Jerry Springer - The Opera forced to stay off Broadway

[TVBoy]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 8:33pm

From "The Independent".....

Now 'Jerry Springer - The Opera' is forced to stay off Broadway

By Anthony Barnes, Arts and Media Correspondent
27 February 2005

A Broadway run of the musical Jerry Springer - The Opera has been scrapped in the fallout from a Christian fundamentalist group's campaign against the award-winning show.

It is the latest twist in an extraordinary few days, which has seen Christian Voice - believed to be little more than a "one-man band" led by Stephen Green - pressure a cancer charity into rejecting proceeds from a gala performance of the show in London. A question mark now hangs over a UK tour of Jerry Springerdue to take place in the autumn, with one theatre having withdrawn and at least one other considering its position.

Jon Thoday, the show's producer, said the financial backer of the New York run had pulled out as a result of developments in the UK. "At the moment it's off ... because of the furore."

The developments have raised concerns that a fringe group can have such a devastating effect on a legitimate stage show, lauded by critics and audiences.

Mainstream Christian groups have distanced themselves from Christian Voice, whose past tactics have included circulating contact details for senior BBC staff - who then received threatening calls.

[CostumeMistress]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 8:35pm

Updated On: 2/7/06 at 08:35 PM

[Plum]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 8:37pm

Wha? An investor backed out because of a fringe Christian group? This is a show headed for friggin' Broadway- Christian fundamentalists aren't exactly the target audience here. Sounds like an excuse to me, but what do I know...

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 8:39pm

Boo censorship. What the hell?

[EdnaSings]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 9:20pm

I saw the show only a few weeks ago and personally my opinion was that I loved it.
Now I know there are people who didn't like it, found it offensive etc, and they're entitled to their opinion, if thats what they think then fair enough.
I found the show funny, brave, intelligent and at the end of the day, just an all round entertaining adult piece of work.
It's thought provoking and NOT to be taken seriously.
At the performance I saw, people did indeed walk out, but before hand we were given a flyer of warning, containing everything you needed to know about the show and what it was about and not explaining themselves, but preparing you for what was ahead, including text from religious representatives about the meanings and undertones etc. There was warnings through out the show, so it wasn't as though you're going in there snow blind, you knew it was going to be about serious themes that were going to be, almost satire.
It is extremely crude (songs included "Chick with a dick" "Momma give me smack on the asshole" "I just wanna ****ing dance"), including a scene where the devil tells Jerry Springer that unless he performed a show for him in hell, he was going to be anally violated with barbed wire. There is a scene where the devil and Jesus have a sing off which ends with the the devil telling Jesus "F*CK you" and Jesus retorting "Talk to the stigmata".
I agree that it is offensive, but I guess my lack of religious inclination helped me enjoy the show on an entertainment one and not one trying to deliver a serious message. I didn't come out of the show shaking my head, I laughed through out the show and afterwards, including one part that reduced me to tears through laughter.
Depending on your taste, depends on whether you find it extremely funny, or extremely offensive. I found it extremely funny, as did my friend who came with me, who had never seen a piece of theatre in her life, was quite religous, but she took it as it was intended, to make you laugh and think at the same time.
Most importantly, the cast and music was outstanding, the music so beautiful at times you forget that the ensomble are cursing like there's no tomorrow. David Bedella was magical as The warm up Guy/Satan, David Soul, although giving a questionable performance (he was a little OTT waiting for laughs that were never to come simply because of delivery) did bring a certain quality to Jerry that was likeable and intriguing to watch.
I suggest listening to the Cd which is the Entire show, live at the National theatre, completely uncut and as I saw it word for word, including all dialogue etc. The website has a few tasters which I would recommend listening to.
At the end of the day, it's not everyones taste and maybe i'm just vulger, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Personally i'm sad it's closed because i'm dying to see it again (thank god for EBay and the people who have made DVD's of the performance when it was screened on the BBC). I can understand peoples outrage at it, but it won't stop me from humming the songs and laughing along at the things I remembered from it.

Edna xoxo

[bjivie2]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 9:20pm

That's too bad. I was looking forward to the show.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 10:01pm

This is stupid and the writers should be ashamed of themselves. One producer pulls out and they say the show won't have a Broadway run? Does that make any sense?

[commasplice]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 10:08pm

I am definitely behind. I thought the transfer was cancelled altogether.

This sucks, though. If you don't like the subject matter, just don't see it. It's that simple. I hope another backer comes in and makes up for this.

[lna]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 10:41pm

There were other problems reported weeks ago, and I thought there were already questions about the show coming to Broadway. So this might have been the last straw, but I had the impression that the show was probably already off.

[zippyjen]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 10:45pm

costumemistress i also saw the show and i loved it. I thought the transfer was also cancelled. Oh and i agree commasplice. If you don't like the subject matter than don't go. Unfortunatelly that is not how our world works.

[loudasthehelliwant]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 11:04pm

That is EXTREMELY disappointing. Those loudmouth religious fanatics shouldn't have any power over shows. If you don't like a show, DON'T SEE IT. Don't close it down b/c its not to your personal taste. Censorship SUCKS!

[wildcat]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 11:42pm

At least it has been filmed. Soon we'll all own our very own copy.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/26/05 at 11:52pm

"Those loudmouth religious fanatics shouldn't have any power over shows."

Loudmouth religious fanatics don't have any power over the show. If they did, they would have stopped shows like Avenue Q, La Cage aux Folles and Rent.

[Plum]

Posted: 2/27/05 at 12:15am

Which is exactly why I find this whole thing very weird...the fundies don't seem to get as involved in New York musical theater as they do in, say, movies or television.

[dapapabear2]

Posted: 2/27/05 at 1:18am

The "christian" fundies in this country are no less fanatic than their twins in the Middle East who have twisted their ownreligion into quest for power and control. Something like this show would set them off into a frothing tantrum and frenzied attack on the arts in general. They have the support of the current regime and it would be very risky to attempt to bring that show here now. It's true that these groups have yet to attempt to exert much influence on NY theater but this one pushes a lot of buttons that most others don't - or at least so openly and aggressively.

I'm not just being paranoid or attacking people's religious beliefs. I was involved for about 10 years with "churches" in this extreme mindset and am really quite alarmed at the extent they have managed to move from fringe to a position of strength. If people don't start taking the threat of their intent seriously there will be a lot more things that people won't dare to produce because of the power they have.

[sipos]

Posted: 2/27/05 at 7:18am

Ok. I see that (dapapabear).

Still. Sigh. .. And then what about EVERY other show come and gone, or still around with language and provocative subject matter like Gotham mentioned? Oh, and maybe a number called "Springtime For Hitler" ... cheese and rice! Were they stopped? No. Why, no, how would these 'groups' attack this show and cause its Great White Way access denied slip (I do know how vulgar JStO gets)?
Jerry Springer the Opera is based on a long running television show with similar language used EVERY day. Dude, go censor that or something. They're all nasty there daily, albeit 'bleeped' accordingly. But to compromise our artistic integrity for a religious belief? Or fear something [???] because of the fraction of the NY theatre community that is conservative ... is so horribly wrong by whatever group or person is not going to let this show happen in the U.S. [meaning Broadway].

[Galahad312]

Posted: 2/27/05 at 7:56am

I totally agree with you. What is happening now is an attck against the arts from religious groups that need to go back to their place and stay away from politics. saddly we do live in a time in which the fundamentalists have gained power in politics.
The Arts should be free from the fundies.
Reminds me of a saying that goes,
``Fire is above water. Fire burns with vigour upwards. Water flows in truth downwards and never the twain shall meet.``

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 2/27/05 at 9:08am

The TV show Jerry Springer has been on television for years. People KNOW what kind of stuff he deals with. It shouldn't be difficult to figure out not to bring the kids. This is absolutely ridiculous.

[CurtainUp2]

Posted: 2/27/05 at 9:42am

Welcome to Bush's America.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/27/05 at 11:17am

To Dapapa

Your saying Christian Fundamentalists are the same as muslim fanatics might be a valid arguement but for 1 thing: I have yet to hear of fundamentalists beheading people & flying planes into buildings & killing thousands. Once they start doing this, I will agree with you 100 %

Springer should go on. Th fundamentalists should be allowed to peacefully protest & the producers should ignore them. They are free to express their views just as those who demonstrated @ the RNC or who "peacfully" demonstrate @ meetings of the World Bank

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/27/05 at 11:31am

I agree that this is completely rediculous. People that are offended by things like that need to go to therapy or something.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 2/27/05 at 11:43am

I'm with those people that don't believe in the Christian Fundamentalist groups involvement. I mean, ANGELS IN AMERICA would have been gone real quick if they had anything to do with it. Along with MANY MANY shows. I think it is just an excuse, my self.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/27/05 at 12:37pm

Let's also remember that Christian Fundamentalists are not the only people that protest. Both "The Capeman" and "Show Boat revival" had visible protests from groups that disapproved.

[Plum]

Posted: 2/27/05 at 12:52pm

Right, but we're just talking about this particular case.

In this country, Christian fundies don't need to resort to terrorism (though in the case of abortion, they do) because it's a Christian country. They're just a more extreme version of the mainstream, so they can use government and other methods within the traditional power structure to get their way.

Once again, I'm with spider on this- Broadway is a target for this kind of stuff much less often than movies and television, and it doesn't seem to me it should be as adversely affected. Everyone already knows theater in NY is more than a little left of center.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 2/27/05 at 1:04pm

I played Mr. Applegate in our community production of Damn Yankees and was actually harassed by name on a Christian Radio Station. My integrity was questioned because I made people like and laugh at the Devil. These people are out of control.