American Idiot on Broadway
The Green Day musical American Idiot opened on April 20th at the St. James Theatre on Broadway blasting away punk music.
The majority of the musical and lyrical credits are given to Billie Joe Armstrong frontman for Green Day and band along with Tom Kitt keeping track of music arrangements and then you have to give credit to Director Michael Mayer. The musical is based on the album Green Day with a few songs from Green Days newer catalogue for a great mix.
In September 2009, the musical debuted at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre where actors performed to a sold out crowd with two extensions that ended in November. The New York staging has already seen high praises for the aesthetics and casting.
Previews of the musical began on March 24 with seating capacity at 1,709, the theatre was around 70 to 85 percent occupied. Box office receipts for each week have been more than $450,000 via information from the Broadway League. In most cases the tickets range from $32 to $127 however, premium ticket sales reach prices up to $252.
Tuesday and Sunday, evening performances begin at 7pm, Wednesday through Saturday performance begins at 8pm. Matinees are held on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm.
Critic’s reviews have been unique to say the least with statements like:
Variety Steve Suskin “…the band and the orchestrations often drown out the lyrics and hamper the storytelling.”
New York Times Charles Isherwood “‘American Idiot,’ directed by Michael Mayer and performed with galvanizing intensity by a terrific cast, detonates a fierce aesthetic charge in this ho-hum Broadway season.”
USA Today Elysa Gardner “…the feel-good musical of the season.”
Hollywood Reporter Frank Scheck “Telling its story largely through music and movement with only a smattering of dialogue, “Idiot” never manages to make us care about the fate of its thinly drawn characters.”
