Preview and Interview: American Idiot

The Green Day musical American Idiot comes to Manchester this week as part of its UK wide tour. The show brings to life the story narrated in Green Day’s 2004 album of the same name. It tells the tale of Johnny and his two best friends, Will and Tunny as they yearn to leave the boredom of suburbia for the bright lights of the city. Whilst Tunny and Will take different paths,  Johnny is sucked in by the wonders the big city. He falls in love with wild rock-chick Whatsername and develops n fearless alter-ego, St Jimmy, who forces Johnny into taking heroin, leading to the downfall of his and Whatsername’s relationship. Now alone, Johnny comes to his senses and returns home, learning to accept who he really is and the importance of his roots, family and friendships.

The creation of American Idiot: The Musical was a collaborative process between musical theatre director Michael Mayer and Green Day front-man Billie Joe Armstrong, who claims the band had the idea of a musical in their heads whilst writing the album.  When working on the book for the musical, Mayer added little dialogue to the show as he felt the lyrics were expressive enough on its own. The show ran for two months in Berkeley in 2009, before being moved to Broadway for a year-long run. After winning numerous awards, including two Tonys and a Grammy for ‘Best Musical Album’, the show assembled a brand new cast for this three month UK tour before returning to America.

To learn more about the show from the inside, I caught up with it’s stars Trent Saunders and Alyssa de Palma, who play St. Jimmy and Whatsername respectively. The actors start by telling me how they landed the roles.  Trent tells me he was at university studying musical theatre when the casting director came in auditioned them in class! He tells me fellow cast-member, Jenna Rubaii was also cast from the same class. Alyssa’s story of how she got her part was certainly an inspiring one. She tells me,

‘I saw the show on Broadway two years ago  and saw Rebecca Naomi Jones perform ‘Letterbomb’, Whatsername’s big song. Afterwards I just looked at my friend and just said ‘I have to play that role’. After I finished art college I went live in New York and was working in a restaurant. I heard about the opening role and knew it was meant to be. I just had to go for it’.

They both go on to tell me how they far they needed to push themselves in the roles. For Alyssa, she says it was about letting her naturally shy side go to become a powerful, sexy and fierce woman who was described to her as ‘the mother of the revolution.’ For Trent, who is in contrast very confident, he was more concerned with filling the shoes of those who had played St. Jimmy before him. He tells me,

‘Both Billie Joe Armstrong and Tony Vincent are from rock star backgrounds whereas mine was musical theatre. I really had to find my inner rock star which was scary but also a lot of fun. I couldn’t have done it without the creative team either, who turned my curly afro brown hair into a blonde straightened Mohawk!’

They both agree that they felt at ease in pushing themselves because of the trust and support that they felt throughout the cast. Alyssa says,

‘I fell in love with each and every cast member as soon I met them’.  Trent then tells me of his admiration for the cast’s passion: ‘I guess it’s because we are all so young, so we can really relate to the themes in the play.’

Alyssa then tells me about the respect she holds for the shows director, Michael Mayer, who she says is a really hands-on director. She tells me: ‘It was a big deal working with Michael as he literally directed all the shows that made me want to do this for a living, but despite all that he wasn’t threatening at all, and really takes pride in having fun as he works with a cast’.

According to them both, audiences have been going crazy for ‘American Idiot’ and the show has received countless standing ovations. Trent said he spoke to one group who had come all the way from Germany just to see the show. He added that audiences have been a real mix of hardcore Green Day fans and just regular theatre-goers.  I ask why Manchester should come and see American Idiot. Alyssa quickly replies.

“There are loads of reasons, but the best one is: you are guaranteed to have your face rocked off, and if that’s what you’re looking for then that is what you are gonna get.’

American Idiot’ runs at the Palace Theatre from the 12^th November to the 24^th November