A scarecrow depicting Dr. Frank-N-Furter from The Rocky Horror Picture Show was stolen from Kellogg Park in downtown Plymouth, Michigan, just days after the display drew criticism from residents. The display had been put up for an annual community fundraiser, and its disappearance set off a wave of local support that led artist Patrick Cox and his daughter to rebuild it from scratch.
According to WXYZ Channel 7, police are investigating the theft. The rebuilt scarecrow, which Cox and his daughter have dubbed Frank-N-Furter 2.0, is now back up in Kellogg Park. Cox said the rebuild drew an outpouring of people offering help and donations, including an item contributed by a local hairdresser, and that he and his daughter did not hesitate to put the figure back together so, as he put it, the show could go on.
The original Frank-N-Furter display was part of the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce's annual Scarecrows in Park event, which fills Kellogg Park with scarecrows crafted by local businesses each fall. Cox said he and his daughter, who is transgender, had spent significant time and money creating the depiction before it was taken.
PFLAG Weighs In on the Motive
Plymouth Canton PFLAG, an LGBTQ advocacy group, intended the display to honor queer icon and late actor Tim Curry, who originated the Frank-N-Furter role. Laurie Mayers, the group's past president, said the theft reflected some community members' upset and lack of understanding. She said Frank-N-Furter challenges the gender binary, which she believes may have offended some people and motivated the theft.
Mayers said the display symbolizes LGBTQ people's presence and right to representation in the community. The scarecrow's design had already stirred complaints before it disappeared — complaints that, per the earlier WXYZ report, prompted PFLAG to consider covering the figure partly with a surgical gown. The group ultimately decided against it, and the display stayed unchanged, with the scarecrows across Kellogg Park set to remain up 24/7 through Nov. 2.
A Parade and Celebration Planned
Plymouth Canton PFLAG will host a parade and celebration in Plymouth on Saturday. Interested participants can meet at the scarecrow in Kellogg Park at 6 p.m., and the group plans to include people dressed as Frank-N-Furter along with a Time Warp dance. Mayers said the celebration will feature costumed participants, a march and the dance routine from the film.
Parade participants will march around the block of Main Street before returning to the park. The event marks the second time this fall that a Kellogg Park scarecrow has gone missing — a scarecrow dressed in a National Guard uniform and bulletproof vest was also stolen from downtown Plymouth, according to Fox 2 Detroit. Michigan Army National Guard recruiter Sgt. Gabrielle Lynn had been in charge of erecting that display.
The annual scarecrow tradition draws wide participation each year; the Plymouth Community Chamber of Commerce had planned to display 100 scarecrows in Kellogg Park in 2023, with registration opening Aug. 1 and drawings held Aug. 30 that year. Participation fees that year ran $75 for Chamber members, community groups and residents, and $65 for nonprofit organizations.
