Know Theatre Announces LGBT Theatre Series

In wake of the demise of the New Stage Collective -- something that I still see as one of the great losses to the city out of the economic recession -- the Know Theatre has announced its "ambitious" 2009-2010 series... including the creation of an LGBT Theatre Series.

From the Enquirer:

Know Theatre is in the early planning stages of a biennial, national LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) theatre festival, with events scheduled during the run of "Angels in America."

Bruffy says the closing of Columbus' LGBT performing arts festival, which went dark two years ago, gave Know management the idea of "filling the void."

Bruffy says Know will meet with leaders in the LGBT community later this month to assemble a steering committee to help define the parameters and style of the festival.

He adds that Know will reach out to local troupes like Cincinnati Men's Chorus and MUSE, and put out a national call inviting artists with performances and productions in the realm of LGBT themed works, pending funding.

"Know Theatre is known for giving voice to a diverse spectrum of performers and audiences," Bruffy says. "It is entirely in our mission, and we feel a sense of duty toward giving this community a chance to express themselves and be entertained by a festival created for LGBT works."

The 2009-2010 series will also include a showing (possibly the first professional regional premiere of) Angels in America, which was recently shown here in town by the Xavier Players.

As of right now, there has been no announcement about what will be part of the LGBT Theatre series, but you better believe I've got an email into them to ask for more information -- how exciting!!! I don't know if OUTReels is still around (Cincinnati's LGBT movie festival -- another email to write!), but I definitely think having both in town will be great. Any opportunity to showcase the amazing talents and new views on the queer experience is a great boon for this city.

Thanks to @KnowTheatre for the heads up on Twitter!!!!

The Know is also currently showing Vigils, which is a show I meant to go see but ended up getting called into work for. I haven't had a chance to look into reviews, but, if I get a chance to go, I'll be sure to keep you updated!!! Check out their webpage for more information -- and check out their YouTube preview of the show! If you would like free tickets, their Twitterite has announced that they are hosting a free giveaway contest. Click here for "the rules." :-)

Worst News Ever

New Stage Collective, a theater I started volunteering with this season, will no longer be performing after this season.

From their website:

New Stage Collective, the award-winning contemporary theatre company on Main Street in Over-the-Rhine, announces it will close its final season with Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. NSC Producing Artistic Director Alan Patrick Kenny music directs the iconic 1973 musical at Know Theatre. Wright State Musical Theatre Chair Joe Deer is guest director in his Cincinnati debut. The show features a large cast of talented Cincinnati actors including Amy Warner and Bruce Cromer in lead roles. A Little Night Music opens April 30 and runs for a limited run of 8 performances through May 10.

“A Little Night Music will serve as the swan song for New Stage Collective,” says Kenny, who co-founded the company with Joshua Steele in 2003. New Stage Collective announces the difficult decision to end its amazing, seven-season run after the final performance of A Little Night Music.

In a joint statement, the board of trustees said, “We are heartbroken by this painful, difficult decision to cease further operations. The severity of the economic downturn coupled with rapidly diminishing resources made producing another season impossible.”

“The support from the community has been spectacular throughout our company’s entire history,” says Alan Patrick Kenny. “Unfortunately, we are in a new economic reality. In the past we were able to present amazing works of theatre using incredibly talented artists and very few resources. In this new economic reality, the artistic ideas and the talent remain, but the resources do not. I feel we truly did everything we could to survive, but at the end of the day the board and I made the only responsible decision.”

I'm really, really upset by this news. Me and @jddalton went and watched Bent this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it -- the point that the story line is still haunting me and shaking me up quite a bit. It was a great space, filled with great people, and had great performances. 

I'm really sad to see them go. Make sure you, too, say good-bye and see A Little Night Music.

Non-Review of BENT

This is a non-review because I actually haven't seen the play yet. But, New Stage Collective has opened their much anticipated (for me) play, BENT, about gays in the holocaust:

NSC is honored to present Cincinnati’s first professional production of Martin Sherman’s landmark 1979 drama, Bent. This provocative story follows one man’s journey from the hedonistic cabarets and clubs of 1930’s Berlin to the inhuman excess of an oppressive regime. When Max falls in love with a fellow prisoner he discovers the true meaning of love and self-acceptance against impossible odds. Bent has touched a universal nerve in over 50 countries and over 21 languages, addressing current issues of identity and humanity in the world we live in with passion and humor. Directed by Alan Patrick Kenny.

“A shattering play of intense action, written in the language of the holocaust. One of the most important political and cultural events of the last few years.”

-Christopher St. Magazine

“Martin Sherman’s Bent is relevant to events and facts today of life throughout the world where gay people are often put at a disadvantage by the laws of whatever country they happen to live in. Although things are improving, I think it’s because of this story that Martin Sherman has told so strongly presenting the case for human understanding and what it is to be gay.”

-original Bent star Sir Ian McKellen

I think you should go. You can find out information here. I will probably have a real review by next week.

But reason number one you should go: a really, really hot troupe of male actors. Reason number two you should go: it's a love story (awwww...). Reason number three you should go: male nudity and "adult themes."

Other than that it's a little depressing, I think that just convinced you to go, yea?

PS If you've seen it, email me -- queercincinnati@gmail.com -- with your review and I'll post it!

If I'm great...

...it's because these people are in my life.

In my head, I imagine that all of you are wondering: well, Mr. Barry, if you're VD was so great, what made it so great? I'm glad you asked, because I'll be happy to tell you.

I woke up at 3am, because that's how I roll, to a phone call from a boy I met at the bar two weeks ago who proceeded to wonder, alloud, just how long ago we had met at Shooter's. Once he figured out who I was, and I figured out who he was, the conversation ended shortly with him saying, "Well, I'm going to bed," and a vague promise to respond if I texted him later with plans. Weird.

...to be followed by someone saying they were attracted to me online. Also weird. (I am also attracted to them, but I wonder if it will go anywhere, but there are other issues, no doubt.)

Blah. Made it through the day going stir crazy in my house, when study buddy Michelle picks me up for lunch and, well, studying. We had a ball, I learned everything possible about diabetes, and we moved on with our life. She put up with my insanity for a little while, and that's a great kindness on her part because I think I was mild cabin fevered.

I was all too itchy to leave again once I got home, got on the way early bus to head up to the reopening of Take the Cake, which I had promised @geekjames I would make an appearance at, and where I would be meeting darling @jddalton (I swear, stop changing your twitter name). Take the Cake was fabulous, and the party was hopping. Lots of great Northside folks, lots of amazing food laid out, lots of tasty treats for everyone. After I made a complete ass out of myself and introduced myself to @geekjames' partner (the actual baker), whom I thought was my twitter buddy, I settled in which some fabulous chocolates and deserts. I also learned that I'm not a big fan of dates. That's neither here nor there.

Definitely worth stopping in -- apparently they'll be changing their menu on a daily basis. Very chic. And it's a bakery! C'mon!

Note: This is why I don't do restaurant reviews.

Then we went onto New Stage Collective...

Maybe I wasn't smart enough to get Dead City, but it says something when I start dozing off midway through. It is the play you expect to see at an avant garde theatre -- brilliantly acted and completely unreadable. Not a big fan of esoteric art, really, as I think there should be something there to be understood for everyone. Despite the amazing work of the actors and actually really amazing blocking -- and a few times when it was funny -- it was theatre for the few, not theatre for the masses.

I don't know, maybe it's more in your taste than mine. Tom told me You'll get it later. Well, I could also get an STD later, but that doesn't mean I'm going to spend the time. 

Wow, that was a "bad review." I feel really guilty.

Then @jddalton and I headed down to Below Zero for some cocktails, where our crew grew from him, me, and Queen City Survey, to just him and me, then to himmeandAndrew, then himmeAndrewandAmyandhusband, then himmeAndrewAmyhusbandandVivica (you know how it goes). We had a blast. I even invited the boy who had called me at 3am to join us, but then sat off by himself on the pretense that "I don't want to intrude." Whatever. Off the list of interesting people, on the list of creepy people. We even tried to convince Julie and Katy out, but they were tucked in for their Valentine's Day.

So by the time we reached Shooter's, we were all quite tipsy (BZ was clearing out).

Me and Jeffery!

Blogger photo -- god I'm a nerd

...at Shooter's I met a cute boy who loves Jesus -- we all have our faults :-) j/k -- who had informed me that darling Joe Penno has left even the Pride Committee (what happened to him?). 

I got home somehow, but not after a quick rendez-vous with the cute boy from Shooter's.

And I tucked into bed, where I woke up the next morning in the same clothes I went out the night before.

Overall, the best Valentine's Day to date.

Thanks :-). You guys made it awesome.

Valentine's Day Plan

Jeffery and I have some hot hot hot plans for Valentine's Day, despite both of us being single these days.

First of all, we're going to this fabulous opening of Take the Cake (the newest fabulous restaurant and bakery at 4035 Northside thanks to James H-J). Doesn't this just sound delicious?

A REMINDER! Please mark your calendars to join us for our gala GRAND OPENING PARTY on Saturday, February 14th, from 6-10 PM. ALL ARE WELCOME!

You truly haven't lived until you've seen a bakery case rolling down Hamilton Avenue!

Come to the unveiling! Saturday night's menu is being planned - beef tenderloin and Vietnamese hoagies are just part of the feast. Work continues and is almost finished in the new space - new equipment is arriving, art is being hung, furniture is getting put in place, the sound system is installed, wifi is getting turned on, and we are getting more excited by the minute for our move to 4035 Hamilton Avenue in Northside! You haven't lived until you've seen a bakery case rolling down Hamilton Avenue!

We were already sweet, now we're sweet and more! Along with our wonderful sweets for which we've always been known, in the new cafe, our menu is expanding to include an array of savories. We'd love to see you for breakfast or lunch, or a cupcake and a cuppa joe!

And don't, of course, forget to join their facebook page.

And then we are going to go put in some "hard labor" to enjoy the theatrical stylings of New Stage Collective's Dead City, which was recently reviewed by the Enquirer as being amazing (though I can't find the review I just read yesterday).

Oh, and then, of course, drinkie-poos at Below Zero just around the corner. (Which, of course, you are allowed to join us at. Come get your picture taken with QueerCincinnati.com I only sign autographs for people who buy me a drink.)

You know, Valentine's Day may suck, but I am so looking forward to this year's! What are you doing?

Two things you may note from this post: 1) I have access again :-). 2) I don't have the access enough to check the responses to this week's QUESTION FOR FRIDAY. So, for now, you'll have to do without... until tonight, at least, when I get all tucked in for jammies Friday at casa de QueerCincinnati.

Oh, and in case you already haven't, please donate to me for the Heart Mini-Marathon and Walk. It's going to the American Heart Association, so the money's going to a good place, and I want to rock out my team (of which you'll notice I'm number 2 in my team in fundraising -- I want to be number 1, be-otches!!!!)

GAY STUFF: Addenda to Favorite LGBT Movies

So the recent OUT magazine had a list of the grosses of "gay-themed" movies (or movies with gay characters), and I wanted to comment on a few.

Movies that most definitely should have been on my favorite list...
1) Transamerica(2005) -- Most definitely one of the best movies of all time. Felicity Huffman got it right and it was amazing. The subject was done perfectly, and it was singularly one of the most beautiful movies ever put together.

2) Wonder Boys (2000) -- I bought this off a clearance rack because "oh, it looks cute." And, despite any overt gay themes, Robert Downey Jr's gay sexual predation was just beautifully done. The trannie at the beginning with the tuba was freakin' hilarious too.

3) History Boys (2006) -- Again, bought it off of a clearance rack at Tim's squeal that "OH MY GOD THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PLAY." It also comes off real well as a movie, and the cast is stellar and charming. It also introduced to me his hotness, Dominic Cooper. PS -- New Stage Collective is putting this on this season.

4) Shortbus (2006) -- The Goober brought this one over. It is most definitely not safe for children, but is an interesting exploration into queer sexuality and sexualities. It ends ... differently, I think, than expected and it has enough interesting commentary on orgasm and sex and love between people to keep you interested.

Movies that would not have ended up on my list but deserve comment...
1) I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007) -- Lame, lame, lame, lame. I hate Adam Sandler, and I think this movie was bullshit even if they did wrap it up in a nice politically correct package near the end.

2) Blades of Glory(2007) -- I lost a lot of respect for the magazine when I saw this listed as a gay movie. Also, lost a lot of respect for Hollywood that this is only one of four movies from 2007 they could identify as having an overt gay theme.

3) Brokeback Mountain (2005) -- The Brokeback revolution failed, and the movie moves slowly. It was OK as an art piece, but was mostly disappointing as an entertaining movie.

4) The Family Stone(2005) -- I don't view this as gay at all save for the incidental gay couple... but bravo to the creators for making theirs the healthiest relationship in the movie.

5) Happy Endings (2005) -- I recommend this to my friends to watch because it's just downright funny. "When you're a gay man and your urologist says 'yea, I choose you,' you just can't be insulted" -- it's a funny, healthy gay movie.

6) Gay Sex in the '70s (2005) -- Saw it at Adonis as part of OutReels... this is for anyone who wishes they had been alive during the sexual revolution of the 70s and that the whole pesky AIDS thing never showed up.

7) Kinsey (2004) -- It's worth a view, though with a grain of salt. It actually turns into a more interesting commentary on the ineffectiveness of Kinsey's method and his own questioning of sexuality than anything at all.

8) Saved! (2004) -- I can't believe they're turning this into a Broadway musical. Can't they leave well enough alone? Besides, the song Rock Me Sexy Jesusis already taken.

9) Eating Out(2004) -- The Goober and I watched this this weekend. The only reason anyone watches it is for the full frontal nudity. I think this is far more "typical" of a gay movie than even Trick.

10) Under the Tuscan Sun(2003) -- I wonder if, when Sandra Oh and Kate Walsh met on the set of Grey's Anatomy, did they say "we were lesbian lovers before." My mommy let me borrow this one and I still have it.

11) Mambo Italiano (2003) -- Another bargain bin purchase. It's cute, it's sweet, and it's kind of like Big Fat Greek Wedding but gay and Italian.

12) Far From Heaven (2002) -- Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad movie. I remember coming out and going "this isn't what we thought we were going to see at all."

13) The Rules of Attraction (2002) -- I really like this movie, and I don't know why. I really liked the cast -- Sannyn Sossamon really is a great and beautiful actress, and you can't deny how beautiful Ian Somerholder is. And James Van Der Beek actually proves he may have some talent. It's bizarre, but fun to watch.

14) Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) -- Two words: creepy backstory. Thanks, end of story.

And, of course, things I want to see on this list:

Sordid Lives
Yossi and Jagger
Ethan Mao (I actually own it but never watched it...)
Party Monster
At Home at the End of the World (also own it)
Imagine Me and You
The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Greene (I love the comic)
Capote (also own...)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Running with Scissors

And where is Y Tu Mama Tambien or Infamous on this list???

Also not on this list but worth a quick note...

Stonewall (1995) -- Yet another bargain bin movie, before they even tried to make independent movies look nice. It's two people's stories up to the Stonewall rebellion. And there's some unnessary partial nudity in it, which is always fun with indies. My favorite part is the song "Mine eyes have seen the suff'rin' of the Negroes and the Jews..." LOL I watch it regularly, but it appears to be only on VHS in the world.

OHIO/CINNKY: New Stage Collective Needs Your Help!

From an email by the ever fabulous Erica McKeown over at New Stage Collective:

This is either an encouraging note to apply or

Please forward to any TALENTED and RELIABLE people you know ;-)

NSC seeks Stage Managers, Designers, and Technicians for 2008-2009 NewStage in the City Season

New Stage Collective, a professional and award-winning theatre company (6 Cincinnati Enquirer Acclaim Awards and 18 CityBeat Cincinnati Entertainment Awards for 2007-2008 Season) located on 12th and Main St. in the heart of Over-the-Rhine's Entertainment Quarter seeks Stage Managers, Assistant Stage Managers, Assistant Directors, Dramaturgs,Props Masters, Lighting Designers, Sound Designers, Costume Designers, Sound Board Operators, Technical Assistants, and Backstage Crew for it's 2008-2009 New Stage in the City Season! Opportunities available on all productions, so please visit out website at www.newstagecollective.com for more information about our company and our upcoming season. NSC is heading into it's 7th season of producing
innovative and passionate theatre in Cincinnati and we'd love to have you join us!

Please send a resume to Executive Director Erica McKeown at SMEricaMcK@gmail.com or if needed you can contact her at 513.621.3700 ex. 0. Please include a cover letter (or a paragraph in the body of your email) letting her know what areas you are interested in and what shows you are available for in NSC's 2008-2009 Season.

She says to plese forward on if you know of anyone who might be interested, and especially please post to your blog if possible!

(Never thought you'd see job postings here, did you?)

OHIO/CINNKY: Jerry Springer the Opera Review --- AWESOMENESS

(Picture from Facebook and New Stage)

I volunteered for New Stage Collective this weekend as an usher for Jerry Springer: The Opera, and I have one very strongly worded thing to say...

It was amazing.

The whole thing is an orgy of camp and insanity. It's funny because I guess I didn't know what I was getting into when I walked in the door -- are we noticing a theme here when I go to New Stage? LOL -- because I didn't know what all the fuss was about. I had heard about the protesters, but I didn't know why they were protesting.

After all, it's just a musical about the Jerry Springer show? Right?

Abso-fucking-lutely wrong.

Though the first Act (1 hour) was what you would expect from a musical about Jerry Springer, you start to realize one thing: this ain't no Broadway show. It is done in complete operatic style with only the narrator (Jerry Springer) speaking any of the words. For a Broadway queen like me, I found myself annoyed when things like I Just Wanna Dance come up and you just want this giant, drag-queen inspired dance number...

...but the opera is part of the camp. It makes it infinitely funnier. The actors at New Stage were excellent, and, though there were only a brief moment here or there (I can't really point one out because there were so few and far between) where you think the cast is in on the joke with you, they play it off dead pan and straight faced throughout.

But it's the second act (1.25 hrs), I discovered, that got people all riled up.

Apparently saying that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was "raped by an angel" is offensive to some people. Or, having Jesus imply that he's a little gay is wrong in some people's book. Blah blah blah. Go home and shut up protestors. The show is humorous and fun, and it's meant as a satire, not as anything serious.

If God did not mean us to have fun, he would not have given us the ability to laugh.

I 100% recommend this show. If you see nothing else ever in your lifetime, this one is worth your time and money (or simply your time, as volunteers get in for free -- Ms. Erica over there is more than willing, I'm sure, to take up as much of your time as you're willing to give :-) -- and PS some of the actors and workers there are HOT; seeing HotTom over there is always fun, though).

I don't want to run down the individual cast reviews, but I'll point out some highlights:

1) Will Reed (who plays God in the second act) is phenomenal. Thank God for him :-).

2) The guy who plays the trannie ("chick with a dick with a heart") is really very, very good... and to pull off that roll as a straight male, well, sister's got some acting talent!

3) The actress playing Baby Jane was beautiful and sentimental. That's a weird way to say that she put an amazing amount of emotion into that role. It stood out for me, moreso than any of the other recurring parts.

4) The I Just Wanna Fucking Dance ... I love a woman who is proud of her body and willing to show it off. And her voice was to die for.

Anyways, go see it, love it, and then check out next season ... *SQUEALS* HISTORY BOYS!!!!! *SQUEALS!!!* (I do know what that's about...)

LOL, I'm not very good at reviewing things. It's hard to say "God that's good" over and over and over again and not sound repetitive.

OHIO/CINNKY: Jerry Springer the Opera -- ONE WEEK

I have like 100 things to post, including my 7 busses in 24 hours story, but I'm tired from taking 7 busses in 24 hours. I'm going to nap, but I wanted to post this vid of the run through of New Stage Collectives Jerry Springer: The Opera. . . OPENS IN ONE WEEK!!



Just a reminder... Per Penny Tration, here are the opening night plans (which I will not be a part of, but you may want to be ... I'll be there Friday night ushering.) After the show, there is an after-party for the cast and watchers at Below Zero Lounge. It should be a fabulous night, kids!!!

And don't forget to check out New Stage Collective's website for ticket purchasing information.

OHIO/CINNKY: then after water

(re some of my photo's lately, I've been having problems lugging my nice camera around lately, so I've been using my camera phone. many apologies.)

Spent some time at New Stage Collective this weekend as part of the Fringe festival. See, I'm impoverished at the moment, so I am falling back on "old habits" -- volunteering to peddle my way into a good show.

I had emailed Erica over @ NSC to beg to usher for Jerry Springer the Opera, blogged about once and twice before, and she asked if I would be interested in helping out with this.

I did, and I have to say this about the play I say, then after water... the best way to ruin a great festival, excellent acting, and an amazing location is to put this show on. My major problem with the play was not that it was poorly written or poorly executed. Rather, since I knew nothing about the back story walking in, I spent the entire show trying to find out what was going on. Oh, I finally got to say in the final 5 minutes of the show, that's why everyone's sad. I know I can be slow, but I really tried to figure out who had died, or maybe been kidnapped, the whole time. Knowing what I know, it would be nice to go back and watch it and see if it was worth it. But I don't want to risk falling asleep again.

There will be people that say you should know something about what you are going to see before you go. I disagree with that because I don't think I should already know the end of the play before it begins. It's like journalism: give us the point first, and then work from there. Don't start me off in the middle of the story.

From the Cincy Fringe Festival flyer:

Available Light, "Columbus's own theatrical force of nature" (Columbus Alive)
presents then after water by Jennifer Fawcett. Inspired by real events, this
60-minute drama is an amazing love story about an act of violence that shatters
five lives at once. Moving in time between 1979, 1980, and 1999, then after
water tells the story of Ana and Ben, a young couple, who are suddenly
separated while driving home from a party, and David, the couple's son, who
still struggles with the consequences of that night, 20 years later.

Having read that, I really wish I'd liked it because it could have made for such a great psychological piece, and a really good drama. The acting was pretty good (the trucker was a little too much at times, but Ben and Ana were cute as a couple). I liked the three car setting, though I think they got a little "trigger happy" with how many times they could move them there in the last 20 minutes or so. But it and I were not meant to be, and I have to say that I'm glad I didn't pay for it.

On the bright side, it was my first time in NSC's AMAZING space, and the people that work there were great. And, of course, cutie-patootie Tom (one of the Stage Managers of this season) was a real DOLL. I would go back just to hang out with him :-)

PS If you were there, that was me behind the concessions counter. Although it was a poorly attended play. I am curious to know how the rest of the festival is going, and not just the bar things. But this was my first time participating in the festival, and next year I'm volunteering for something that involves half-naked men.

OHIO/CINNKY: Jerry Springer, the Opera, Take 2

Follow up to blog post about New Stage Collective's presentation of Jerry Springer: The Opera.

I am on darling Penny Tration's listserv -- which always serves as an exciting and wonderful reminder of what's going on in the world of gay Cincinnati -- and she informs me that her partner is the lead role in the play!!!!! :-) So you know, definitely, that I will be watching for him!!! (He's made darling Penny so so happy; I've known her for many many years, and it makes me glad to know that she's this happy. Through everything else, and I'm sure she's 100% aware of what's gone on, she's been wonderful to me and truly dear. There is so much grand and good karma that I wish upon her.)

Anyways, I have been informed that there will be an after-party after the premiere on June 26th @ Below Zero, at approximately 1030pm. Now, I have been judgmental about Below Zero in the past, as I had not been there. I will say this, now that I have visited: it is a very nice bar. I did not get a sense of the crowd as it was last call when AM and I walked in, but it was a very nicely laid out bar. And I was very happy to see some friendly and wonderful faces working there. I had a great time, the 30 minutes I was there. I'm sure I will have a great time there after the opening of the show.

To check out the show and purchase your tickets -- Penny is trying to get the show sold out at the premiere, which should not be difficult -- go here, they are $21. There are no assigned seats.

PS I just noticed that my tag for the company, New Stage Collective, is "New Stage Collection. Hrm. Fixed!

OHIO/CINNKY: New Stage Collective

In my desire to become more involved with my city, I learned one of my coworkers at the hospital, in addition to being a season ticket holder to several local arts organizations like the Cincy Ballet and CCM, volunteered for the New Stage Collective. I've always been impressed with this group, along with other local theatre organizations like ETC, so I asked her to shoot me an email with information on how to volunteer. She takes the information and tells me that the season is almost over, but let me see, they were doing something this summer...



I don't think she expected the QUEENY response, the twitching, jumping, and gasping, I gave her. I tried to express to her the importance of the song I Don't Want to Fucking Dance, especially to a drag queen, but it looks like that is on my plate for the summer. Info from the New Stage Collective website about the event:

NSC is thrilled to present the regional premiere of the sensational, award-winning musical Jerry Springer: The Opera. The only work in British history to win Best Musical in all of their major awards: Olivier Awards, Critic's Choice, Evening Standard, and What's On Stage - along with many other awards, Jerry Springer: The Opera is a fascinating mix of the highest form of art and the lowest form of culture - opera and daytime television. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Jerry Springer: The Opera presents a series of unusual characters that each are desperate for their “Jerry Springer moment." In Act 1, we attend a particularly dramatic taping of Springer’s show. In Act 2, we find Jerry hosting in a very different place as he is forced to experience the worst day of his life, and his guests take the level of debate to operatic heights.

“I remain convinced that this is a musical with a touch of genius about it. It’s filthy, it’s funny, it’s brilliantly original and, taken all in all, about as much fun as you are likely to have with your clothes on. A unexpectedly moving, thrilling, truly ground-breaking hit.”
-The Daily Telegraph

“Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee’s rhapsodic look at talk-show trashiness has the power to exhilarate that you associate with old-style Broadway musicals. Caricaturing or condemning reality television is easy; finding the emotional hunger behind the same phenomenon and translating it into witty, oddly moving music is genius.” -The New York Times

Show goes on June 26-August 13. I'm going, and I'll probably be volunteering. Who's with me???

And, for the uninitiated, this is the song:



(And no, the movie bits are not part of the stage show.)