Arts & Entertainment
Jerry Springer Opera Draws Controversy at Beck Center
Award-winning musical starting Feb. 18 is highly criticized and has stirred protests from church organization.
In its latest high-profile production, will be presenting “Jerry Springer: The Opera” later this month, and controversy is coming with it.
America Needs Fatima, an off-shoot Catholic organization, has been rallying across the United States and the United Kingdom, attempting to discourage attendance to the award-winning musical, and is now placing the Beck Center in its crosshairs.
Available on the group’s website is a pre-made email message for visitors to send directly to the Beck Center’s inbox. Part of the message reads as followed:
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“As a Catholic, I vehemently protest your hosting "Jerry Springer: The Opera." I have read a description of this play and am shocked at its blasphemous representation of things absolutely sacred to our Faith.”
So far, the Beck Center has received more than 15,000 of these almost identical messages.
“As far as we know, it seems like they’re prepared for when someone does something blasphemous,” said Scott Spence, the artistic director for the Beck Center. He said the performance has plenty of controversial subject matter.
“Act three takes place in hell and features characters like Jesus and Satan, but it’s really just a set-up of the show.”
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However, Spence isn’t worried. He said the Beck Center isn’t expecting this to adversely affect ticket sales, and that if ANF arrives at the event to protest, it should only happen opening day.
“It’s not a big deal," he said. "They have their freedom of assembly.”
A representative of ANF declined to comment.
The musical is a satirical depiction of the popular talk show that made its television debut in 1991. Characters include Ku Klux Klan members, strippers and biblical figures.
It’s not meant for kids or anyone else easily offended.
“The production is not ant-Christian. It’s not anti-religion,” said Spence. “It’s anti- Jerry Springer audience fans.”
“Jerry Springer: The Opera” runs at the Beck Center for the Arts from Feb. 18 to March 27.
For more information, or to buy tickets, visit Beck's online box office, or call 216) 521-2540
