At the Fallout Theater, excitement filled the air as audiences eagerly anticipated the latest performance of The Rocky Horror Puppet Show: Improvised Musical. Under dim lighting, a puppet clad in a lab coat provocatively shed its attire to reveal lacy lingerie, delivering a sultry monologue accompanied by a live band playing jazzy tunes. Patrons, munching on chips and sipping beer, erupted in laughter and cheers while reaching for their prop bags for kissy-face stickers, signaling risqué moments on stage.
Director Mac McDearmont, adorned in fishnets and dark makeup, took to the stage moments before, addressing the sold-out audience with enthusiasm. “It’s really nice when people want to come and support not just theater, but weird theater,” they remarked during an interview.
McDearmont is a founding member of Puppet Bucket, the Austin-based puppetry troupe responsible for this inventive production. A lifelong fan of the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show, McDearmont envisioned a unique twist where puppets embody the film’s iconic characters.
The show skillfully fuses improvised comedy with intricately crafted puppets, resulting in a performance that is both campy and original. Despite the scheduled performance on Saturday being sold out, the enthusiasm has led to the addition of three more shows due to overwhelming demand.
<p“It is kind of wild that we've somehow tricked 300 people into coming to watch us play with our hands on stage,” commented LB Kovac, who portrays one of the creatures in the show. “That's like such a beautiful thing, too.” Kovac, also a founding member of the troupe, designed and built several puppets featured in the production, advocating for adults to embrace puppetry as a creative outlet rather than relegating it to children's entertainment.
The audience’s response has been overwhelmingly positive, with attendees noting the show’s remarkable combination of humor, music, and puppetry. “I think that the puppet design was phenomenal,” said Amanda Chen. “I think it was honestly one of the greatest shows I’ve seen this year.”
For McDearmont, the sold-out performances signify more than just a successful run; they highlight Austin’s burgeoning community of supporters for puppetry and unconventional theater. “I keep saying, ‘Where are all the puppet people?’” they expressed. “I know y’all are out there, and so it’s just exciting because I feel like we’re finally starting to find the community.”
In response to the demand, Puppet Bucket has added three additional performances of The Rocky Horror Puppet Show: Improvised Musical, set for Friday, August 21, at 11:30 p.m., Sunday, August 23, at 7 p.m., and Friday, August 28, at 11:30 p.m. Tickets are available now.
