Green Day Moves to Broadway

Victory! After a hugely successful run of American Idiot at the Berkeley Rep in California (the show sold out its eight weeks of performances), the musical inspired by Green Day's album of the same name and directed by Spring Awakening's Michael Mayer is really hitting the big time with a...

By Nicki Escudero

January 7, 2010

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

Victory!

After a hugely successful run of American Idiot at the Berkeley Rep in California (the show sold out its eight weeks of performances), the musical inspired by Green Day's album of the same name and directed by Spring Awakening's Michael Mayer is really hitting the big time with a Broadway debut in New York City this April. (Preview performances start March 24.)

The musical uses tracks from both American Idiot and the band's current album, 21st Century Breakdown, following young people in a war-torn world.

I already love the fact that Ashlee Simpson-Wentz is tearing it up on Broadway in Chicago (don't hate!), and it'll be interesting to see if any big-name stars sign up for this ambitious project.

So far, actor John Gallagher, Jr. is said to have dibs on the lead role of Johnny on the Great White Way, since he also played the part in Cali. But I couldn't think of anyone better to join the cast than Ashlee's hubby, Pete Wentz. Maybe he could take some singing lessons in-between hanging out with Bronx.

Tickets aren't on-sale quite yet, but for more info, log on to www.americanidiotonbroadway.com.

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.