Dr. Blackwell's BLOG

Friday, September 4, 2009

Green Day’s Musical “American Idiot” Opens in San Francisco

Filed under: Performing Arts,Popular Music — Dr. Christopher Blackwell @ 01:59

AI photo  American Idiot, the musical stage production composed by Green Day featuring songs from the band’s smash hit album American Idiot and this year’s release 21st Century Breakdown opens today in San Francisco. Per Playbill: Johnny, Extraordinary Girl, Whatsername and St. Jimmy — characters from neo-punk group Green Day’s 2004 American Idiot album —officially become part of the American musical theatre landscape Sept. 4 with the first preview of a new musical of the same name. Produced by not-for-profit Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Green Day’s Bay Area stomping ground, American Idiot stars Tony Award-winning actor John Gallagher, Jr., who reunites with Michael Mayer, his Tony-winning director from Spring Awakening. The project, co-conceived by Mayer and Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, will play the Rep to Nov. 1 (which represents a recently announced three-week extension). Opening night is Sept. 16 at the Rep’s Roda Theatre.

Green Day won two Grammys — Best Rock Album and Record of the Year — for its multi-platinum American Idiot, which sold more than 12 million copies worldwide. Here’s how Berkeley Rep characterized the show: “With an onstage band, American Idiot follows working-class characters from the suburbs to the city to the Middle East. In an exhilarating journey borne along by Green Day’s electrifying songs, they seek redemption in a world filled with frustration. This high-octane show includes every song from the album, as well as several songs from Green Day’s new album, 21st Century Breakdown. The world premiere takes off at Berkeley Rep, the Tony-winning playhouse that launched last year’s provocative rock musical Passing Strange.” (Pictured: Green Day supervises rehearsal on their first staged musical production American Idiot).

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