Green Day's "American Idiot" announced for Sept debut at Berkeley Rep- Page 6

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 8/21/09 at 2:00pm

GOD I wish I lived out there. Such an amazing album...

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/21/09 at 2:54pm

Damn...THAT'S a good looking cast. Hope it makes it back east!

Posted: 8/21/09 at 7:11pm

I just can't believe they're in Rolling Stone. That's so cool for them.

[Ariella]

Posted: 8/23/09 at 2:27pm

I love that a Tony Kushner play that happens to be directed by Michael Greif counts as rock cred. That's kind of awesome.

Things are looking good. Berkeley Rep's various blogs (linked at RS) are worth checking out too; they seem to be updating coverage fairly regularly.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 8/23/09 at 7:35pm

I can not hear enough about this production. Is it sad every day I check, hoping to hear something, ANYTHING? I don't know what has gotten into me--but I'm obsessed

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/23/09 at 8:56pm

Wend....not much to tell...still in rehearsals...doesn't start previews until next month. Only scheduled to run for 4 or 6 weeks.

Gerard is having a blast.

[jrnelson90]

Posted: 8/23/09 at 10:46pm

Today they did they first full run of the show for Green Day to get their opinion and approval

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/23/09 at 10:48pm

Yes, sounds like it went well.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 8/24/09 at 6:46am

I know theres not much to report yet, but I keep hoping there will be. I've been listening to GD non-stop, which is so unlike me. I really don't know what about this production has me so obsessed...

[Leia947]

Posted: 9/3/09 at 4:15pm

It's already been extended:

http://www2.broadway.com/buzz/performances-start-berkeley-reps-american-idiot-extends-three-weeks/

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/132513-American_Idiot_Yet_to_Open_Gets_Three-Week_Extension_in_CA

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/3/09 at 4:18pm

Good for them....let's hope it lives up to the hype!!

[Leia947]

Posted: 9/3/09 at 4:20pm

I wish it would extend through November... I'm gonna be very close to Berkley for Thanksgiving!!!

[Kad]

Posted: 9/3/09 at 4:24pm

From what I knew of the show before it started rehearsals out there, and from what I heard from cast members... it's going to be pretty damn awesome. I wish I could go out there and see it, but at the same time I'd be FLOORED if it didn't transfer at some point in 2010.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/3/09 at 4:26pm

I'm not sure how much wiggle room it has to extend...only another 2 or 3 weeks, based on their schedule. Something else is slated to play in early December...and they'll need to tech.

Posted: 9/5/09 at 1:03am

Obviously the 1st preview isn't over yet, but I'd love to hear any reviews/tidbits of tonight's show if anyone went.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 9/5/09 at 10:09am

Me too!!! I woke up this morning and ran to the computer hoping there would be a review SOMEWHERE!

[GoodbyeLoveRENT]

Posted: 9/5/09 at 11:44am

I've been searching like crazy for reviews but have also pretty much failed. The closest I could get was a tweet..

"holy **** that was amazing tonight. awesome performance of the American idiot musical"

[exedore]

Posted: 9/5/09 at 5:45pm

There are some reviews on the greendaycommunity.org board, all of which are raves.

And if they're making the band's fans happy? Great sign.

[The Glorious Ones]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 2:41am

Be warned, this is kind of long and rambling, as I try to parse out all my thoughts on the show.

For those of you who have the chance to see this show out in Berkeley, DO SO NOW. I was fortunate enough to snag front-row, dead center seats at the last minute for Sunday?s preview, and I am so glad I did. With Passing Strange and the soon-to-open In The Next Room (The Vibrator Play) under their belt, I can?t imagine that this won?t transfer to Broadway, where I can easily see it becoming the next hot ticket.

American Idiot tells the story of three friends (John Gallagher Jr., Michael Esper, Matt Caplan) in suburbia at the beginning of the Bush?s second term. Facing a general sense of ennui and need to get out and do something with themselves, they go in search of that something. Caplan?s character ends up joining the army, Esper has to stay home in suburbia when he learns his girlfriend is expecting, and Gallagher hits up The City in search of fun, love, and drugs. Their intertwined stories are told through the entire American Idiot album, along with some unpublished material and a few songs from 21st Century Breakdown. There?s no dialogue, save for some brief monologues by John Gallagher Jr?s character (?Johnny?).

Also, having seen both Glee and Taking Woodstock in the past week, I think John Gallagher Jr. has the most potential of his Spring Awakening co-stars. As a quirky a-typical leading man, he?s the perfect choice to embody the spirit of Green Day?s music, able to be both an engaging lead you want to invest in, but also able to be a realistic, rebellious everyman.

Michael Mayer has done a wonderful job weaving the songs, the sparse dialogue, and the plot together for a one-act, 88-minute show that plays like an epic music video (and I say that in a good way). There are definite similarities to Spring Awakening ?a young couple copulates on a moving platform, the chorus does jerky movements reminiscient of the Supercalifragilistic dance on meth ? but without a clunky book to interrupt the action (as I felt was the case in Spring Awakening), the result is a seamless stream of montages and movements that takes us between the three stories.

The program notes call the set the most technically advanced set Berkeley Rep has ever done, and as soon as the curtain rose, I could see why. The set itself is a large, industrial space with a loading door and scaffolding, with every surface wallpapered by political and popculture posters circa 2004. And then inset within the walls are several dozen TV screens, and when the curtain goes up they?re playing rapid-fire montages of the Iraq War, Family Guy, news broadcasts, commercials, and then there?s a perfect moment when the images all fall into sync ? I can?t help but think the inspiration came from the opening lyric of ?One nation controlled by the media/Information age of hysteria.?

I wish I was more familiar with the album, so I could elaborate more on how the songs were used, so if you have a burning question, PM me and I?ll try to remember. But I will say that the highlight for me was ?Wake Me Up When September Ends?, which is the somewhat 11-o-clock number, and has been beautifully re-orchestrated and rearranged for the three leads as they prepare to reunite, and after you?ve been witnessing their journey, it becomes this heart-breaking realization of having to grow up and move on with your life.

That in essence is what makes American Idiot succeed where so many other jukebox musicals fail. Because it was written with the intent of having a through-line, rather than having a through-line thrust upon it, putting the musical stories of these songs on stage together connects all the dots and drives home the narrative.

[Craww]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 3:46am

I can't even lie, the more I hear about it the greater this sounds.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 5:41am

Glorious Ones--your review made me my day. Thanks for sharing!

And I'm with you Craww, the more I even THINK about this production, the more excited I get.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 10:47am

Could you post a song list if one was provided in the playbill? I'm curious what songs they used from 21st Century Breakdown.

[The Glorious Ones]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 11:50am

The programs don't include a songlist, but I know it included:

from 21st Century Breakdown
-21 Guns
-Know Your Enemy
-Last Night On Earth
-one more (the director's notes say it uses four songs)

from the bonus tracks of American Idiot
-Too Much Too Soon

and then one unpublished song written for Billie Joe Armstrong's wife.


I also want to say that the whole thing has an Across The Universe feel to it, especially with it's themes of 20-somethings angsting against politics, but does it all much better and in a shorter show.

[jrnelson90]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 12:09pm

It did include a flyer with a song list the second night, 9/5.

1. American Idiot
2. a. Jesus of Suburbia
b. City of the Damned
c. I Don't Care
d. Dearly Beloved
e. Tales of Another Broken Home
3. Holiday
4. Boulevard of Broken Dreams
5. Favorite Son (American Idiot B-side)
6. Are We The Waiting
7. St. Jimmy
8. Give Me Novocaine
9. She's a Rebel
10. Last Night On Earth (21st CB)
11. Too Much Too Soon (American Idiot B-side)
12. Before the Lobotomy (21st CB)
13. Extraordinary Girl
14. Before The Lobotomy (Reprise)
15. When It's Time (Unpublished song)
16. Know Your Enemy (21st CB)
17. 21 Guns (21st CB)
18. Letterbomb
19. Wake Me Up When September Ends
20. Homecoming
a. Death of St. Jimmy
b. East 12th Street
c. Nobody Likes You
d. Rock and Roll Girlfriend
e. We're Coming Home
21. Whatshername

Updated On: 9/8/09 at 12:09 PM

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 12:31pm

I found it hard to get excited for this production. I couldn't see the music being played out on stage. After reading that review, I must say I'm beyond excited. I really hope this transfers!