ArtsWest, planted proudly in the Alaska Junction of West Seattle, offers the Musical Theater Academy for those 8 to 12, the Conservatory Program for 12 to 16 year-olds, and the Apprenticeship Program for those 15 to 21. And the students seem to interact like one big functional family, perhaps because of the age disparity, not in spite of it.

The Apprenticeship actors are in rehearsals for The Rocky Horror Show Live, a stage production of Richard O'Brien's camp, cult classic movie musical Rocky Horror Picture Show, which, by the way, has played at the Admiral Theatre a few miles north on California Ave. the first Saturday of every month at midnight for the past decade. That movie was released in 1975 starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick. Since then, audiences still fill theater seats, dress outrageously, sing and recite the lines, and seem to work harder at it than the original cast.

At the same time, the cast members, under the watchful eye of director Christopher Zinovitch, an Alki resident and the longtime Theater and Education Director at Arts West, help the kids at the Academy rehearse for their upcoming musical, Once On This Island, an adaptation of The Little Mermaid. In this play, a poor peasant girl rescues and falls in love with a wealthy boy from the other side of the island. Like Rocky Horror, the audience can count on a lot of musical numbers and dance.

Isla Elkins, 12, stars as Ti Moune in Once on This island Jr. "I have done other productions, and did this program last year," she said. "It was fun and really energetic. All the teachers were really nice. I was a bird girl in Seussical Jr. This is the last year I can be in the Academy. I am going to audition for the conservatory next year. I know Wicked, the Lion King, and The Sound of Music."

"To learn camp, the performance still comes from an honest place, just magnified," said Zinovitch. "A classic example is Faye Dunaway in Mommy Dearest. She's so over the top, yet so intense and real that it has become a camp classic. Ricki Lake and Divine playing those (John Waters) characters had a lot of heart in it.

"Our Rocky, the audience is going to appreciate it who love the movie," he added. "Our play is a lot darker than movie is, but with a much larger heart to it. That entire idea of 'Don't dream It, be it', the movie is about having your fantasy for 15 minutes, but still go to the office Monday morning as a 'normal person'. Frank starts going overboard. That party becomes a problem to Frank. It's a wonderful (lesson) for this age group. Fifteen to 21 year-olds are not all angels. They've explored, enjoyed, and still realize wake up for class in the morning.

Chelsea Gilpin plays Magenta. "Now, after five years of performing In Seattle theaters including The Moore and ACT Theaters, I am making my 5th appearance on the ArtsWest stage," Gilpin said. She is also a pre-veterinarian zoology major, minoring in music at Washington State University.

Matt Lang of Issaquah, plays Rocky Horror. He has a weight-lifter's physique and some of the 8-12 year-olds he teaches seemed to have a fascination of his muscular arms and legs.

"It's not a student production per say," Zinovitch said. "We did not water down the language, costumes, or dialogue. It's truly what Richard O'Brien intended it to be."

"We watered it up," exclaimed Becca Orts, who portrays Janet Weiss, the Susan Sarandon role. Orts just completed her sophomore year at the University of Miami. "When you go to the movie there is a common bond. Everyone knows the movie so well and you just know that everyone around you knows what lines and songs are coming.You can dress however you want. Everything is accepted."

"They are all participating and everyone is 'with' the movie and we're all screaming and having fun with what the movie is, ridiculous hilarity," said Ryan Floresca, 19, who plays Riff Raff.

"The play has a different outlook but you still get tidbits from the movie that you will enjoy," said Floresca, who admits, well, acknowledges, seeing the film over 10 times.

"There's no throwing things at the stage in the play, but the audience can say as much as they want to, when they want to," said David Katz who portrays Dr. Frank 'N' Furter. Katz lives on Vashon island and took theater at Vashon High School.

"We also do some of the cat calls ourselves so they know they can join us," added Luke Garlock, a West Seattle resident. "It's our job to control the audience. "If they get out of hand we have to bring them back."

Kody Bringman who plays Brad Majors, Barry Bostwick's role, explained that while people will notice the difference between the Rocky Horror film and play, there is still some further confusion to clarify.

Said Bringman, "One guy I know literally had asked me, 'You're doing Rocky? Are you going to play the boxer?"

Added cast member Tyler Webster, 15, "If he saw the poster, he'd know the difference."

The Rocky Horror Live Show plays July 13-23.

Once On This Island plays August 3-August 7, 2011

Starmites HS plays August 10-August 14, 2011 (Conservatory Program)

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