Frank `n’ Furter and company are back, and this time it’s live. For the first time in its 27-year history, the cult classic “The Rocky Horror Show” has arrived at the Stoner Studio Theater in the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. Three sold-out performances have already taken place, but two weekends remain. “We’ve had a standing ovation every night,” said Stacy Brothers, who plays Magenta. The play is about two newlyweds who stumble upon a bizarre castle inhabited by a group of equally bizarre aliens from the planet Transsexual. The aliens are led by Frank `n’ Furter, a transvestite. “In 1974 it may have been kind of shocking to see a man in fishnets and high heels, but I think that now we’ve been sort of desensitized,” said director Todd Buchacker. When the newlyweds arrive at the castle, Frank `n’ Furter unleashes his latest creation, Rocky, a blue-eyed, blond-haired, muscle-bound boy-toy. In short, he is Frank `n’ Furter’s sex slave. But the presence of the newlyweds disrupts Frank `n’ Furter’s plans, and a series of silly events ensues. “It’s a comedy. It’s funny. We’re not preaching any serious message [that] it’s OK to be a transvestite,” Buchacker said. “If there is a message [in the play] it would be a celebration of diversity or otherness.” The play is a spoof on 1950s B-grade sci-fi horror films, and Buchacker said, the whole transvestite spin was the result of two factors – the creator’s own gender identity conflict and the growing popularity of glam rock. Artists such as David Bowie and T. Rex. fronted the glam rock movement, and these artists also had an influence on the musical score. Though the story line hasn’t changed, there are some differences between the movie and the play. For instance, there is one song in the original play and this production that is not in the movie. Rather than taking place in a castle, this theatrical version is set in an old dilapidated strip club, complete with stripper poles. It’s been turned into a pseudo-castle called Frank’s Krazy Kastle of Kinky Khemistry. “There are some things [in the movie] that would be difficult to produce on a stage, so [the creators of the show] had to interpret things a little bit differently from the script,” Brothers said. The audience is invited to dance during the songs and to dress up in costumes. “If people want to get up and dance to `Hot Patootie’ or `The Time Warp,’ that’s perfectly fine,” Buchacker said. The only things discouraged are throwing objects and yelling lines or singing along. “If [the actors] get hit in the head with a piece of toast,” Brothers said, “it could break their concentration.” Both Buchacker and Brothers said, no one has been disappointed they couldn’t throw anything. In fact, many audience members were really glad they were discouraged from throwing or yelling anything because they were able to better enjoy the show. “All the Rocky Horror fans should come and see [the show] because they won’t have a whole lot of chances to see anything like this again,” Brothers said. Remaining show times are Sept. 28, 29 and 30 and Oct. 5, 6 and 7 at 8 p.m.; Sept. 29 and 30 at 11 p.m.; Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m.; and Oct. 8 at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased at any Ticketmaster or at the Civic Center box Office.