SLEEPLESS CRITIC.com – Rage. Love. Town. City are the themes emblazoned within the songs and tale of the Tony award-winning punk rock musical, Green Day’s American Idiot, presented by the Company Theatre and continuing through Sunday, February 17 at the Company Theatre in Norwell, Massachusetts. It is an in-your-face journey of a group of young, unambitious city dwellers who occupy a portion of an angry, rebellious America. Green Day’s American Idiot is a concert drama that contains mature themes and surprising moments. Click here for more information and tickets.
The set of Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ Photo courtesy of Jeanne Denizard
This high energy musical is based on Green Day’s lauded album, American Idiot, a band known for their raw, catchy, guitar-tinged riffs, and uncensored lyrics. With hits such as Holiday, Know Your Enemy, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Wake Me Up When September Ends, and Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), Green Day’s American Idiot contains the music and vocal chops that would please Green Day fans while also considered a message-driven punk rock opera.
Sharing a bit of the mentality of Rent and the 90s film, Reality Bites, the characters in American Idiot wander into a realm of rebellious indifference, confusion, and perhaps laziness looking for their purpose in life as Green Day sings, “in the land of make believe.” Some are unconcerned and others genuinely lost. Partially set in a beat up apartment equipped with a blank, but lit tube TV and shabby couch which perhaps reflects a thinking but lost generation, American Idiot shows they have a hell of a lot to learn.
The energetic, daring choreography by Corinne Mason, which includes moshing and head banging, reflects the anarchic nature of punk music. The choreography in Holiday, which includes a group of characters packed into a wire cart, is a visual highlight.
(Back row, L-R ) Audrey Clark of Northboro as Whatsername, Jose Merlo of Attleboro as Jose, William Oliver of Weymouth as Will, Sarah Kelly of Braintree as Heather, John Crampton of Dedham as John, Jessica DePalo of Westboro as Extraordinary Girl, Brendan Duquette of North Attleboro as Tunny (Front row) Theo Victoria of Brockton as Theo, Evan Cole of Natick as Johnny, Aliyah Harris of Mansfield as Aliyah Photo courtesy of Zoe Bradford
This cast of jaded youths include a haunting performance by Chris Boyajian as Joshua/St. Jimmy, a role that Green Day lead singer Billy Joe Armstrong took over for 50 performances during the show’s run on Broadway. Evan Cole hits all the right notes as Johnny, who also plays his own guitar for Boulevard of Broken Dreams, one of the show’s few quieter tunes. He shares a natural camaraderie with Brendan Duquette as naive Tunny and William Oliver as oblivious Will, a trio of friends heading in different directions. Sarah Kelly stands out as Heather as she develops her resolve during a heartfelt Last Night on Earth. Aliyah Harris as Aliyah also lends her serious pipes to Favorite Son and Too Much Too Soon.
The Company Theatre presents Green Day’s American Idiot through Sunday, February 17, with a special event for Valentine’s Day. All performances take place at Company Theatre, 30 Accord Park Drive in Norwell, Massachusetts Click here to support the Company Theatre and here for more on their 2019 season.
By Jeanne M. Denizard
