After an album release, most bands expect to go on tour, perform at awards shows and hope for a Grammy nomination. But for Green Day, its 2004 punk rock album “American Idiot” resulted in a Broadway musical. After a successful Broadway run, “American Idiot” is making a stop at the Ahmanson Theatre as part of the venue’s 2011-2012 season.
“American Idiot” brings its namesake album of anarchistic young adulthood to life. Every song from the album is present in the play, with a couple songs from Green Day’s 2009 album “21st Century Breakdown,” such as “21 Guns” and “Last Night on Earth” thrown into the mix.
The script was written collaboratively by Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong and director Michael Mayer. “American Idiot” revolves around the lives of three boyhood friends who plan to set off together and face the world, only to be torn apart by life.
The play parallels their lives by showing their struggles simultaneously as they face issues such as teen parenthood, drug addiction and fighting in the post 9-11 war. It takes the form of a coming-of-age story for each of the three young men.
The play opens up with the hits “American Idiot” and “Jesus of Suburbia,” immediately setting the stage for the anti-establishment rebellious youth the album portrays. The punk-rock music, strobe lighting and the actors’ high energy kick the show off with an intensity that is present on stage up until the curtain closes.
There is little use of dialogue throughout the entirety of the one-act performance. Instead, the plot is told through visual demonstration of the music, as if it were an extended music video. The show provides a feel that is closer to one of a concert than to a play.
Even lacking dialogue, the actors’ performances leave no room for ambiguity concerning the plot. With original Broadway cast members Van Hughes and Joshua Kobak continuing on to play their roles of Johnny and St. Jimmy alongside a talented cast full of Broadway experience, dialogue is not needed to be aware of what is happening.
This presentation keeps the characters somewhat distant from the audience. As opposed to experiencing the characters’ battles with them, these internal conflicts are strictly observed. While the themes of corrupt media and defiant youth are commiserated by some, the characters themselves are not entirely relatable.
Regardless, the actors bring incredible energy to every moment, so there is no sense of anything missing.
A dramatic lighting scheme supports the staging by providing a captivating backdrop that adds to the rock concert feel without distracting from the actors. When the strobe lights are put to rest, lights are projected onto the stage to uphold the fervor and adrenaline the constant punk numbers create.
In addition to the light projections, the back wall is covered with screens that constantly show portrayals of American media ““ from bomb reports to celebrity gossip, phrases of desperation and other images throughout the performance. These images highlight the mixture of anguish and angst present in post 9-11 America.
“American Idiot” stays true to Green Day’s music, without any attempt to convert any songs into show tunes. While the absence of dialogue might make the show less appealing to audiences unfamiliar with the band, fans of Green Day are sure to appreciate the music video-esque presentation.