Green Day's 'American Idiot' at the Berkeley Rep: I'd shave my head for this show

Green Day's American Idiot will go all the way to Broadway

“It’s like watching someone else making out with your girlfriend” said Green Day drummer Tré Cool to the women in front of us at the bar, with his trademark bleached blonde hair spiked up about three inches.  They had asked about what it was like to watch someone else play his music in the new Berkeley Rep’s production of American Idiot.

The after party of the Berkeley Repertory Theater’s 2009-2010 season was the night for punk hairdos of all types. Along with food and drinks, the Levi-sponsored event included a photo station with costumes and a hair salon. Guitarist/vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong even shaved one guy’s hair to a fine looking mohawk (See the slideshow).

For a few minutes I was tempted to track Armstrong down and ask him to shave my head, that’s how inspired I was by this production of American Idiot, and I’ve never had punk tendencies. I'm more of a hippie if you must know. After recently seeing the Tony nominated Rock of Ages and Tony winning production of Hair (and thoroughly enjoyed both), read that article here I am convinced that American Idiot will easily slide onto Broadway and do very well there. This is not the last you’ll be hearing about this show.

This is a must-see production, especially for us Bay Area residents. These are our guys. Green Day are global rockstars who sold out 50,000 person stadiums around the world on their American Idiot tour. But in an interview in Rolling Stone, Green Day claimed themselves to be a local band;

[Oakland] is home for us, just as much as New Jersey is for Springsteen and Dublin is for U2. We   represent it. We’re trying to, anyway.

Armstrong and bassist Mike Dirnt grew up in the East Bay area and Cool moved to Berkeley from Mendocino County when he was 17. In the late 80s and early 90s, the trio were regulars at 924 Gilman, the legendary punk co-op in Berkeley.
 
Several aspects of this production stood out to me: the set, the choreography, the musical arrangements. (Not to diss the actors, but I figure they will get plenty of attention from other media outlets.)

MINOR SPOILER ALERT

The set

  Set designed by Christine Jones. Photo courtesy of mellopix.com

Designed by Tony nominated Christine Jones (Spring Awakening) the set is deceptively simple. Reaching to the absolute highest point of the stage it could possibly reach (the string players perched up there can't be afraid of heights, I coudn't even see one of them they were so high), the set at first glance it is reminiscent of Rent or Hair in its minimalism. Scaffolding and fire escapes give the sense of a dirty urban street and a staircase (housing the cellist) is rolled round the stage for various uses.

In one clever move, a scaffold on wheels is turned on its side and made into a bus!

The couple dozen digital television screens mounted on the walls are used to further the story, showing original animation, news and commercial images as well as events occurring on stage. Light projections are also used to set the scene. The effect is very modern (See photo).

Choreography

I loved the choreography. Steven Hoggett's brilliant twitchy choreography encapsulated the pent-up rage of Green Day’s music and furthered the angsty emotions of the characters. It was one part "Thriller," one part modern dance, one part punk club.

Musical Arrangements

Musical Supervisor Tom Kitt is my personal hero. He took the albums American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown and made them suitable for female vocalists, choruses, an on-stage band larger than three people and a string quartet in a completely tasteful and seamless way. It’s amazing how natural this music feels in a staged production.

As the band’s main songwriter, Armstrong has learned to embrace the soft underbelly of his musicality along with the hard paced punk that characterizes most of Green Day's music. Kitt has brought this vulnerable side to a whole new level of gorgeous harmony and melody in the polyphonic treatment of “Before the Lobotomy” sung by four wounded soldiers (reminding me of Rent’s “Will I?").

"We are the Waiting" sung by soldiers. Photo courtesy of mellopix.com

In one of the most moving moments of the show, “We are the Waiting” is sung, as it should be, poignantly by a chorus of soldiers on their way to war (see photo).

I also enjoyed the musical tricks (I thought I was going to hear “When September Ends,” but no. You’ll know what I’m talking about when you see it.) Also, songs were woven together in very creative and clever ways, almost like how a DJ mixes two tracks so that you don't know when one starts and when one ends.

Green Day is riding a whole new wave of massive popularity they began at the release of the record American Idiot in 2004. I will venture to say that they are one of the most, if not the most, socially and politically relevant mainstram band of the 21st century.

"When I first heard American Idiot, I was struck by its innate theatricality," says Director Michael Mayer. "Here was a new musical drama begging to be staged. This work of passion and vision and fierce intelligence seemed to me like the heartbeat of a generation of Americans who were fed up. I hear in these amazing songs the articulation of their frustration, anger, longing for a better world."

Berkeley Rep is riding the wave along with Green Day. They've added 24 shows due to record-breaking sales. American Idiot is now playing through November 1st.

"[Berkeley Rep] is an amazing theater group," says Armstrong, "and very adventurous in their willingness to take chances in keeping with the spirit of the album. Plus, doing it in our hometown is an obvious bonus. The end result will be terrific, and we're really proud."

Not to be cheesy, but here I go: the Bay Area should be proud to have this show begin here, and hopefully soon we'll get to show it off to the rest of the world.

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