American Idiot

Combine a 21st century rock band, the troubled life of teenagers in today’s society, and the growing creation of suburbia, and you've got director Michael Mayer's Broadway production of "American Idiot". Expanding off of the band Green Day's 7th album, American Idiot, this production intertwines about thirty of the albums songs with a very unique and entertaining story line. American Idiot is set in "Jingletown, USA" in the recent past, and revolves around three young adult friends who leave suburbia to explore their dreams, and the outside world. One of the three friends has to stay because his girlfriend found out she was pregnant. The other two, however, left and eventually went their separate ways, one experimenting with love and heroine, and the other convinced into joining the army. This Broadway show keeps the audience tuned in at all times, with its very talented cast and creative stage setup, all working together to develop an overall dazzling performance.

            Before I knew it the performance was over. It began with the song “American Idiot” and kept going song after song. The songs all matched perfectly with what was occurring in the play, making it clear and easy to understand each situation. For instance, one of the songs, “St. Jimmy”,  performed when the main character Johnny conjures a reflection of himself called St. Jimmy, who represents his addiction to heroine throughout the play. Many of the scenes were extremely unexpected as well, keeping the audience engaged at all times. One scene had two of the performers gracefully appear to be floating, while singing to each other, which conveyed an amazing and powerful message. American Idiot had a very good pace for the entire 95 minutes, ending with a standing ovation by an amazed audience.

            The first thing that caught the audience’s eye when the curtains opened was the buzzing televisions all over the background of the stage. They all showed something different, but all related back to the medias impact on society, and on us humans. It was a very powerful image, and the television screens were used throughout the whole play. They were used when one character was seduced by a television ad about joining the army, showing a soldier in the fame light of a celebrity. Another contributor to a fantastic stage setup was the ability to put three different settings, (suburbia, New York, and war) all on the stage in front of you. The light would shine on different settings throughout the song, but even when only one was under the spotlight, the other two settings still had performers singing and moving. The constantly active and creative stage setup had a strong and positive impact on the performance in its entirety, keeping eyes glued on the stage. 

            The cast of American Idiot was an extremely talented cast, full of skilled dancers, singers, and actors. The main performers were all triple threats; sporting all three talents and giving the audience everything they could, keeping viewers engaged. With their strong voices, the powerful way they acted, and the graceful or fierce way they danced, emotions were portrayed that touched the audience, setting different moods throughout the whole show. The talented performers were what brought this show over the top, leaving people stunned at their overall performance.

            Today’s media has a huge impact on society and targets teenagers by influencing and pressuring them into actions ranging from drugs to body image. The Broadway production American Idiot is a perfect demonstration of teenager’s struggles under America’s society’s expectations. The first line of Green Days song “American Idiot” is “Don't want to be an American idiot. Don't want a nation under the new media”, and their entire album revolves around this belief. This fearless album fueled Michael Mayer to expand it into the Broadway show American Idiot, an incredible, powerful performance that attracts audiences all over the nation, and is definitely a sight to see.