Emily Skinner and Max von Essen Join Jerry Springer Concerts

Emily Skinner and Max von Essen will join the previously announced Harvey Keitel in the forthcoming concerts of Jerry Springer: The Opera at Carnegie Hall. Directed by Jason Moore, the concerts will be held on January 29 and 30, 2008.

Von Essen, who is currently playing Enjolras in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables, will play Tremont, a transsexual involved in a love quadrangle. Skinner, a Tony nominee for Side Show, has been cast as Andrea, whose diaper-loving husband is having an affair with Baby Jane. Also joining the cast are Linda Balgord The Pirate Queen as Zandra, Irene and Mary; Lawrence Clayton Bells Are Ringing as Montel and Jesus; Luke Grooms as Dwight and God; Sean Jenness as Chucky; Sam Kitchin Frozen as Steve; Patricia Phillips The Phantom of the Opera; as Peaches; and Laura Shoop Bernarda Alba, Fiddler on the Roof as Baby Jane. Full casting will be announced shortly.

The ensemble for the concerts of Jerry Springer the Opera will feature Katie Banks, Kristy Cates, Katrina Rose Dideriksen, Patty Goble, Chris Gunn, Celisse Henderson, Robert Hunt, John Eric Parker, Eddie Pendergraft, Richard Poole, Soara-Joye Ross, Tory Ross, Roland Rusinek, John Schiappa, Michael James Scott, Dennis Stowe, Edwin Vega, Sasha Weiss, Betsy Werbel, Jim Weitzer and Lauren Worsham.

Inspired by the talk show host who brought worldwide television audiences episodes including "Pregnant by a Transsexual," "Here Come the Hookers" and "I Refuse to Wear Clothes," Jerry Springer: The Opera features music by Richard Thomas and book and lyrics by Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas. The London production, which opened at the National Theatre on April 29, 2003, and later transferred to the Cambridge Theatre in the West End, won an unprecedented four Best Musical prizes Olivier Award, Critic's Circle Award, Evening Standard Award and What's On Stage Award.

The Carnegie Hall concerts are being produced by David J. Foster, Jared Geller and Avalon Promotions. Musical direction is by Stephen Oremus.