American Idiot on Broadway - Click on Image to Stream Album for the Week!
It’s been awhile since I last posted, but I’ve been a bit busy. After attending Green Day’s three shows in California (Irvine, Chula Vista and San Francisco) from August 31-September 5, I spent ten more glorious days in the Bay Area and was… how shall we say… a practicing Lushotologist. I was not necessarily drinking… but I was absorbing all good things that life (or vacation) in the East Bay has to offer. It was magnificent!
I returned to New York City this past Monday and immediately went to work… and to see American Idiot on Broadway and attend “American Idiot University.” This week the show is hosting a series of talkbacks moderated by lead theater critic of Time Out New York, David Cote, for Broadway Week. Billie Joe Armstrong and AI director Michael Mayer are being joined by various cast members (Tuesday night was Theo Stockman, Declan Bennant and Cristina Sajous; Wednesday night was John Gallagher, Jr., Michael Esper and Gerard Canonico), along with set designer Christine Jones, lighting designer Kevin Adams, arranger Tom Kitt, costume designer, Andrea Lauer, music director Carmel Dean, video and production designer, Darrel Maloney, and associate choreographer, Lorrin Lataro.
David Cote was the perfect moderator for the two talkbacks I’ve seen so far (I sneaked into the Tuesday talkback (ssshhh) while friends invited me to attend the show tonight and tomorrow) and led a lively discussion among Billie Joe, Michael Mayer, the creative team and the cast regarding the album, its translation to the stage and the creative impetus of the show. (Full disclosure: I’ve known David since the 1990s and he’s one of the few critics whose opinions I actually trust; we discussed the show earlier this week.) After tomorrow’s talkback — which consisted of about 20 minutes of discussion with the creative team and cast members and 15 minutes of questions from the audience — I hope to post more about the actual discussion itself, but as you know, I’m a bit behind reporting on the California shows as it is, so don’t hold your breath.
There will be three more opportunities to attend American Idiot University: Thursday, September 16th @ 8pm; Friday, September 17th @ 8pm and Sunday, September 19th @ 3pm. Students can buy tickets for $27 depending on availability, but anyone can attend the talkback afterward. I… uh… don’t necessarily recommend sneaking in for the talkbalk like some jerks that I know… me.
As a special bonus for Broadway Week, you can stream for free the entirety of the American Idiot cast album. Click on the cast album cover or here to do so while you can!
Here are a few tiny blurry shots that I took tonight with my iPhone; click on the tiny image to view larger, but still blurry, images.
Coming up this Sunday, the president of the Jujamcyn Theaters including the St. James Theater, Jordan Roth, will be leading talks with Billie Joe and Michael Mayer at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. (For more information on the event, click here.) Audience questions can be submitted to Roth via Twitter at http://twitter.com/jordan_roth.
I’ll be there on Sunday… with an actual ticket. See you there!
Green Day Mind 
September 16th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
haha, you stinker sneaker. ;D Great read T. I was hoping you would’ve given a couple questions and answers that may have stood out for you. I’m dying of curiosity of what type of questions the audience asked at these talkbacks and how Billie &/or co. answered. Maybe at the Sunday talk, huh? Thank you for sharing! ♥
September 16th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
There’s a well-known secret in NYC about second-acting B’way shows. I’ve never done it before, so this was my “first time,” lol. I am going to write about the
showstalkbacks, but I’m going to wait until I see the show again tonight, and someone invited me to see it again on Sunday. So, after the talkbacks and the interview with Mayer and Armstrong with Jordan Roth, I’ll probably write something up about it then. I did just post a couple of questions that were asked in the GDC thread on American Idiot, so go on over there and check it out, if you want!February 9th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
Hey there. I wonder if you can help me out. My hubby is a huge green day fan!! We are heading to NYC the end of march 2011 and of course we are heading to American idiot. I have been trying for weeks now to find a way to get in touch with GD or the theater. When we are there it will be his 39th bday. I would love to arrange for some type of surprise for him. I dont need any freebies – would love a back stage tour, meet and greet – even just an autograph something. any suggestions how I can go about this.
Any advice is appreciated.
Jackie
Toronto Canada
February 12th, 2011 at 11:32 am
Hi Jackie! Very excited for you coming here to see the show! And happy almost-b-day to your hubby. I am not sure what to tell you about your request. I can send it along to Idiot Nation, the fan-based promo team for the show, but I am not sure whether they will be able to help you out in regards to what you ask. I know that some of the cast does come out after the show and will sign autographs if they are up for it. Let me think on it, but I don’t know really what to tell ya. 😦