It’s been said that the real Jerry Springer once envisioned his show, with its outrageous characters and trashy scenarios, being made into a country-western musical one day. But British duo Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas took a less predictable route in re-envisioning the famed talk show as an operatic saga. Their work, Jerry Springer: The Opera, had its Canadian premiere last winter with an immensely popular run at Hart House Theatre.

To satisfy demand for more Springer, the theatre’s 2009-2010 season opens with a restaging of the hit play. Last year’s assistant director Mark Selby takes over the director’s chair from Richard Ouzounian, while Byron Rouse reprises his lead role as ex-mayor of Cincinnati and beloved talk-show legend Jerry Springer.

While some have been eager to write off the show based on its crass subject matter, Selby warns audience members not to be fooled by the silly premise. “People come in expecting two fun hours at the theatre, and are a little shocked by the intellectual angle that the show suddenly takes [in the second act].”

Although on the surface, it’s not meant to be taken seriously, there is an underlying sophistication buried beneath the bitch fights and four-letter words. Those who protest the show, Selby remarks, “are the ones that just hear that we have a gay Jesus, or a tap-dancing Ku Klux Klan member…but the fact is that this show actually makes a point.”

“It’s a satire,” Rouse explains. “I’ve said this before and I’ve gotten in trouble for it, but I’ll say it again: smart people understand satire.”

The cast’s attitude is anything but amateur, and both Selby and Rouse applaud the ensemble.

“They are all fantastic musicians and all terrific actors,” Selby gushes. “They all bring so much to the studio audience [played by] the cast of the show. I mean, everyone’s really stepping up and making it an incredible experience.”

Rouse has a similar admiration for his co-stars: “I’ve been in big shows before, but when they say that it’s ‘starring Byron Rouse’ I don’t necessarily believe it. Actually, it’s the ensemble that’s the star, because they do some really great work. They put a ton of work into this show.”

Most importantly, Selby and Rouse advise the audience to (in the words of the character Jerry Springer himself) “have yourselves a good time” and get tickets early. If last year’s production was any indication, this show is going to sell out pretty quickly.

Jerry Springer: The Opera runs at Hart House Theatre from September 24 to October 10. Tickets are $15 for students.