COEUR d'ALENE - Dustin Sorrell knows the dance moves to "The Time Warp."

He can sing the words to "I Can Make You A Man."

He can recite each line uttered by Dr. Frank-N-Furter.

That's what happens when you've seen "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" 40 or 50 times.

"It's like an old friend," he said, smiling.

Sorrell is joining a select shadow cast for the midnight showings tonight and Saturday at the Lake City Playhouse of the 1975 musical that's still going strong today.

He'll be playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter, made famous by actor Tim Curry in the film that also starred Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick.

He'll repeat some of the popular lines, right along with Curry from the opening scene of "How do you do? I see you've met my faithful handyman," to later when he sings, "I'm just a sweet transvestite, from Transsexual Transylvania."

Sorrell recalled his high school days of sneaking out to see the late showing of the film in Spokane.

"Before, I was just one of the guys yelling in the audience," he said.

For those not familiar with this musical that explores once sensitive subjects, it tells the story of Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet, whose car breaks down in an isolated area, and they walk to a castle in search of a phone to call for help.

There, they're introduced to Frank-N-Furter, his servants and a cast of, well, most unusual characters who take Brad and Janet places they've never been.

Songs like "Dammit Janet," "Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul," and "Touch-A, Touch-A Touch Me" give the audience something to both marvel at and sing along with.

A cast of eight will be on stage - with costume changes throughout - as they mimic movement, lip-synch the words, with subtle suggestions and not so subtle, as well. The cast at times will even venture into the aisles and who knows where else.

Dan "Doc" Heggem, director, saw the film when he was 17, a time in life, he said, when you have doubts about the world and your role in it and you're thinking, "Am I the weirdest person here?"

"And then you go to something like that and you go, 'That can't possibly be true.'"

The Rocky Horror Picture Show - being shown for the first time at the Playhouse - is about letting loose of inhibitions, having a good time and learning a few things about yourself.

There are points in the film when the audience is encouraged, expected, even required to participate. Props include toast, hot dogs, rice, newspaper, water pistols and toilet paper that you will want to use or throw at the appropriate time.

A party bag with some of those props will be available for purchase.

"Except we're not going to be throwing rice or hot dogs because hot dogs are just messy and that's weird, and rice just tends to attract rodents," Heggem said, chuckling. "We don't want those."

The cast only met four times for rehearsals. To prepare, it's been watching the film, together and on their own at home.

Heggem said because there are no lines to memorize, it's easier to get ready, and if a cast member gets a little lost, they can always glance at the screen behind them.

Another ritual of Rocky is to find a few Rocky Horror Picture Show "virgins." If they have never seen a live shadow cast, they might have their forehead marked with a "V" in red lipstick, and be included in some strange initiation ceremony before the movie.

"We haven't decided yet what it will be," Higgem said, smiling.

However, because this is an area not accustomed to shadow casts, folks who have just seen the movie will not be considered a virgin.

"Otherwise, we'll be de-virginizing the entire audience and that would take forever," he said. "We're just going to limit it to people who haven't seen it in a theater."

"If you just watched it at home, then we're probably going to make you do something ridiculous," added Heggem, who is the Playhouse technical director.

The addition of beer and wine being available to the audience should "take it up a notch."

"If we get the turnout that we're hoping to, it should be quite a time," he said

Jody Renfrew, who plays Janet, has watched the film 10 times in the last week. Her character undergoes a bit of a transformation.

"I start out all innocent, then I've got to get sexy. It will be kind of fun to figure that out on stage," she said.

Brittani Kelly, who plays Brad, is one of those Rocky virgins who hasn't seen a live shadow cast screening.

Still, she didn't hesitate to go after a key part in the film and is primed to set free her conservative side.

"It was one of those situations when you get the opportunity to play a gender-bending role and I couldn't turn it down," she said. "Can I have the balls to do it?' I guess we'll see."

If you go

The Rocky Horror Picture Show will be featured at the Lake City Playhouse at midnight Friday and Saturday.

A shadow cast will perform live on stage along with the musical movie on the big screen.

Wine, beer and party favor bags will be available to buy.

Tickets to the Playhouse fundraiser are $10 and can be purchased in advance or at the door.

Info: 667-1323