This week, Ali Baughman joins AP for a discussion about and celebration of The Rocky Horror Picture Show! Ali is a self described theater nerd, being an educator and director in theater as well as an actor, writer, and podcast producer. She is currently playing the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in a shadow cast of Rocky Horror in her hometown of Hagerstown, MD, and in conversation she discusses the cult legacy of Rocky Horror as well as that of the original Frankie, Tim Curry. She gets into her own history with the musical, as well as with acting generally, framing Rocky Horror as an initiation of sorts for theater kids- leading to broader discussions about the various ways people have become attached to the film, and the phenomenon of audience participation that has developed over the decades since its release.

Also discussed are some of the inspirations that went into the writing, filming, and character development of the original story which allows for a chat about cult movies, B-movies, and science fiction / horror cinema more broadly. AP and Ali also talk about her podcast The Vampire Talk Show, currently on indefinite hiatus, in which she plays the role of Val the Vampire- which once featured a certain AP Strange Show host as a guest clown- leading to a very fun conversation about Ali and AP's shared affection for weird monster movies and the creativity that goes into making various forms of media. If all that's not enough for you, Ali shares experiences with various ghosts she's encountered in her theater career- including some that seem to look out for her interests when she's directing a production!

Ali was a terrific guest, and the perfect person to talk RHPS with this spooky season. To find out more about the theater work she does with the Potomac Playmakers, check it out here: https://www.potomacplaymakers.org/