Don’t ban it, sell it

I don’t envy the Sphere security team when The Rocky Horror Picture Show opens there next year.

Rice. Toast. Toilet paper. Squirt bottles. Lighters. Playing cards. Rubber gloves. (I see you, fellow former midnight screening regulars.)

Then it occurred to me: Rocky Horror comes with 50 years of audience rituals. Sphere knows fans will try to bring this stuff. So maybe a merchandise opportunity is hiding inside the security problem.

What if Sphere (rightly) prohibits props that create security, cleaning or operational problems, but sells an official “RHPS at Sphere” participation kit with approved alternatives?

There’s already a precedent. Once the foam apples from Oz at Sphere started appearing on eBay, Sphere began selling them itself. Guest behavior revealed that people wanted a souvenir from the experience, and the venue added it.

So, Sphere has already shown it’ll design merchandise around how guests actually behave. RHPS adds a new test case: audience participation baked into the format from day one, not bolted on after security issues emerge.

And obvi, the cosplay is going to be incredible for this one.