NYTimes.com: "MOMENTS before the opening curtain of “American Idiot,” the musical theater debut of the punk band Green Day, a T-shirted house manager took the stage at Berkeley Repertory Theater for the tradition of reminding audience members to turn off their cellphones and unwrap their candies.
This being a musical by Green Day, though, it wasn’t your typical curtain speech.
“Are you ready to rock tonight?” shouted the house manager, John Gay. And sure enough, the crowd roared back, “Yeah!”"
14 comments:
I am very interested to see if American Idiot will find its way to Broadway stage. I have heard a lot about this show from it being your typical american band turned musical to it being surprisingly entertaining. Even though I'm not a big Green Day fan I would to love see this show. I'm also a little curious to know what the show is about. There is also the question of why Green Day exactly?
I think this show sounds great. The article mentions that it is model made for mass consumption to appeal to the masses. And that is made all the more real by the fact that its a big name band like Green Day. But I am a big fan of musicals featuring alternative kinds of music. Something like In the Heights which features some great Latin and Hip Hop music. I can appreciate musicals that break the box.
Like Kelli and Calvin, I am also curious about this musical. Spring Awakening based its musical forms on the music of Duncan Sheik so I find it no surprise that Green Day is taking its signature sound and weaving a story into it. A concern however, that this musical will turn into a Green Day concert with some dialogue in between, entertaining, yes, but not exactly quality theatre. Perhaps viewers originally attracted to 'American Idiot' might discover 'In the Heights' and other alternative rock musicals as well.
The ending of this article covered my exact worry about this show. To hear this show is considered 'prepackaged as velveeta' makes my skin crawl and yet I'm not terribly surprised. I found Spring Awakening and In The Heights to be pleasantly out of the box. I hope this can be surprising and lovely. My worry would be that the Green Day fans (which there are plenty of) will propel a show which the theater community wouldn't consider up to snuff. I would love this to be a project that both the punk rock world and the musical theater world can be proud of.
I'm of two minds on whether or not this would be successful on Broadway. Green Day has immense appeal to younger generations and would likely be financially successful among the moshers, yet, we have to consider the fate of We Will Rock You (the jukebox musical based on the music of Queen) which, while wildly successful on the West End, was interpreted as underwhelming spectacle by perhaps snobbier American critics. WWRY found its place in Vegas, and perhaps Green Day should stay in California or tour through the major urban areas of the US. I just feel like the NY critics would likely tear it to shreds.
Talk about manufacteuring something for Broadway. Take a popular audience. Add some teenage angst, some cool lighting and thus: American Idiot or is it Spring Awakening. It dissapoints me that it is essentially the same design/director/producers doing this. It is manufactuering to the extreme and is extrememly dissapointing. It will be interesting to see how this show survives on broadway- because it will be on broadway- because it will make money. Will it be profitable or a worth while piece of theater? Probably not but it will be making money.
The fact that all the same producers and designers have worked on this Green Day show and "Spring Awakening." Based on how far reaching Green Day is at this point, I've got a good feeling that this will eventually make it's way to Broadway, but as Bryce noted, it feels way too manufactured, and just a show made because the producers know it will make a ton of money.
Despite the issues I have with the actual bad Green Day, I'm curious to see what this play sets off. Like all posts before me, I find this idea interesting, which combined with my general enjoyment of rock opera, it would be interesting to see what this sets off in the performance world. I've always thought that the term "rock" in rock opera was used a little generously, but the fact that Green Day is the basis for this rock opera makes that concept more appealing for me. Next up, Metalica the musical?
It kills me to say it but this does sound like a cool show. I'm excited that a lot of the people who worked on Spring Awakening worked on this show. However I'm conflicted because I want to see new and original musicals coming to Broadway. Ones that don't use art already created to tell a story. It does sound like a cool show though. Part of me hopes that it won't come to Broadway though, I want Broadway to move away from doing shows like this and try and to produce more original works. A silly dream though.
This show seems like it would be amazing to go and see. i am not a big green day fan but this show would be a show that i would like to go see. also all the people that where on the production team are from spring awaking another show that is amazing. I dont think that this show will be like phtom and last for 22 plus years but i think it will get an ok run and last for a decent time. it is one of thous shows that is geert for the time we are in. i also like the shows that are havely based on the music rather then other things.
I think this could be a very interesting show...The broad range of fans that Green Day has following them could make it entertaining just to observe the audience. I agree with Allison though, that there is a fear that it will be more of a rock concert than a theatrical production. I think it will be interesting to see how it pans out.
I share similar concerns to many who have already commented. I am unclear if this is a musical by Green Day or a musical featuring Green Day songs. The latter sounds terrifying to me. Theater (and especially Broadway) needs NEW and ORIGINAL work. If that is what American Idiot is, great, If not, then we have a problem. Assume that Green Day just wrote the music for the show. Not knowing their style or songs, I think that I could be successful because of the broad appeal and a musical having a non-traditional sound is never a bad idea. But really, it all depends on the story. Is it original and unique or is it just another rock opera?
I think this is a very interesting direction for Green Day to head with its music. My only hope is that it is not trying to jump on the bandwagon of Spring Awakening. What made that show so good was that it took music and a story and brought it to a new generation. Some called it the next Rent but I truly think it was a unique piece of art which brings a new generation to Broadway. If American Idiot can make it to Broadway, than I am a firm believer it will bring a whole new market. Given this financial economy, thats exactly what we need.
I would be very interested to see this show. American Idiot is my favorite Greenday album, and they are such a fun outspoken band. Although I had some problems with all the comparisons to Spring Awakening, seeing as that was original music designed for that show. I am curious to see how they string together a seamless plot line with all of greenday's songs, not that I don't think it can be done, but everyone is so familiar with their music that I wonder if the experience won't be jarring.
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