American Idiot, music by Green Day, lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong, book by Armstrong and the director Michael Mayer, is an In-Your-Face (and Ears and Eyes) rock musical with an undercurrent of anger and rebellion. Though filled with references like The War now going on, it's fairly non-specific. The loose-limbed casual dancing seems to be singers dancing rather than dancers singing as it stays within the context of inept youth rebelling. The melodies are simplistic to a simple beat. I know, I know, they sold millions of albums. And the entire audience the night I attended, including my date, an Australian Anthropologist, knew the songs.
The singer/actors are all excellent, the music rather engaging. What kept me entranced were the stunning visuals of the design. With myriad TV screens on the four-story-high set (designed by Christine Jones), fascinating projections (by Darrel Maloney), and dazzling lighting (by Kevin Adams), I enjoyed the show. Still, I often found myself to be an observer rather than an empathetic participant in the problems of the angst-ridden youth who are tempted by The Devil, yea unto becoming a junkie.
There is a wonderful flying sequence and some numbers that really work like "Wake Me Up When September Ends." Mayer keeps it moving, and the dazzling visuals keep it all exciting, so all in all, it's a nice psychedelic trip. And it has the hottest, cutest conductor in town for the band - Carmel Dean -- who is visible in the wings.
Previews:
March 24, 2010
Opened:
April 20, 2010
Ended:
open run
Country:
USA
State:
New York
City:
New York
Company/Producers:
Tom Hulce & Ira Pittelman, Ruth & Stephen Hendel, Vivek J. Tiwary & Gary Kaplan, Aged in Wood & Burnt Umber, Scott M. Delman, Latitude Link, HOP Theatricals & Jeffrey Finn, Larry Welk, Bensinger Filerman & Maellenberg Taylor, Allan S. Gordon & Elan V. McAllister & Berkeley Repertory Theater.
Theater Type:
Broadway
Theater:
St. James Theater
Theater Address:
246 West 44th Street
Running Time:
90 min
Genre:
Rock Musical
Director:
Michael Mayer
Choreographer:
Steven Hoggett
Review:
Cast:
John Gallagher Jr. (Johnny), Stark Sands (Tunny), Michael Esper (Will), Rebecca Naomi Jones (Whatshername), Christina Sajous, Mary Faber (Heather), Tony Vincent (Jimmy), Declan Bennett, Gerard Canonico, Miguel Cervantes, Joshua Henry, Van Hughes, Brian Charles Johnson, Joshua Kobak, Lorin Latarro, Omar Lopez-Cepero, Leslie McDonel, Chaes Peacock, Theo Stockman, Ben Thompson, Alysha Umphress, Aspen Vincent, Libby Winters.
Technical:
Set: Christine Jones; Costumes: Andrea Lauer; Music Superv: Tom Kitt; Musical Dir: Carmel Dean; Video: Darrel Maloney; Lighting: Kevin Adams; Sound: Brian Ronan.
Critic:
Richmond Shepard
Date Reviewed:
April 2010
