Page 14 - Wayne Dispatch Pages

Rocky Horror continues on in memory of Faith Duede

By Sarah Shurge
Squirt guns pointed to the sky.
Water begins to fall on the crowd. It’s
raining inside the theater.
To some, this sounds like mad-
ness. To others, this sounds like just
a typical Saturday night with the
Rocky Horror Shadow Cast at the
State Wayne Theatre.
The night is full of costumes,
lights, confetti cannons, squirt guns,
and more. Each show is unique and
different from the last.
“It’s an amazing thing to see. It's a
wild, liberating experience,” said
Cory Jacobson, owner of Phoenix
Theatres State Wayne. “It's one of
those things everyone has to do at
least once. You just have to see it.”
If you haven't experienced it yet, Some ofthe Rocky Horror Shadow Cast at the State Wayne Theatre.
now is your chance because The
Rocky Horror Picture Show with the costumes. She was a brilliant cos-
Michigan Rocky Horror Preservation tume designer and loved creating
Society (MiRHPS) has returned to costumes for people,” said Jacobson.
the State Wayne Theatre. Duede passed away unexpectedly
The cast performs twice a month last summer in the middle of the
(every second and fourth Saturday of COVID shutdown.
the month) at the State Wayne. Jacobson opened the theater in
“The idea came in 2012, because the midst of the pandemic to have a
we have a stage and the right atmos- memorial service for Duede, where
phere that goes with the show. It's 25-30 people all stood up and talked
not something you go watch in a mall out what she meant to them.
shopping center. It's suited well for “The day she passed I knew I
the movie theater. The marquee out- wanted to do something special for
side also makes it really cool,” said her because she was such a special
Jacobson. person,” said Jacobson.
Jacobson bought the theater in Jacobson hung a picture of
2014 from the City of Wayne, and re- Duede on the wall in the State Wayne
cently decided to try to calculate how and dedicated a theater to her.
many people have seen the Rocky “If anyone's spirit is in that build-
Horror Show since 2012. ing and in the show, it's hers,” said
Close to 15,000 guests is the an- Jacobson.
swer. The dedication for Duede hap-
“Guests come to Wayne from all pened on Saturday, July 10th, before
over the country to see the show. It's the first in-person showing of the
a well orchestrated show. It's fun. It Rocky Horror Picture Show in 15
keeps selling out everytime we show months because of the pandemic.
it,” said Jacobson. “It wasn’t a typical show,” said Ja-
Cost is $10 per ticket. MiRHPS cobson. “Whether you knew her or
also sells prop bags at an additional not, you got a chance to understand
cost. what this was about. You could hear
“Getting tickets early is important a pin drop.”
because it sells out so much,” said Cory Jacobson, owner of Phoenix Theatres State Wayne, and Wayne Mayor John Work friends, coworkers, per-
Jacobson. Rhaesa show the plaque honoring the memory of Faith Duede, one of the founders sonal friends, family, and more
Tickets are available after down- showed up to the dedication.
loading the mobile app, at phoenix- of the Rocky Horror Preservation Society. “She was an extraordinary person
movies.net, or at the box office in the ple that truly enjoyed The Rocky Hor- versity of Michigan, but since 2012, that you don't normally run into. I
theater lobby. ror Picture Show. She had such a spent much of her offtime sewing was inspired by her and she was a
“People come back week after passion for it, she and her husband, costumes for the cast. lot of things to a lot of people,” said
week. Month after month. Year after Robert B. Hubbard, founded the “She had a spot in the production Jacobson. “She will be very missed.
year,” said Jacobson. Rocky Horror Preservation Society. booth. People would go home and The cast is determined to carry on in
Faith Duede was one of those peo- She was a registered nurse at Uni- she’d be up there until 4AM sewing her mission.”
14 · August 2021 · The Wayne Dispatch