SNL Alum Rachel Dratch Brings 'Different Spin' to Rocky Horror Show on Broadway

The comedian is navigating audience participation as the show's narrator in the cult classic musical's latest revival.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 5:07pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of shimmering sequins, shattered glass, and luxurious velvet textures, creating a conceptual, glamorous representation of the Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show.The glitz and energy of The Rocky Horror Show's return to Broadway is captured in a high-fashion, abstract texture study.NYC Today

Rachel Dratch, a former Saturday Night Live cast member, is taking on the role of the narrator in the Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show. Dratch is putting her own spin on the traditionally male character, while also working to manage the audience's tendency to yell out lines from the iconic film version during the live stage production.

Why it matters

The Rocky Horror Show is a beloved cult classic that has inspired passionate fan engagement over the decades. Dratch's casting as the narrator, traditionally played by a man, as well as the gender-flipping of the Riff Raff character, signals the production is aiming to put a fresh, modern twist on the material while still honoring the source material's spirit of subversive fun.

The details

In the Broadway revival, Dratch is playing the role of the narrator, which was originally portrayed by actor Jonathan Adams in the film version. Dratch says she's bringing an improvisational element to the part, given the audience's tendency to yell out lines from the movie during the live stage show. The production also features gender-flipped casting, with Tony nominee Amber Gray playing the role of Riff Raff. The rest of the cast includes Luke Evans as Frank-N-Furter, Harvey Guillén as Eddie/Dr. Scott, Stephanie Hsu as Janet, Juliette Lewis as Magenta, Josh Rivera as Rocky, and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez as Columbia.

  • The Rocky Horror Show Broadway revival is set to officially open on April 23, 2026.
  • The production is currently in preview performances.

The players

Rachel Dratch

A former cast member of Saturday Night Live who is taking on the role of the narrator in the Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show.

Amber Gray

A Tony nominee who is playing the gender-flipped role of Riff Raff in the Broadway revival.

The Rocky Horror Show

A cult classic musical that is being revived on Broadway with a fresh, modern take on the material.

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What they’re saying

“We're kind of navigating, how much are people yelling at this — I was gonna say the screen, and that's kind of the problem. Sometimes they think they're in a movie theater, they're yelling out as much as they would at the midnight showing.”

— Rachel Dratch, Narrator

“I feel like this is the moment I've trained for now. Having done a lot of improv, it's sort of helpful. I'm so far not super rattled — I don't want to jinx myself, but I'm sticking to the script, I'm trying to serve the story in that way.”

— Rachel Dratch, Narrator

What’s next

The Rocky Horror Show Broadway revival is scheduled to officially open on April 23, 2026 after the current preview performances.

The takeaway

Dratch's casting as the narrator in The Rocky Horror Show Broadway revival, along with the gender-flipped roles, signals the production is aiming to put a fresh, modern spin on the beloved cult classic while still honoring its spirit of subversive fun and audience participation.