Having played London and taken in numerous awards, including the Olivier Award for Best Musical, "Jerry Springer the Opera" is finally coming to America. The musical will preview on March 17 and 18, performed concert-style at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas as a benefit for Las Vegas-based HIV/AIDS charity Golden Rainbow.
Bringing the preview to America is Suzanne Childers, owner of Las Vegas-based Choozi Entertainment, in partnership with Michael Brennan, Music Director for the Las Vegas production of "Mamma Mia." The pair was granted the license to produce the concert version of "Jerry Springer the Opera," which was originally produced by Avalon in London. The show is staged in the MGM Grand's Hollywood Theatre. Show time is 1 p.m. each day and stars performers from "Folies Bergere," Jubilee!", "Mamma Mia" and "Phantom of the Opera." Artie Anderson, whose acting credits include "8 Simple Rules," "Home Improvement," "The Bold and the Beautiful" and "3 rd Rock from the Sun" will lead the cast as Jerry Springer. The concert version will feature minimal staging to emphasize the music. Childers said, "I want the audience to have the same reaction to the music that I did when I first heard it. I was bowled over by the brilliance of the writing, especially the European operatic music references used to assimilate dialogue, subtle and not-so-subtle." Two choreographed numbers will remain intact, with the addition of a line of tap dancers, choreographed by Childers.Videos