The cast of the Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show performed the song “Sweet Transvestite” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The appearance served as a high-profile promotional vehicle for the production during its opening week on Broadway. By leveraging a national late-night audience, the production aimed to build momentum for the revival's debut in the New York theater scene.
The performance took place at NBC Studios in New York City and aired on June 28, 2023 [1]. The segment featured seven cast members [3], including lead actor Luke Evans, who performed in character as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The live musical number was designed to showcase the bold aesthetic and energy of the stage show to viewers on NBC and Peacock.
“We’re thrilled to bring a little bit of Rocky Horror to Jimmy’s audience tonight!” Evans said.
Host Jimmy Fallon highlighted the synergy between the production's style and the late-night format. The performance coincided with the same night the Broadway revival officially opened, creating a synchronized launch between the theater and the television broadcast.
“It’s a perfect fit for The Tonight Show – it’s fun, it’s bold, and it’s exactly the kind of thing our viewers love,” Fallon said.
The production used the platform to introduce the ensemble's chemistry and the revival's specific visual direction. This strategy of utilizing late-night television for Broadway openings is a common industry practice to drive ticket sales through mass-market visibility.
““We’re thrilled to bring a little bit of Rocky Horror to Jimmy’s audience tonight!””
The use of a major network talk show to coincide with a Broadway opening night demonstrates the continued reliance of live theater on traditional mass-media promotion. By featuring a high-energy number like “Sweet Transvestite,” the production targeted both existing fans of the franchise and a broader general audience to ensure a strong initial box office run.
