Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom
Encyclopedia
Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom is a controversial stage musical
first performed in Australia in 1989, written by Daniel Abineri
and is a satire
on religion and rock and roll
.
in 1989 and featured Russell Crowe
in the title role. Bad Boy Johnny enjoyed a six-month run in Melbourne
and Sydney
, won two International Pater Awards for best libretto
and score, and spawned a cast album on WEA
and a top ten single "Enemy The Sun". The late Australian pop singer Troy Newman
who took over the title role, is heard on the official cast album and single in place of Russell Crowe.
In April 1993 a showcase performance of the musical, directed by Daniel Abineri was performed at Jacksons Lane Community Theatre N6. Performing in the cast were 80s pop band Then Jerico
singer Mark Shaw in the title role, Daniel Abineri as Father McLean with Elizabeth Carling
from TV's drama series Boon
, Sebastian Abineri as Pope Liberty III,Jody Saron as desire and Cathy Murphy and Matt Selby in supporting roles.
On 26 January 1994 Bad Boy Johnny was re-mounted as a five week limited showcase run at The Union Chapel in Islington
London
, again directed by Daniel Abineri and starring Craig Ferguson
and Mark Shaw it also featured Cornel John as Charlie Fortune, Anna Jacysaon as Mary, Eve Barker as Desire, Stephen Marcus
as Pope Liberty, and Sandra Bee, Perry Benson
, Louisa Casano, Mark Frost, Daniel Kyle and Louise Anne Wesley as the ensemble.
The production became a cause celebre and made front page news when an order of irate nun
s, the London arm of Opus Dei
, The Daily Telegraph
theatre critic Charles Spencer
and the Church Council of Great Britain complained that it was "offensive and blasphemous". After the intervention of the Church Council the production closed down after nine performances. In spring 2010 a new production of the show toured throughout the UK. A new UK production is being planned for 2012.
and forms a band, the Prophets Of Doom. He is discovered and managed by his evil parish priest Father MacLean.
Booked onto an X Factor
-type show called Have Your Say, Johnny is voted by the public as the person the world would like to see as the new Pontiff
. However, the current incumbent, the obese Pope Liberty III, is not going to step down. Enter Johnny’s number one fan Desire who, disguised as a nun, tries to seduce Liberty, leading him to die of a massive heart attack.
So Johnny is ordained as the peoples’ Pope. However, he learns that MacLean rape
d his mother in the confessional
box when she was just sixteen and that he is in fact Johnny’s father. Things get even worse for Johnny when it then transpires that Maclean murdered Mary in order to get his hands on Johnny. Johnny swears revenge, so MacLean plans to have his client assassinated live on his TV show ‘The Vatican Tonite’.
1993 London Showcase Cast
1994 London cast
2010 UK touring cast
Band
Nuns backing vocals
Directed by Daniel Abineri.
cast recording of the 1989 Australian production was released on WEA 903171155-1.
In 1990 a CD cast recording of the 1989 Australian production was released on WEA 003171155-2.
Although it is noted that the title of the show differs and is called "Bad Boy Johnny and the Profits of Doom" and not "Prophets"
Note extra songs Sweet Virgin Mary performed by Johnny in the show and "Nobody Told Me" performed by Pope Liberty did not feature on either the LP or CD.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
first performed in Australia in 1989, written by Daniel Abineri
Daniel Abineri
Daniel Abineri is an English actor, songwriter and playwright, famous for writing the book, music and lyrics for the controversial musical Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom....
and is a satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
on religion and rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
.
History
Written in 1986 by Daniel Abineri it premiered in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1989 and featured Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
in the title role. Bad Boy Johnny enjoyed a six-month run in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, won two International Pater Awards for best libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
and score, and spawned a cast album on WEA
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
and a top ten single "Enemy The Sun". The late Australian pop singer Troy Newman
Troy Newman (Australian singer)
Troy Newman was an Australian singer-songwriter and musician who was a member of Perth pop, rock band Boys from 1987 to 1988 and also had a solo career, releasing two albums, Gypsy Moon and It's Like This before he died in March 1997....
who took over the title role, is heard on the official cast album and single in place of Russell Crowe.
In April 1993 a showcase performance of the musical, directed by Daniel Abineri was performed at Jacksons Lane Community Theatre N6. Performing in the cast were 80s pop band Then Jerico
Then Jerico
Then Jerico are a British rock band who became popular in the late 1980s.-Career:Mark Shaw formed the band at the age of 21, recruiting bassist Jasper Stainthorpe and drummer Steve Wren and poaching guitarist Scott Taylor from Belouis Some....
singer Mark Shaw in the title role, Daniel Abineri as Father McLean with Elizabeth Carling
Elizabeth Carling
Elizabeth Carling is an English actress and singer best known for her performances in Boon, Goodnight Sweetheart, Barbara, and Casualty...
from TV's drama series Boon
Boon (TV series)
Boon is a British television drama and modern-day western series starring Michael Elphick, David Daker, and later Neil Morrissey. It was created by Jim Hill and Bill Stair and filmed by Central Television for ITV...
, Sebastian Abineri as Pope Liberty III,Jody Saron as desire and Cathy Murphy and Matt Selby in supporting roles.
On 26 January 1994 Bad Boy Johnny was re-mounted as a five week limited showcase run at The Union Chapel in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, again directed by Daniel Abineri and starring Craig Ferguson
Craig Ferguson
Craig Ferguson is a Scottish American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, author, and producer. He is the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS...
and Mark Shaw it also featured Cornel John as Charlie Fortune, Anna Jacysaon as Mary, Eve Barker as Desire, Stephen Marcus
Stephen Marcus
Stephen Marcus is a British actor, best known for his role as Nick the Greek in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels....
as Pope Liberty, and Sandra Bee, Perry Benson
Perry Benson
Perry Benson is an English character actor best known for his regular roles in British television sitcoms You Rang, M'Lord? , Oh, Doctor Beeching! and Operation Good Guys .-Movie career:...
, Louisa Casano, Mark Frost, Daniel Kyle and Louise Anne Wesley as the ensemble.
The production became a cause celebre and made front page news when an order of irate nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s, the London arm of Opus Dei
Opus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
, The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
theatre critic Charles Spencer
Charles Spencer (journalist)
Charles Spencer is a British journalist. He has been the drama critic of The Daily Telegraph since 1991. In 2006, Compton Miller of The Independent wrote in a profile: "This convivial ex-alcoholic is best remembered for his description of Nicole Kidman's nude scene in The Blue Room as 'pure...
and the Church Council of Great Britain complained that it was "offensive and blasphemous". After the intervention of the Church Council the production closed down after nine performances. In spring 2010 a new production of the show toured throughout the UK. A new UK production is being planned for 2012.
Synopsis
Born on the wrong side of the tracks to a single mother and part time prostitute called Mary, Johnny steals his first guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and forms a band, the Prophets Of Doom. He is discovered and managed by his evil parish priest Father MacLean.
Booked onto an X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
-type show called Have Your Say, Johnny is voted by the public as the person the world would like to see as the new Pontiff
Pontiff
A pontiff was, in Roman antiquity, a member of the principal college of priests . The term "pontiff" was later applied to any high or chief priest and, in ecclesiastical usage, to a bishop and more particularly to the Bishop of Rome, the Pope or "Roman Pontiff".-Etymology:The English term derives...
. However, the current incumbent, the obese Pope Liberty III, is not going to step down. Enter Johnny’s number one fan Desire who, disguised as a nun, tries to seduce Liberty, leading him to die of a massive heart attack.
So Johnny is ordained as the peoples’ Pope. However, he learns that MacLean rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d his mother in the confessional
Confessional
A confessional is a small, enclosed booth used for the Sacrament of Penance, often called confession, or Reconciliation. It is the usual venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church, but similar structures are also used in Anglican churches of an Anglo-Catholic orientation, and also in the...
box when she was just sixteen and that he is in fact Johnny’s father. Things get even worse for Johnny when it then transpires that Maclean murdered Mary in order to get his hands on Johnny. Johnny swears revenge, so MacLean plans to have his client assassinated live on his TV show ‘The Vatican Tonite’.
Original song list
Taken from the 1990 CD recording.- Let us Pray performed by Father MacLean
- Another Day performed by Mary
- Bad Boy Johnny performed by Johnny and the Prophets of Doom
- What U Want performed by Charlie Fortune and the Prophets of Doom
- Have Your Say performed by Johnny and the Prophets of Doom
- Maybe He's The One performed by the Cardinals
- Enemy The Sun performed by Johnny
- Kissing God performed by Desire
- Make me Divine performed by Mary and Father MacLean
- Bye Bye Johnny performed by Father Maclean
- I Believe performed by Johnny
Song List (2010 UK Tour)
- Intro performed by Johnny
- Let Us Pray performed by Father MacLean
- Another Day performed by Mary
- Sweet Virgin Mary performed by Johnny
- Kissing God (once) performed by Desire
- Bad Boy Johnny performed by Johnny and the Prophets of Doom
- What U Want performed by Charlie Fortune and the Prophets of Doom
- Have Your Say performed by Johnny and the Prophets of Doom
- Nobody Told Me performed by Pope Liberty
- Have Your Say (reprise) performed by Charlie Fortune and the Prophets of Doom
- Maybe He's The One performed by the Cardinals
- Johnny Is The King performed by Father MacLean
- Enemy The Sun performed by Johnny
- Kissing God (twice) performed by Desire
- Make Me Divine performed by Mary and Father MacLean
- Bye Bye Johnny performed by Father MacLean
- The Power & the Glory performed by Johnny
- Let Us Pay performed by Father MacLean
- I Believe performed by Johnny
Productions
1989 Australian Cast- Russell CroweRussell CroweRussell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
as Johnny - Troy NewmanTroy Newman (Australian singer)Troy Newman was an Australian singer-songwriter and musician who was a member of Perth pop, rock band Boys from 1987 to 1988 and also had a solo career, releasing two albums, Gypsy Moon and It's Like This before he died in March 1997....
as Johnny - Daniel AbineriDaniel AbineriDaniel Abineri is an English actor, songwriter and playwright, famous for writing the book, music and lyrics for the controversial musical Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom....
as Father MacLean - Wendy StapletonWendy StapletonWendy Anne-Marie Stapleton is an Australian pop/rock singer-songwriter, and musical theatre and television actress. Stapleton has performed as a backing singer, session musician and a solo artist; she fronted various Melbourne-based groups including Wendy Stapleton Band and Wendy & the Rocketts ...
as Mary - British actor Gary OlsenGary OlsenGary Olsen was an English actor.Olsen was born in London and lived with an aunt and uncle, after losing both his parents at an early age. He attended the Archbishop Tenison's Church of England School in Kennington...
as Pope Liberty III - Steve BastoniSteve BastoniSteve Bastoni is an Italian Australian actor. He is best known for his role in Police Rescue as Constable Yannis 'Angel' Angelopoulos and as Steve Parker in Neighbours.-Television:...
as Charlie Fortune - Nadine GarnerNadine GarnerNadine Lynette Garner is an Australian actress.-Biography:Garner first came to public attention in 1985, as Tamara Henderson in the Australian TV series, The Henderson Kids, and then in her debut film The Still Point...
as Desire - Brian MannixBrian MannixBrian Mannix is an Australian rock music singer and actor.He guest-starred in several episodes of Australian soap Neighbours in 1993 as Conor Cleary, a love interest for Lauren Carpenter....
, Wayne Pygram and Liam Shields as The Cardinals
1993 London Showcase Cast
- Mark Shaw as Johnny
- Daniel AbineriDaniel AbineriDaniel Abineri is an English actor, songwriter and playwright, famous for writing the book, music and lyrics for the controversial musical Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom....
as Father MacLean - Elizabeth CarlingElizabeth CarlingElizabeth Carling is an English actress and singer best known for her performances in Boon, Goodnight Sweetheart, Barbara, and Casualty...
as Mary - Matt Selby as Charlie Fortune
- Sebastian Abineri as Pope Liberty
- Jody Saron as Desire
- Cathy Murphy as a nun and various other characters
1994 London cast
- Mark Shaw as Johnny
- Craig FergusonCraig FergusonCraig Ferguson is a Scottish American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, author, and producer. He is the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS...
as Father MacLean - Cornel John as Charlie Fortune
- Stephen MarcusStephen MarcusStephen Marcus is a British actor, best known for his role as Nick the Greek in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels....
as Pope Liberty - Anna Jacysaon as Mary
- Eve Barker as Desire
- Sandra Bee, Perry BensonPerry BensonPerry Benson is an English character actor best known for his regular roles in British television sitcoms You Rang, M'Lord? , Oh, Doctor Beeching! and Operation Good Guys .-Movie career:...
, Louisa Casano, Mark Frost, Daniel Kyle and Louise Anne Wesley as Cardinals/Ensemble
2010 UK touring cast
- Steve Steinman as Father Maclean
- Dawn Spence as Mary
- Henry Bird as Bad Boy Johnny
- Emily Clark as Desire
- Mike Taylor as Pope Liberty
- Nick Newbould as Charlie Fortune
Band
- Jordan Bracewell guitar
- Ben Grimsley bass guitar
- Nickky Miller drums
- Arthur Bird keys
- Laura Manship sax
Nuns backing vocals
- Jodie Cooper
- Chloe Bass
- Emily Clark
- Shereen Webb
Directed by Daniel Abineri.
Cast recordings
In 1989 an LPLP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
cast recording of the 1989 Australian production was released on WEA 903171155-1.
In 1990 a CD cast recording of the 1989 Australian production was released on WEA 003171155-2.
Although it is noted that the title of the show differs and is called "Bad Boy Johnny and the Profits of Doom" and not "Prophets"
Note extra songs Sweet Virgin Mary performed by Johnny in the show and "Nobody Told Me" performed by Pope Liberty did not feature on either the LP or CD.