Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears will take over as Frank-N-Furter in Broadway’s The Rocky Horror Show beginning Sept. 11, succeeding Tony-nominated star Luke Evans.
Meanwhile, Glee alum Kevin McHale will make his Broadway debut as Brad on Aug. 25, with & Juliet Tony nominee Lorna Courtney joining him as Janet. They’ll replace Andrew Durand and Stephanie Hsu.
Evans, Hsu and Durand will take their final bows Aug. 23. Paul Soileau, who is also known for the performance personas CHRISTEENE and Rebecca Havemeyer, will cover Frank-N-Furter between Evans and Shears.
Jake Shears Is Heading to the Frankenstein Place
Shears rose to fame as the openly gay frontman of Scissor Sisters, the glam-pop band behind hits like “Take Your Mama” and “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’,” before launching his solo career.
He also has plenty of musical theater experience. Shears previously starred in Kinky Boots on Broadway, played the Emcee in Cabaret in London and co-wrote the songs for Tammy Faye alongside Elton John.
Frank-N-Furter, of course, is one of musical theater’s most iconic queer characters. Tim Curry originated the gender-nonconforming mad scientist in the original 1973 London production and later brought the role to the screen in 1975’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Kevin McHale’s ‘Rocky Horror’ Connection
Before joining the real thing, McHale got a taste of Rocky Horror during Glee’s season 2 tribute, “The Rocky Horror Glee Show.” The episode followed the students of McKinley High as they staged the musical, with McHale’s Artie Abrams participating as Dr. Scott.
McHale has since appeared onstage in productions including The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Stephen Sondheim’s The Frogs, but Brad marks his first role on Broadway.
Lorna Courtney Is the New Janet
Courtney returns to Broadway after earning a Tony nomination for originating the title role in & Juliet.
She has also appeared in Dear Evan Hansen and West Side Story and recently starred in the U.K. world premiere of Disney’s The Greatest Showman.
The trio joins a cast that includes Rachel Dratch as the Narrator, Amber Gray as Riff Raff, Harvey Guillén as Eddie/Dr. Scott, Josh Rivera as Rocky, Sherie Rene Scott as Magenta and RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Valentina as Columbia.
‘Rocky Horror’ Is Having a Major Broadway Moment
Directed by Oh, Mary! Tony winner Sam Pinkleton, the revival opened at Studio 54 in April and earned nine 2026 Tony Award nominations, including Best Revival of a Musical.
More than 50 years after Richard O’Brien’s musical debuted in London, its celebration of sexuality, gender nonconformity and unabashed self-expression continues to resonate with queer audiences.
Its legacy extends far beyond the stage. The 1975 film adaptation became a cult phenomenon thanks in part to decades of midnight screenings and audience participation, helping turn Rocky Horror into an enduring piece of LGBTQ+ pop culture.
