For the first time ever, “The Rocky Horror Show” is being staged at the Renton Civic Theatre.

Directed by Alan Wilkie, it opens tonight, Friday, and runs through Nov. 1, with a special midnight showing on Halloween.

Made famous by the movie of a similar name, the show is a humorous send up of the science fiction and horror B-movies of the late 1940s through the early 1970s. The musical is the tale of two “healthy, virginal, 1950s All-American kids,” Brad and Janet, whose car breaks down, said Wilkie.

Looking for a phone, they stumble upon a castle and a transvestite, Frank N. Furter, who’s building a man named Rocky Horror.

Wilkie calls the production a spoof of rock-n-roll, old Universal horror films and burlesque. The second half of the show has a lot of people in lingerie.

For this run, Wilkie has chosen to add a bit of a punk rock edge to the show, instead of the 1950s doo-wop. The character “Eddie,” played by Steve West, has been styled after Sid Vicious more than the Elvis clone, originally played by Meatloaf in the film.

“I asked my musical director and I decided to make it a little bit more metal,” said Wilkie. “So I’ve got a little more head-banging; a little more heavy on the base; a little more on the thrash guitar.”

Originally a Broadway show and then the famous film, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” has achieved cult status and had audiences participating in the show and throwing things, since the late 1970s, when it became a midnight show in cinemas.

“When the film first came out back in the ‘70s it died; it didn’t do very well, but it had been really successful in London,” said Wilkie of the stage version.

He saw the show in London on stage in 1979 and as a teenager would eventually go to the Neptune and participate in the “shadow cast” or those that mimic the actors on the screen in front of the cinema audience. Wilkie remembers when audiences started participating in the movie.

“And then in New York they started yelling back at the screen,” he said. “It was the gay community that took a liking to it and started yelling back at the screen and people started acting out in front…and it became a big party, where you dress up and it just became a happening, I guess.”

The production lends itself to a party atmosphere and plays better on stage at old movie houses, said Wilkie.

“I think it just needs that, the whole audience participation became part of the show,” he said.

Christian Doyle plays “Frank N. Furter,” and is best known for his roles in “JourneyQuest,” the TV series and films “The Gamers” series. Wilkie was surprised to hear that Doyle even has drinks named after him at Renton gamers’ bar AFK Tavern.

The production’s biggest problem was finding high heels in men’s sizes, big enough for Tanner Kline, who plays “Rocky.” They had to go online to find boots for Kline who is 6’1”.

Already the show has one patron who’s bought tickets to every show.

“I think they’ll have fun; that’s why I like the show,” said Wilkie. “There’s not a lot of messages; it’s not a deep show. We’re not doing Ibsen, we’re not doing Shakespeare, but it’s a party.”

Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for students and seniors. For a complete list of showtimes or to buy tickets, visit www.rentoncivictheatre.com.