IT'S official, The Rocky Horror Show was the most successful theatre production to visit Newcastle.
The curtains were drawn on Richard O'Brien's beloved rock'n'roll musical on Sunday night as the Civic Theatre farewelled the cast after a record-breaking three-week run.
More than 30,000 people passed through the Civic Theatre's 29 shows to sing and dance along to classic songs like Time Warp and Sweet Transvestite, surpassing the record set by Broadway smash Come From Away last year.
Veteran theatre producer Sir Howard Panter, of Trafalgar Entertainment, said Newcastle had more than proven itself to be lucrative market for live entertainment.
"What a way to start 2024 with The Rocky Horror Show financially being the best-selling show of all time at Newcastle's Civic Theatre," Mr Panter said.
"With more than 30,000 tickets sold and half the audience coming to the Civic Theatre for the very first time, we are thrilled with what is just the beginning of our journey together."
The Rocky Horror Show enjoyed rave reviews during its tenure at the Civic Theatre, with the Newcastle Herald describing the show as "a riot" and "absolute pleasure for two hours".
The Rocky Horror Show - which starred Neighbours legend Jason Donovan as Frank N Furter and Spicks and Specks co-host Myf Warhurst as the Narrator - also proved a major economic boost to Newcastle's tourism sector.
More than 60 per cent of tickets were purchased by people outside Newcastle.
Civic Theatre manager Leonie Wallace said the success of The Rocky Horror Show was proof theatre-goers no longer needed to travel to Sydney for major stage productions.
"On the back of the success of Come From Away we have developed associations with a number of national promoters to ensure the city attracts more major touring productions at the Civic Theatre for extended seasons," Ms Wallace said.
"Aside from the astounding success of The Rocky Horror Show, we've also locked in a one-week season in March of Broadway smash hit RENT as part of a national tour by award-winning producer LPD Productions, while the world's longest-running play, Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, will kick off its national tour in May with two weeks in Newcastle."
The 50th anniversary edition of The Rocky Horror Show moves onto Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre on Thursday, before opening at Sydney's Theatre Royal on March 31.
