'Springer' Musical Wins Four Olivier Awards

Hollywood Reporter ^ | 02.23.04

[Cathryn Crawford]

LONDON (Hollywood Reporter) - The scatological and obscenity filled "Jerry Springer -- The Opera" won four honors including best new musical at the 28th Laurence Olivier awards on Sunday.

Based on Jerry Springer's notorious television talk show, the production has music by Richard Thomas and book and lyrics by Thomas and Stewart Lee. It also landed awards for David Bedella as best actor in a musical; for the chorus of the show as best supporting performance in a musical; and for Mike Walker, best sound.

The "Springer" production was developed at the National Theater and is now running at the Cambridge Theater through January 2005.

The Olivier Awards, organized by the Society of London Theater, took place at the Park Lane Hilton

Maria Friedman was named best actress in a musical for "Ragtime." Matthew Kelly won as best actor for "Of Mice and Men" and Eileen Atkins was named best actress for "Honor." The prize for best new play went to "The Pillowman" by Martin McDonagh, another National Theater production.

Kevin Spacey presented a lifetime achievement award to six-time Olivier Award-winner Judi Dench for outstanding contribution to British theater. Her first prize as best actress was for "Macbeth" in 1977 and her most recent was for "A Little Night Magic" in 1996.

A complete list of winners follows:

Best new musical: "Jerry Springer -- The Opera," music by Richard Thomas, book and lyrics by Thomas and Stewart Lee at the National Theater Lyttleton and Cambridge

Outstanding musical production: "Pacific Overtures," music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by John Weidman, additional material by Hugh Wheeler at the Donmar Warehouse

Best actress in a musical: Maria Friedman for "Ragtime" at the Piccadilly

Best actor in a musical: David Bedella for "Jerry Springer"

Best performance in a supporting role in a musical: The chorus of "Jerry Springer"

Best new play: "The Pillowman" by Martin McDonagh at the National Theater Cottesloe

Best actress: Eileen Atkins for "Honor" at the Cottesloe

Best actor: Matthew Kelly for "Of Mice and Men" at the Savoy

Best performance in a supporting role: Warren Mitchell for "The Price" at the Apollo

Best director: Michael Grandage for "Caligula" at the Donmar Warehouse

Best revival: "Mourning Becomes Electra" by Eugene O'Neill at the National Theater Lyttleton

Best entertainment: Duckie's "C'est Barbican!" devised and written by Mark Whitelaw, Ursula Martinez, Christopher Green, Marisa Carnesky, Francesca Baglione and Simon Vincenzi, scored by Ian Hill at The Pit

Best new opera production: English National Opera's "The Trojans" (Parts I and II) at the London Coliseum

Outstanding achievement in opera: Cristina Gallardo-Domas for The Royal Opera's "Madama Butterfly" at the Royal Opera House

Best lighting design: "Pacific Overtures" designed by Hugh Vanstone

Best sound design: "Jerry Springer" designed by Mike Walker

Best set design: "Hitchcock Blonde" designed by William Dudley at the Jerwood Theater Downstairs at the Royal Court and the Lyric

Best costume design: "Power" designed by Christopher Oram at the National Theater Cottesloe

Best theater choreographer: Karen Bruce for "Pacific Overtures"

Most promising newcomer in an affiliate theater: Debbie Tucker Green for "Born Bad" at Hampstead Theater

Outstanding achievement in an affiliate theater: The Young Vic for an audacious season under the artistic direction of David Lan

Best new dance production: "Broken Fall," a George Piper Dances commission in association with The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House

Outstanding achievement in dance: Thomas Edur and Agnes Oaks for their performances in English National Ballet's "2 Human" at Sadler's Wells.

[Cathryn Crawford]

I love fine art.

[Scenic Sounds]

How can you consider "Jerry Springer - - the Opera" to be in the category of "fine art" or even art at all. I'm sure it's nothing but wall-to-wall S, M, U, T smut!!

[Cathryn Crawford]

Perhaps I just have better tastes than you!

[Scenic Sounds]

Well, "perhaps" I've added a keyword to the article!!

[Cathryn Crawford]

Well, "perhaps" so have I!

[Puppage]

"Jerry Springer -- The Opera" won four honors including best new musical at the 28th Laurence Olivier awards on Sunday.

Of course it did. This is the UK, and this "opera" perpetuates the Americans as uneducated, cursing, violent,trailer park living cowboys. My apologies to people who live in trailers.

[In_25_words_or_less]

the production has music by Richard Thomas

John-boy! Noooooo! ;o)

[headsonpikes]

Just as MAD and pulp SciFi were arguably the most original American literary creations of the last half-century, so musical comedy has been the acme of American musical creation.

Jerry Springer - The Opera may be seen in retrospect as the American 'Ring'.

[GSWarrior]

Springer and Olivier--2 words one wouldn't expect to see in the same sentence.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Perhaps Rosie O'Donnell can be convinced to invest $10 million to bring it to Broadway.

[Scenic Sounds]

John-boy! Noooooo! ;o)

I remember wheh he went off to college.

Wow, it seems like only yesterday - he's probably all grown up now. ;-)

[hosepipe]

[ The scatological and obscenity filled "Jerry Springer -- The Opera" won four honors ]

GET OUT!....(push)

[Cronos]

How can you consider "Jerry Springer - - the Opera" to be in the category of "fine art" or even art at all. I'm sure it's nothing but wall-to-wall S, M, U, T smut!!

have you seen it? I saw it at the london west end last month -- it's great and really mocks the TV show.

[Scenic Sounds]

have you seen it? I saw it at the london west end last month -- it's great and really mocks the TV show.

I don't see anything anymore. All is smut!

Just Say No To
Cultural Suicide!

[King Prout]

oh, they wouldn't mind that (and it IS more true than not) except that we cussin', fightin', iggerunt cowboys RULE THE WORLD.

[mollynme]

I'll be there next month. I hadn't put it on my list of possible plays to attend but may rethink.

[joesnuffy]

The scatological and obscenity filled "Jerry Springer -- The Opera" won four honors including best new musical at the 28th Laurence Olivier awards on Sunday. The Olivier Awards, organized by the Society of London Theater

Its so funny how the elite 'detest' the kinds of 'gauche' entertainment of the untermenchen...yet when they enjoy they very same smut....then it's called 'fine art'...

[Cronos]

Some must-sees (if youhaven't seen them already):
The Mousetrap, Chicago, Les Miserables, Modern Miss Millie and Bombay Dreams

[Cronos]

Joesnuffy. Have you even seen the Musical???

[mollynme]

Some or all of our group has seen the first 3. The last 2 are on the list. Now if we can just get the cheap tickets..