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Though Jeffery Lesniak's favorite musical is "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," he's never seen its parent production, "The Rocky Horror Show," onstage.

"I've wanted to do the show since forever," said Lesniak, 43, of Ellicott City. "I know how I wanted to do it. I didn't want to see it and get somebody else's ideas mixed up with my own."

Lesniak's vision for "The Rocky Horror Show" comes to fruition starting with a midnight show Friday, Halloween, at Greenbelt Arts Center. His various roles in the production, fostered by his experience as a photographer, musician and director, help keep his version of the show intact.

"I'm the music director, I do the set design, I'm doing the lighting design," he said. "I'm the producer, I did the programs, I did the photography for the posters. I've done everything but choreography, costumes and makeup. I know what I want for the show."

The theater doesn't sell tickets in advance, but instead reserves seats. Many of the seats for the opening show have already been reserved. Unclaimed seats will be released for sale 15 minutes before curtain time, said Greenbelt Arts Center General Manager Misha R'Kingsley.

The show, originally scheduled for the 2007-08 season, was postponed due to low turnout at the summer auditions, Lesniak said. This season, thanks to an earlier audition held in the spring, there was no shortage of people interested in wearing the requisite fishnet stockings and 5-inch stacked heels.

The most popular part at the auditions was Magenta, the big-haired maid. In most productions of the musical, whoever plays Magenta also plays the usherette who sings the show's opening tune, "Science Fiction/Double Feature".

"It's the opening song," Lesniak said. "People really just want to sing that song onstage."

But it's the opening notes of "Sweet Transvestite" that Eric Jones, 20, the production's Dr. Frank-N-Furter, is most looking forward to.

"In the movie theaters, people start to cheer just when they hear that drumbeat in anticipation of what's to come with Tim Curry (the actor who played the role in the film)," said Jones, of Frederick. "In a very self-glorifying way, I'm eagerly anticipating hearing that and hearing the audience and that sort of change of energy having just come out of ‘Time Warp.'"

Jones, who said he first fell in love with "The Rocky Horror Show" at 13-years-old, is part of the Satanic Mechanics, a theater group from the University of Maryland, College Park, that shadow casts, or acts out the film in front of an audience, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and other films, such as Rocky Horror's sequel, "Shock Treatment," a couple times a semester.

Lesniak's love of the musical comes from his pre-shadow casting college days, when moviegoers simply dressed as the characters and sang along with the screen. He said he'd be disappointed if audience members at the Halloween show didn't dress up and participate in some way.

For anyone who needs more encouragement to dress like their favorite "Rocky Horror Show" character, the nearby New Deal Café at 113 Centerway Drive is hosting a costume party at 8 p.m. before the Halloween show.

Jones, however, said he needs no encouragement.

"I've been doing drag since I was 16 and I've been wearing fishnets since I was 13," he said. "I've got no reservations, none whatsoever. I'm leaping at the chance to do it."

IF YOU GO

The Rocky Horror Show

-When: Midnight Friday; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Nov. 7 through Nov. 22; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2 and Sunday, Nov. 9

-Where: Greenbelt Arts Center, 123 Centerway Drive, Greenbelt

-Tickets: $18; $12 seniors and students

-Box office: 301-441-8770