Green Day's "American Idiot" announced for Sept debut at Berkeley Rep- Page 7

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 12:33pm

Thank you for posting the song list.

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 1:16pm

Wow, this sounds amazing. Wish I could find a way out to California to see it.

[jrnelson90]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 1:42pm

As I've stated before, I am a big Green Day and theatre fan, so I was very excited for this production. I traveled out from Utah last Thursday to go see the Friday production, and was so blown away, I found a ticket to go see it again on Saturday.

The energy in this show is great, and really shines through in songs such as Favorite Son (sung by Joshua Henry, and backed by the female ensemble of Christina Sajous, Alshya Umphress, Morgan Weed, and Libby Winters), St. Jimmy (Tony Vincent is a punk-rock god in this scene!), Letterbomb (Rebecca Naomi Jones plays the part of rage-driven Whatshername perfectly here), and Wake Me Up When September Ends (There is some beautiful accoustic guitar playing here by John Gallegher Jr, Michael Esper, and Matt Caplan). There are also some spectacular stunts done by Christina Sajous and Matt Caplan during Extraordianry Girl (which I won't reveal because it would spoil it).

Theo Stockman fans will also love his great parts in Holiday, Too Much Too Soon, and East 12th Street (Ironically, they played the episode of 30 Rock in which he has a cameo on my flight out).

Also, getting to talk with so much of the cast before flying out, and while out there was amazing! John Gallegher is one of the sweetest guys I've ever had the pleasure to meet, and I encourage anyone that is going to take some time to talk with him! But all of the cast is really open, and loves talking with both Green Day and theatre fans alike!

The show is by no means in its final form, but it is still very polished! I got to chat with Michael Mayer and Billie Joe for a little bit (not together), and they are both very excited with how things are going and have very high hopes.

I will be flying out again once it is in its final form, and I'll be sure to post my review on here.

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 3:36pm

I apologize if this has already been discussed, I didn't read all 7 pages of the thread...

Is this show Broadway bound?

[wendilin622]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 4:30pm

Not officially (at least to my knowledge) but dear god do I hope to hear about a broadway transfer soon.

I'll be the first one to get tickets!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 5:08pm

They are certainly hoping so! I would guess the EARLIEST it could be here would be Spring, but some have speculated not until Fall '10.

We still haven't heard any definite news about Catch Me If You Can.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 9/8/09 at 7:31pm

I don't want this to transfer to Broadway, I want it to open up a sit-down production in Knoxville (I know, that will never happen in my lifetime). I'm glad to see that this show seems to be headed on the right track. I hope it has a very successful like after its run in California. I was already very interested in this show and now I'm even MORE interested.

Posted: 9/8/09 at 7:48pm

Michael Mayer has said "New York" bound. Not necessarily Broadway.

[sarahjean]

Posted: 9/9/09 at 1:12pm

I attended the 8pm show last night, and I think it's fair to say that I was really, really excited about it -- with this cast and Michael Mayer at the directing helm, I had pretty high expectations for American Idiot.

For the most part, I wasn't let down. I'm not really sure that the show as it stands right now is Broadway-worthy, but it's still in previews and certainly, the potential is there.

First, the things I loved:

- The cast. American Idiot undoubtedly has an ensemble cast, and for good reason. Every single person on stage had AMAZING energy throughout the show, and there wasn't a faulty voice among them. I was blown away from everyone's performance. The only person not on stage last night was Theo Stockman, whose parts were covered by Gerard Canonico. Tony Vincent's part must have literally been written for him, because the high notes he hits are just perfect for his voice, and the sounds throughout the show manage to maintain a great balance of rock and pure musicality.

- The set. I loved the set -- it was innovative, interactive, and engaging. Definitely had a Spring Awakening feel to it. My one complaint (and this applies to the show in general) was that it felt somehow more New York than San Francisco, which is where the show is supposed to be set. We got hints (like a character wearing an "I Hella <3 Oakland" shirt) but overall, I think that if I were watching the show on Broadway, I'd assume that Johnny escaped surburbia to the Big Apple, not SF.

- The choreography. It was rough at times (and it's still a preview, so that's to be expected) but when it was on, it was ON. Particularly a scene by Christina Sajous and Matt Caplan in which they are both extended above the stage -- they were both SO graceful, and made the dance-in-the-air look seamless and effortless. Not to mention the fact that their voices hardly seemed effected at all as they were spinning around in the air.

If I were to pinpoint the show's major flaw, it would definitely be the story. Right now, the show runs at 85 minutes without an intermission. It's not until a good 15 minutes into the show that you have any real idea what's going on -- it's fun to watch and the music is gorgeous, so it's not a HUGE problem, except for the fact that you never really get invested in any of the show's characters. There is no RENT/Spring Awakening moment of tear-jerking emotion in this show. In fact, the story is so scattered and there are so many things going on at once, it doesn't really feel like a story at all.

If the show's going to make it to Broadway, I really think that they need to extend the book and give it more of a script -- give the show a proper intermission and make it two acts. It's fine for a show to be told completely in song, but in cases like RENT or Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, those songs were written to tell the story of the show. In American Idiot's case, they need to add the story to the songs, and that's going to require a book.

I will say that the audience seemed to love the show, both young and old alike. I definitely plan on going back again during the proper run!

[wendilin622]

Posted: 9/9/09 at 4:16pm

Thanks for your review Sarah! Everything just sounds fantastic and I can't wait to hear *if* and *when* were going to get a ny transfer!

[Kad]

Posted: 9/9/09 at 5:08pm

Sarah- I'd assume that since Johnny just goes to "The City", whatever city that actually is would be wherever the production is.

[sarahjean]

Posted: 9/9/09 at 5:27pm

Actually, no -- the show is supposed to be set in the bay area, I'm pretty sure. It's not terribly important to the story and there's a point that could be made about the city being any city that a disillusioned suburbanite would escape to, but I think it would help develop the show a little if it had more of a concrete feel to it. I mean, I guess the point is really that I saw a show and I can't even be sure were the director wanted me to think it was set -- the same could be said for my impressions of who the characters were supposed to be. In talking to some of the cast after the show, it was interesting to hear that their impressions of who their characters were was different from the impression that I got as an audience member.

Luckily, this is the kind of stuff that can definitely get changed and worked out as the show progresses. In my opinion, the foundation of a great score, a great cast, and a great premise has been set. They just need to figure out a way to drive a more concrete message home to the audience, and I think they can do that by helping to more clearly define things like the setting and the character dynamics.

[jrnelson90]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 11:29pm

Here's an interesting bit of news on the Broadway opening I just read:

"And Green Day is coming to Broadway in September with a staged version of its classic concept album, "American Idiot."
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_14078128

I have no clue how accurate this is, maybe the guy got his information mixed up with the Berkeley opening date. If it is accurate, that is certainly not the spring opening we've been hearing about

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 11:36pm

I wonder where he got September from.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 3:12am

I think any talk of a Spring opening was wishful thinking. My money is on the Fall, too. ( but it's no like I actually have any insider info)

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 9:33am

Hey guys, wake me up when September ends.

[Fanb]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 6:34pm

Denver guy seems confused...? Does anyone have any info on this show?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 7:58pm

Other than a casting notice a month or so ago, I have heard nothing. The actors are all back in the NY area, and either looking for work or back AT work (Theo is back in Hair, for example).

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/30/09 at 2:40pm

I think this will arrive this spring.

[jrnelson90]

Posted: 12/30/09 at 4:00pm

So, my good friend Vince emailed the guy who wrote the article listing the September opening date, and here is what he said:

Hi Vince,
Ouch, I just re-traced my steps and saw that the Rolling Stone piece I was using is an old one that says it "would be" opening in September 2009 at Berkeley Rep, not on Broadway in September 2010. Bad "two hours before vacation and rushing to file" error. Sorry to cause any confusion ... Thanks for pointing it out. Can't wait to see the show, whenever that turns out to be

So looks like it was a mix up like I originally thought! Sorry for getting anyones hopes up!