Jerry Springer - The Opera

Jerry Springer – The Opera is a musical written by Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas, based on the television show The Jerry Springer Show. The show is also notable for its high quantity of profanity, its unusual depiction of the Judeo-Christian tradition, and surreal images such as a troupe of tap-dancing Ku Klux Klan members.

History

Battersea Arts Centre

Richard Thomas's first opera, Tourette's Diva, was performed at London's Battersea Arts Centre in May 2000, and featured two members of a dysfunctional family singing obscenities to each other. This was an inspiration for his one-man show How To Write An Opera About Jerry Springer, which was performed at the Battersea Arts Centre in February 2001.

Related Topics:
Battersea Arts Centre - May 2000 - Dysfunctional family - February 2001

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In May 2001, Thomas returned to the Battersea Arts Centre with his show How To Write An Opera About Jerry Springer, accompanied by four singers. It was not a success. Stewart Lee teamed up with Thomas, adding additional dialogue and the two began to write Jerry Springer – The Opera.

Related Topics:
May 2001 - Stewart Lee

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The show received its first performance, while still under development, at the Battersea Arts Centre in August 2001, with a cast of twelve. It ran for a week, and sold out. When the show returned to the centre in February 2002, it was nearer completion, and the three-week run sold out in advance.

Related Topics:
August 2001 - February 2002

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Edinburgh Festival

The show was performed in concert at the Edinburgh Festival in August 2002. It was a critical success, selling to packed houses in the 750-seat Assembly Rooms. Jerry Springer himself came to see the show and endorsed it, stating, "I wish I'd thought of it myself."

Related Topics:
Edinburgh Festival - August 2002 - Jerry Springer

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Following the show's success, Nicholas Hytner requested to include the show in his opening season as director of the National Theatre in London.

Related Topics:
Nicholas Hytner - National Theatre - London

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National Theatre

The first fully-staged production of the opera was performed at the National Theatre on April 29, 2003, with a cast of 33, including Michael Brandon as Jerry. It was a major success, playing to packed audiences, and receiving extremely favourable reviews. All the tickets for the first run of performances were sold a week before the first performance.

Related Topics:
National Theatre - April 29 - 2003 - Michael Brandon

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The show had its final perfomance at the National Theatre on September 30, before moving to the West End.

Related Topics:
September 30 - West End

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Cambridge Theatre

On November 10, 2003, the show opened at the Cambridge Theatre with the same cast as the National Theatre production, and ran there until February 19, 2005, before starting a tour of the United Kingdom.

Related Topics:
November 10 - 2003 - Cambridge Theatre - February 19 - 2005 - United Kingdom

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On July 12, 2004, David Soul took over the role of Jerry from Michael Brandon.

Related Topics:
July 12 - 2004 - David Soul

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Broadway

In May 2004, the show's producers announced that it would be moving to Broadway, New York City, in October 2005, following a short run in San Francisco in the Spring. The move was cancelled following campaigning by Christian pressure groups. Prior to the cancellation, Harvey Keitel and Kevin Kline were approached to play the lead role, and David Bedella(Warm-up Man/Satan) was under contract to resume his role on Broadway.

Related Topics:
May 2004 - Broadway - New York City - October 2005 - San Francisco - Harvey Keitel - Kevin Kline

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UK Tour 2006

In September 2005, seven months after the show closed in London's West End, it was announced that the show will be going on a tour of 21 regional theatres around the United Kingdom. This tour was originally threatened when 30% of the theatres scheduled to host the show pulled out when the Christian group Christian Voice said that it would picket them. A further setback to the tour was the decision of Arts Council England to turn down a bid for funding, though they denied that their decision was due to pressure from Christian organisations.

Related Topics:
September 2005 - United Kingdom - Christian Voice - Arts Council England

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The tour will run for 22 weeks, starting at the Theatre Royal in Plymouth on January 27.

Related Topics:
Plymouth - January 27

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