Green Day Goes on Broadway!

The punk rock scene was never the same when Green Day emerged from the shadows and into the snot-core limelight, releasing hits upon hits of songs that have defined the MTV generation. But now, it looks like the legendary band will be spreading its wings and conquering the arena of Broadway – when their critically acclaimed 2004 album, American Idiot, premieres as a musical under the same name.

photo credit: gillyberlin

According to Rolling Stone, who interviewed the band’s frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong, the notion of American Idiot as a musical started initially as a film idea that fell through the cracks and subsequently turned into a reality, when award winning Broadway director, Michael Mayer, took a liking to a theatrical adaptation of Idiot. Mayer, who won a Tony award for the Broadway rock musical hit, Spring Awakening, is a big fan of Green Day’s, citing the band as inspiration for some of the songs used in his Awakening accomplishment. Mayer established a connection with Armstrong through their vast knowledge of classic musical theatre, as Armstrong was heavily influenced by said genre – having grown up with and performed songs of that nature as a child. Armstrong similarly felt a connection to Mayer’s work, stating that some of Spring Awakening’s songs such as, ‘Totally Fucked’ and ‘The Bitch of Living’, “…sounded a lot like Green Day hits. They had that sound and emotional resonance.”

The Broadway adaptation will contain all songs from American Idiot that will be played in sequence, with filler, interrupting songs and text in between. However, it will also include others songs – two B sides from the European release and four from Green Day’s latest album smash hit, 21^st Century Breakdown. Breakdown was released on May 15, 2009 and has been recognized as more ambitious than American Idiot, eclipsing it chart-performance wise, hitting the number one spot in 14 different countries.

photo credit: suksim

The Berkeley Repertory Theater in Berkeley, California, will house the musical collaboration between Mayer and Armstrong, which will debut on September 4, 2009, running through to October 9, 2009. Should you find yourself in those parts around that time, don’t be an idiot and hesitate to check out this edgy song and dance spectacular – you may just have the biggest time of your life.

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