of Rocky, so I got tickets for my friend Brad & I to see the show.

A Fresh Cup of Fear & Doubt

Before heading out to SF this evening, I had a rough start to my day. Everything felt like it was crashing down around me. Since the tech job market has been so rocky this year, I haven't even had an interview in months. I finally got one, and I was so rusty that I didn't do well on it. Which is frustrating, since I've been a front end developer for 5 years at this point.

I got laid off from my last job in December of 2023, and my unemployment ran out in July. It's now October and I don't feel any closer to getting a job.

Besides worrying about my job prospects, I've been draining my retirement to stay afloat. One by one I've been selling off shares and closing my accounts. This morning I dipped into my last account and had to withdraw 43% of it.

On the engineering front, I've been working with the Payload CMS 3.0 beta, and I built this blog on it, so I've been building my skills, but I couldn't figure out a distinct plan for skill-building to land a job.

I've just been doing what I can to get by.

While I've been trying to keep my head up, today it hung low.

Crossing the Bay

It's always a bit of a mental journey for me to go to San Francisco. I'm learning more about how my neurodivergence manifests in my life since my ADHD diagnosis this year. I'm still dialing in the dosage for my meds, so it's been a challenge.

After the difficult morning I had navigating my finances & doubt, getting to the city was a big challenge for me. But I was looking forward to seeing the show with my friend. So I got dressed in some leather daddy drag, not the more slutty incarnation that I was planning. But I was feeling a bit fragile, and needed the armor, instead of being as exposed as I had originally planned.

Heading to the Oasis

Even the name has meaning. It is an oasis. I always feel happy and safe once I get there. It's the journey there that's challenging.

I picked up Brad and we went down to SOMA, found some parking and got to Oasis a bit early, so we went to DNA Lounge for beers and cheese bread.

I opened up about what's been going on, and it was a challenge. I have just felt lost and I needed some kind of help with direction. I possess a lot of skills, but I struggle with committing to one direction.

Brad helped me figure out that I was struggling with focus. He saw me grasping at straws to make ends meet, but I would remain sinking if I didn't focus on one thing.

It's the exact thing I needed to hear at just the right time. I've felt really scattered and unsure of myself in some regards. I have been physically and emotionally manifesting some exceptional growth & strength lately, but I just had no idea how I would land another job again with this landscape.

It's Showtime

We finished up our beers and grabbed our garlic cheese bread and were ushered into what seemed like a pre-show room with a bar. It was the beginning of the show, but it didn't initially sink in for me that we were at the wedding reception where the movie starts. The bar was the reception. There were partygoers mingling with the audience, handing out wedding favors of bubbles & glow sticks.

The first few songs were in that bar room, and then when Brad & Janet appear at Frank's Mansion, and enter to the party that Frank is hosting, we followed them into the main theatrical space.

It was truly remarkable how transformative this experience was. It's a huge shift in tone from when Brad & Janet enter the mansion to the party room, and we were having the exact same experience. We had walked into a party that was already in full-swing.

Then the meat of the show began with The Time Warp followed by Sweet Transvestite.

The Partygoers

When I hear 'immersive experience' I have to choke back the eye-rolls, but this was immersive in the best of all possible scenarios. The show happened around us all round the room. There were entrances in the rear of the bar, the gogo boxes were used for monologues and solos in songs.

And the 'partygoers' were always mingling around the crowd, making sure the audience was engaged and moved out of the way when one of the cast members had to move through the crowd. Incredible work by the partygoers, they were remarkable in how they seamlessly moved through the crowd and kept us engaged.

Going to Church

The production was spectacular in that they hit all of the emotional beats, and Rocky becomes truly magical from the Floor Show on. It's some of the most solid musical numbers in the show and they are back to back. It's an amazing piece of theater & filmmaking.

But what Ray of Light does right is showing reverence for the material, and the show became a spiritual experience. The show surrounded and enveloped us, and welcomed us into her sequined arms. The entire crowd sang along to the more moving numbers like Frank's I'm Going Home, where the whole crowd joined into the choral sections.

This piece of theater is over 50 years old, and it couldn't feel more fresh than it does right now. Some stage-weary Rocky goers may be over it, but this show still shines brightly about manifesting your desires and embracing what makes you unique. It encourages you to explore your life and push against any boundaries that may try to hold you back.

It's about blossoming and becoming. And it's the exact thing I needed to experience tonight.

Don't dream it, be it. 💝

I write this with tears in my eyes, thank you Richard O'Brian for inspiring generations with your beautiful work.