When Opera Is Offensive: Protesting a Jerry Springer Production
Perhaps it is easier to list what is not attacked in this brutal ridiculing of the Catholic faith. The production is called "Jerry Springer--The Opera in Concert" and it will run from June 26-August 3 at the New Stage Collective in Cincinnati. The so-called opera will also be showing at The Studio Theatre in Washington D.C. from July 16-Aug. 10
America Needs Fatima protests this production. We are asking friends and supporters to send their e-protests to both theaters right away. ANF is also promoting a protest outside the Cincinnati theater on opening night on June 26 from 6-8 p.m.
ANF has already been active in protesting this production. Hundreds of people were out for opening night at Carnegie Hall in New York last January.
ANF has been asking its supporters to send protest post cards to the Cincinnati theater where workers have already admitted that they have received 14,000 letters from people protesting the show
The “opera” defies description in detail since it contains so much profanity and blasphemous content. Even the Cincinnati theater recognizes what the “opera” contains what it calls “potentially offensive themes and extensive language.”
Rally of reparation for the Jerry Springer show in front of Carnegie Hall on January 29, 2008
Some disturbing examples of what is in the “opera” include:
• The crucifixion is mocked and the Eucharist is trashed
• There is a lady singing “Jerry eleison” (mocking the Mass: Kyrie Eleison)
• Jesus is introduced as “the hypocrite son of the fascist tyrant on high.” He wears a diaper, is fat and effeminate and later admits: “Actually, I am a bit gay.”
• Eve gropes Jesus in a manner too indecent to describe while the Annunciation is described as a rape.
• God is a fat man in a white suit who complains about being blamed for everyone’s problems. He invites Jerry Springer to join Him to “sit in Heaven beside me, hold my hand and guide me.” At the end, Jerry emerges as the true savior of mankind.
ANF protests such an indecent portrayal and finds objectionable the fact that God and Christ are made to say the most filthy and absurd things. The profanity-laced production considers nothing sacred.
The “opera” has earned its blasphemous reputation. In London, the debut was the subject of a libel suit for defaming Christians. When it was to be aired on the BBC, it drew more than 60,000 complaints. It was also recently canceled in Sydney, Australia.
In face of such insults to the Faith, Catholics cannot remain silent. That is why ANF is asking friends and supporters to make their voices heard by sending an e-protest which will be forwarded to both theaters automatically. Please attend the public act of reparation at the New Stage Collective in Cincinnati!
The public rally in Cincinnati will be held Thursday, June 26, from 6-8 pm at:
1140 Main Street
New Stage Collective Theater
For more information call Mr. Pat Ashcraft:
(513) 793-5872
If you people think that flooding theatre companies with unnecessary, pointless, and ineffective email will stop performances of Jerry Springer: The Opera --- you are surely mistaken. When Christ gave the Great Commission in Matthew 25, He wasn't referring to emil.
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