The Whip-It Outskirts

Albany, NY

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The Whip-It Outskirts

The Whip-It Outskirts history begins in October 2003, when Thom Dixon and a group of other local Rocky aficionados formed a shadowcast to enrich the areas Rocky Horror experience. Dixon, who plays Frank 'n' Furter, led the cast through several shows at the Mini-Mall Theater, Hudson Valley Community College and SUNY Albany and attended the 2004 RockyCon in New York City before disbanding.

Several years later, in the beginning of 2010, the then-seventeen year old Ricky Vitus aimed to form a new cast to supplement the irregular but enthusiastic showings of Rocky that had been playing since the break-up of the first incarnation of The Whip-It Outskirts in 2004. Vitus, an accomplished special effects artist and noted film fanatic, quickly pulled together a group of local Rocky fans for a show at The Linda in downtown Albany, which proved to be a great success. This cast was dubbed The Double Feature Creatures.

Throne Scene

Following a tip from Larry Viezel, once a resident of Albany, Vitus learned about The Whip-It Outskirts and contacted the members of the defunct group to inquire about joining forces for their biggest show yet during Halloween week at the legendary Palace Theatre. The two factions met and combined their talents, renaming themselves The Whip-It Outskirts, as they are known today. Following another test run show at The Linda, casting calls and intensive rehearsals, the group took the stage on October 24, 2010 to a crowd of 3,000, making it one of the largest showings of Rocky the Capital Region has ever seen.

In the following months, the group began doing monthly showings at The Linda to large and enthused crowds. They performed several songs from the movie at Q-Fest, a local LGBTQ film festival, to much acclaim. Several theme nights, including a Switch Night and Wizard of Oz-themed night, have been met with a very positive response from both fans and the larger Rocky community alike. In April of 2011, four members of the troupe were voted by their peers to perform at the 4.7.11 Convention in Atlantic City. While there, the detail and quality of the actors' costuming and performance was widely praised by veterans of the Rocky community.

Halloween Show

In June, four members even had the chance to perform with New Jersey's own Home of Happiness, serving to further cement their reputation as a cast serious and dedicated to the quality of what they do.

The following month, the troupe gave back to the community by hosting The Unconventional Convention with A Thousand Moms, a charity dedicated to helping homeless LGBTQ youth.

For having only been an active cast for a year, The Whip-It Outskirts have proven themselves to be one of the best new young casts dedicated to keeping Rocky Horror alive. Their tireless ethic and dedication are only a small indication of their place in the Rocky world. The Whip-It Outskirts have become the face of Upstate NY Rocky Horror, and will continue to grow and reach out in the years to come.