Words / Bri Ng Schwartz
Photos / Joan Marcus
As Broadway’s The Rocky Horror Show prepares to say goodbye to their original Eddie/Dr. Scott, Harvey Guillen, and Rocky, Josh Rivera, LADYGUNN joins the pair in their dressing room at the infamous 54 Below. Energy was already at a ten upon our arrival during their two-show day, with rapid-fire bit after bit between the two. Inside jokes and banter galore, we almost felt as if we were interrupting something (and we were.) Just shy of three months sharing space, the two have developed the bromance of a lifetime.
The space is filled with dehydrated flowers, deflated balloons, and on-theme knick-knacks. A neon “Eddie On The Rocks” sign casts blue and red hues throughout the space. “This is the original Club Cumming, and Alan Cumming’s dressing room when he did Cabaret.” Harvey shares regarding the inspiration behind the sign. “We thought it was really cool that outside the window there’s this historic neon sign that says ‘Original home of Club Cumming’. We were like, ‘Well, Eddie and Rocky are going to share a room.’ So we named it Eddie on the Rocks.” Being the only two cast members to share a dressing room, Eddie On The Rocks has become the meeting place for a post-show nightcap amongst the cast. With a self-imposed open door policy, cast members like Amber Gray and Stephanie Hsu will pop in for a ki.
Early on in their friendship, they learned that they share a similar sense of humor, which has proved to be an unexpected asset to Rocky Horror’s marketing. Harvey’s backstage Instagram and TikTok videos have garnered a following that has brought from across the country to the revived Studio 54 to do the Time Warp again and again.
“At the stage door, people are like ‘I came from Seattle because of your TikToks.” Harvey reveals “So we realized that marketing is actually really fun to do when you have downtime. The videos turn into commercials.”
While the two share a similar sense of humor, they note that they have learned a lot about themselves as people from one another. Josh notes that he can be shy and selectively introverted, but that Harvey could charm a brick. Harvey shares that Josh has taught him about navigating people and crowds, which is a necessary component of being a part of a cult classic like Rocky Horror. Since the release of the movie in 1975, shadow-casts and Midnight showings have popped up all over the country, providing a haven for those deemed different. With traditions that span from throwing toilet paper at the screen to coordinated heckling mid-movie, the Broadway stage has not stopped fanatics from continuing some of the (stage safe) traditions.
“I remember the second preview. At that point we hadn’t really gotten used to the call-outs. It was a terrifying thing to do the show just in general, just because we were still learning what the show was and it was finding its identity.” Josh shares early memories of call outs during the show. “Some call-outs are regional. We discovered that some of them didn’t make sense to New Yorkers, but it definitely made sense in Texas. Someone came from Omaha and they’re like, ‘We say this here’ It’s because after 50 years of doing this at Midnight Screenings, they’ve added their own two cents, which is really nice, but also not everyone knows it. We learn a lot as we go along.” adds Harvey.
Josh and Harvey have their own unique stories in discovering Rocky Horror far before they were cast in the revival. During his time on the Hamilton tour, a cast mate of Josh’s wanted to put together a shadow cast where coincidentally, his cast member wanted him to play Rocky.
“I remember being really caught off guard by how much I found it moving. There’s this power and charisma that Frank wields throughout that slips off into a mask of sincerity at the end. And you can feel however you want to about that character, but there’s something really strange and human about the whole thing. Ironically, he’s an alien, but I just remember feeling like this is such a weird, special thing that I feel like I found my own little secret.”
Harvey adds his experience, noting the counterculture that the movie offered to his strict Catholic upbringing. “I asked myself why I was drawn to people being liberated, being free and sexual.”
The success of Broadway’s The Rocky Horror Show has reminded the theater community how impactful the cult classic is. In a climate that villainizes the LGBTQ+ community, the outlandish humor of the show is a unique escape. Director Sam Pinkleton balances the comedic timing and more risque elements of the show with beautiful staging, creating a true celebration of the source material. Harvey speaks to the importance of producing the show in 2026.
“The fact that you can say ‘I’m just a sweet transvestite from Transexual, Transylvania’ and that those lyrics have not been changed. It is still push buttons in small towns to do a show like this. It means that 53 years later, it’s still needed. The most beautiful message I think we can ever do with our show is to have somebody leave and walk away and feel not alone. To be seen and hopeful.”
Harvey and Josh will both take their final bows at Studio 54 on August 23rd and pass their batons to George Salazar and Jimin Moon. When asked about what they will miss most about the show, they emphasize missing each other. They also note how special it has been to build a show from the ground up with an ensemble the way that this revival of Rocky Horror was developed. Looking at the silver lining of their departures, Harvey reminds us of the magic of having new talent rotating in and out of such a special show. “Every new person who comes in is bringing energy and a really interesting new thing” Josh adds “It keeps it fresh and it makes you connect with the characters in a different way.”
The friendship that Josh and Harvey have built over the last several months is a true testament to the unique community that theater can build. Within the framework of a story that emphasizes the silly and unabashed self-expression, it is no surprise that it has served as grounds for deep connection. Aspiring Transelvanians have one more week to catch this dynamic duo in action.