The Theatre Arts Program (TAP) presented Green Day’s “American Idiot” at the Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts from April 4-6.
“American Idiot” tells the story of three friends: Johnny, Will and Tunny. They want to leave their suburban lives behind for the city, despite their soon estranged paths. Will stays behind as his girlfriend is expecting, and Tunny joins the military, leaving Johnny alone. Meanwhile, Johnny has a heated romance and falls into drugs. With little dialogue, the show uses Green Day’s music to tell the story.
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“I loved the show, it is very different from what we usually do. This show was very high energy. It is by far one of my favorite sets we have done. So much hard work has gone into this, it truly is amazing to watch the result,” said sophomore Samantha Madigan, TAP’s Co-Advertising Chair.
The performance was packed with high energy, not only through the music but also in the choreography. Though a simple set, there were many spectacles for the audience to see, whether through quick outfit changes or lighting designs.
“As one of the assistant directors, the preparation had to do a lot with scene work, blocking and learning music. Production included a live band, lights, hair and makeup, props, costumes, sound, and projections,” said junior Erin Pellegrini, the Spectrum’s Circulation Manager. “Then this must be finished in about a week in time for the weekend. Production is a ton of student-led work and designs, performances, and leadership.”
Preparation for this production was extensive for both students and faculty.
“My favorite part of the production was either the first day with the band or the first run with all the tech elements. It’s the first time you get to see the full picture of the production,” said Pellegrini. “My least favorite part of any production is the long tech days. These are tedious, although the result is incredibly rewarding. It’s also very interesting to see designers work in that environment and see them communicate with each other in a very different way.”
This production is based on the band’s Grammy-winning album. The show featured every song from “American Idiot,” with select tracks from the follow-up album “21st Century Breakdown.”
“This story is woven with the amazing music from Green Day that will leave the audience feeling a certain way. I think a lot of people will relate to some aspect of the show because we all, at one time or another, felt trapped in our lives and wanted to start somewhere new,” said senior Sean Ryan, who played Johnny.
The original “American Idiot” album lends itself to theatrics. According to Billboard, the band infused pop-punk with classic-rock, creating an anti-war storyline of disillusionment in its 57 minute runtime. The musical version is roughly 90 minutes and extends these themes with emotion and an enhanced storyline.
“I had to do a lot of preparation for this show because of how physically demanding this musical is. Once this show starts, it doesn’t stop. I had to take good care of my voice like steaming and drinking lots of tea with honey. Everyone in the cast has worked extremely hard to give this show one hundred percent every single night,” said Ryan.
With no intermission, this production had the actors consistently in-character and on-stage performing high octave songs.
“My favorite part about being in this production is watching the tech elements shine. The lights and huge band make me feel like I’m performing in a rock concert every night. Whether you are a fan of Green Day or just simply want to be swept off your feet with a compelling story, there is something for everyone in this show,” said Ryan.
Jessica Balogh contributed to this article.
