| Jerry Springer - The Opera | Milton Keynes Theatre 18 – 22 April 2006
Mon – Thur eves 7.30pm Fri & Sat 5.30pm & 8.30pm Wed 2.30pm |
The nationwide tour of Jerry Springer - The Opera is to go ahead after 21 regional theatres stepped in to save it from collapse. The Olivier Award winning production, which will now open in Plymouth in January and will be coming to Milton Keynes Theatre from 18 - 22 April 2006. This announcement follows The Arts Council England’s recent refusal to fund the stricken tour, which had suffered the loss of 30 per cent of its venues following well-publicised pressure from Christian Voice. Now the 21 theatres determined to stage the production, including Milton Keynes, have struck a deal with the show's producers Avalon. The theatres have agreed to pool their marketing costs to save money. The show's creative team are waiving their royalties and Avalon are investing £650,000 in the tour. The musical has already been seen by 425,000 people in the theatre and was watched by 2.4 million viewers on BBC Two on 8 January 2005 - a record TV viewing figure for a musical or opera. History Jerry Springer – The Opera made theatre history by receiving all possible theatre awards for Best Musical. (The Olivier Awards, The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards, The Evening Standard Theatre Awards and The What's on Stage Awards). Announcing the show's impending arrival, the Chief Executive of the Milton Keynes Theatre, Richard Wingate explained why his venue was taking the show. “Following its highly successful West End run, Jerry Springer - The Opera will be coming to Milton Keynes Theatre next spring" he said. "We know this widely acclaimed, highly original and very funny musical will entertain and inspire debate, whilst also bringing in a new audience who are keen to see the show for themselves." The two co-writers are also delighted that the tour is going ahead. “Jerry Springer – The Opera was developed on public money in public spaces and belongs to the nation, whether the nation wants it or not" said co-writer and director Stewart Lee. "It would be nice if people outside the M25 could actually get to see it, despite people's best efforts to prevent this.” Freedom Fellow co-writer and composer Richard Thomas agreed: “I am overjoyed Jerry Springer – The Opera is going on tour in spite of such extreme protest. "If the tour had not gone ahead, the result would be that investors and producers would become more and more risk averse. This is a freedom of speech issue. "I am also buying a flak jacket. And sticking close to shadows" he added. Producer, Jon Thoday also added his voice. “I’m delighted that the small minority have not prevented the public from seeing this brilliant show. Freedom of speech and artistic freedom have prevailed" he said. Judgement Meanwhile Stephen Green, National Director of Christian Voice, has condemned the tour. "Stewart Lee has said the tour is not financially viable and he has announced that he does not expect to make and money from it" he said. "Curiously, after the Arts Council refused to fund the run, it seems he has managed to persuade local theatre managements to become financially involved. We shall want to challenge local councillors about their support of such a divisive and anti-Christian production on their doorstep. "This tour can only bring the judgment of Almighty God on the United Kingdom" he added. "The whole nation prayed to God in the name of Jesus Christ just 60 years ago, and God delivered us from the Nazis in answer to that prayer. George Mason, the American Founding Father, said: "As nations cannot be rewarded or punished in the next world, so must they be in this." To publicly blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ is to bring shame and judgment on those towns where it happens and on the United Kingdom as a whole. "However, we are almost ready to issue proceedings for blasphemy on Avalon and the BBC, so the timing of Avalon's announcement is interesting, to say the least." | 
