What NYC RHPS does

NYC RHPS (New York City Rocky Horror Picture Show) is a volunteer-based community shadow cast that has performed live shadowcast productions of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at New York City venues since 1988, with a documented media archive spanning 1988 through 2025. The organization's core product is live theatrical performance in which costumed cast members perform in sync with the film as it screens, supported by traditional audience participation conventions including prop bags containing rice, newspapers, flashlights, rubber gloves, noisemakers, confetti, toilet paper, toast, party hats, bells, and cards. The cast includes Broadway and professional theater practitioners, with at least 14 documented on-stage members plus crew and lighting positions.

The organization runs a regular performance cadence every 1st and 3rd Saturday at Village East by Angelika (181-189 2nd Ave., Manhattan), with tickets sold online via the Angelika platform and at the venue box office; advance purchase is recommended because shows frequently sell out. Revenue streams consist of consumer ticket sales, on-site prop bag upsells, and ad hoc private venue bookings across NYC movie theaters, bars, clubs, and traditional theaters. The group also periodically performs alternative shadowcast titles including Shock Treatment, Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical, and Cats 2019.

Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: marketing is conducted through the nycrhps.org website, the @nycrhps social media accounts, an email contact at [email protected], and word-of-mouth within the Rocky Horror shadowcasting community. The organization extends its reach through cast-member-led external media including the Rocky Talkie Podcast and the rhpslive.com and rhpsnews.com community sites. Customer segments are cult-film enthusiasts and first-time attendees (so-called 'Rocky virgins') on the audience side, and performing artists seeking community and stage opportunities on the talent side. NYC RHPS is a private, unincorporated-style community group with no disclosed funding, ownership structure, or formal headcount beyond its volunteer cast and crew.

Name

NYC RHPS

Legal name

NYC RHPS

Website

https://nycrhps.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NYC RHPS is a volunteer-based community shadow cast that performs live Rocky Horror Picture Show productions every 1st and 3rd Saturday at Village East by Angelika in Manhattan. The 14-member cast of Broadway and professional theater performers serves cult-film fans and first-time attendees in NYC, also booking private events citywide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theater / Shadow Cast Performances

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

akta.pro primary industry

Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)

Keywords

• Shadow cast performances
• Live theater entertainment
• Audience participation shows
• Cult film screenings
• Venue booking services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from audience members purchasing tickets to attend scheduled performances at Village East Cinema. Shows sell out frequently indicating consistent demand.
2. Prop Bag Sales: Sale of prop bags containing participatory items (rice, newspapers, flashlights, rubber gloves, noisemakers, confetti, toilet paper, toast, party hats, bell, cards) for audience participation during the show.
3. Venue Booking / Private Shows: Revenue from booking the cast for private events, one-time performances, or recurring bookings at venues across NYC including movie theaters, bars, clubs, and traditional theaters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NYC RHPS operates as the New York City shadow cast for The Rocky Horror Picture Show, performing costumed, choreographed live shows in sync with the projected film every 1st and 3rd Saturday at Village East by Angelika Cinema in Manhattan. The organization supplements this core offering with occasional alternative-film shadow cast performances (Shock Treatment, Reefer Madness, Cats 2019), sells prop bags for audience participation, and books the cast for private events at venues across NYC.

Product overview

NYC RHPS is a performing arts organization operating as a Rocky Horror Picture Show shadow cast. Their core offering consists of live shadow cast performances where costumed cast members perform in sync with the movie, complemented by audience participation traditions including props and callouts. They offer periodic alternative film performances (Shock Treatment, Reefer Madness, Cats 2019), sell prop bags for audience participation, and provide venue/booking services for partners across NYC. The organization runs regular shows every 1st and 3rd Saturday at Village East Cinema.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadow Cast Performances
• Alternative Film Shadow Cast Performances
• Prop Bags

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Village East by AngelikacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary venue partnership with Village East by Angelika cinema located at 181-189 2nd Ave., corner of 2nd Ave. & 12th St. in Manhattan's East Village. NYC RHPS performs every 1st and 3rd Saturday at this venue, with tickets available online and at the box office. The venue is an Angelika Film Center location.
• Various NYC VenuesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with venues across New York City for one-time or recurring bookings. Types include movie theaters, traditional theaters, bars, clubs, and other venues. The organization actively seeks new venue partnerships and has 'a variety of partnership opportunities available for venues of all types and sizes.'

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Nitehawk Cinema: Nitehawk is a Brooklyn-based dine-in cinema that programs extensive repertory, cult, and themed screening events. Like NYC RHPS, it serves the NYC cinephile community with curated, event-driven movie experiences beyond standard theatrical exhibition.
• IFC Center: IFC Center is an independent Manhattan art-house cinema known for repertory and cult film programming, including long-running audience-participation events. It is a comparable NYC venue for niche, community-driven moviegoing experiences adjacent to NYC RHPS's shadow cast model.

Direct peers

• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: Alamo Drafthouse is a cinema chain known for highly curated, participatory cult film screenings with strict audience etiquette policies and themed programming. It operates interactive movie events that parallel NYC RHPS's participatory shadow cast format, sharing the same cult-film audience and revenue model around scheduled themed screenings.

Peers

• Metrograph:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NYCRHPS
• Facebookfacebook.com/nycrhps
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-rocky-horror-picture-show-nyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NYC RHPS