History: Convention Era (2011 – Present)

HOLIDAY / ISLAND 10 CINEMAS, Middletown, RI: Feb 2004 – Oct 2010
TRIBORO CINEMAS, Attleboro, MA: May 2004 – Aug 2005
EAST BRIDGEWATER CINEMAS, East Bridgewater, MA: Nov 2005 – Oct 2011
ENTERTAINMENT CINEMAS, South Kingstown, RI: Sep 2007 – Oct 2010
THE ORPHEUM, Foxboro, MA: Jul 2008 – Jan 2015

2011-2018

What created the Modern Era was a decision to take control of what we were going to be, instead of being whatever happened to us. If we were going to continue to put time into the Show after all these years, it had to be a worthwhile. What I say here is not a reflection on other cast practices. It is a reflection on where WE were, how we felt about it, where we wanted to be, and what we needed to do in our own situation to get there in Southern New England without the support of a big city to perform in. Gone would be the days of weekly shows for us. They would become monthly to make an event out of it rather than a hangout. Gone were the midnight start times. The earlier the better, to get more people in. Gone were the days of letting anyone into the cast just because they wanted to be in. Now it was a matter of who we wanted in the cast. Gone were the days of tolerating characteristics that caused failure and distracted us from achievement.

It took 6 months to find a new home. It began with a 1st Friday of the Month at the Holiday (later Island 10) Cinemas. Given that we had 3 other open weeks, we eventually started doing 2nd Fridays at the Triboro Cinemas. That theater closed, but soon we replaced it with East Bridgewater Cinemas, where we meet another true manager, Carrie, who always fought for RKO Army. Two years later, we followed Carrie to a 3rd cinema for the 3rd weekend at South Kingstown’s Entertainment Cinemas. This was enough. However, the opportunity to do a 4th theater at The Orpheum opened up. We could not pass that facility down. One cast. Four regular run theaters.

We built props for all theaters. We upgraded technology for all theaters. The talented people in the cast attracted more talented people. The show and preshows grew to a level beyond the past. We also went beyond the traditions of Rocky Horror and Shock Treatment. We added REPO!, Dr. Horrible and Buffy. This attracted even more people, and it contributed to made our Rocky production better. Theme shows took on a new level of quality. Cast retention also was at its best ever.

After 3 full decades, I’d never seen it better. This was a 7 year train ride up the mountain. We just “did it”. RKO Army also began attending more and more cons in increasing numbers. It became a bigger world out there for us. The larger community taught us and inspired us to keep getting better.