The first national tour of the explosive Broadway hit AMERICAN IDIOT, called “wonderfully raucous” and “emotionally charged” by The New York Times, will make its national touring debut in Utica on December 21 & 22 at the Stanley. The production is being presented by Broadway Theatre League of Utica. Utica is also serving as the tech city for this first national tour.
AMERICAN IDIOT, a 2010 Tony Award®-nominated Best Musical and 2010 Grammy© Award winner for Best Musical Show Album, features the music of Green Day with the lyrics of its lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong. The book is by Armstrong and Michael Mayer and direction is by Tony Award®-winner Mayer (“Spring Awakening”).
Nominated for three Tony Awards®, AMERICAN IDIOT is the story of three boyhood friends, each searching for meaning in a post- 9-11 world. Through incredible spectacle, thrilling performances, and with the hope embodied by a new generation, AMERICAN IDIOT has given Broadway audiences the time of their lives night after night since the musical began performances at the St. James Theatre in March 2010.
“Since its inception, audiences have been surprised by the emotional journey the show takes them on, told almost exclusively through Green Day’s songs, including many they are already familiar with and love,” said Tom Hulce, producer. “This is such a potent time for our country, and the search of our characters for what to believe in is gorgeously celebrated through Billie Joe and Green Day’s wonderfully lush score,” he added.
“This is the first national tour for AMERICAN IDIOT and Utica is the first city to host the production,” said Broadway Theatre League’s Executive Director, John Fehlner. “Being the first stop on the national tour means that Utica serves as the show’s tech city, requiring the show and its cast and crew to be in town for an extended period of time,” he added.
A tech city marks the first time the cast, crew, and set for a broadway touring production are together in one place. AMERICAN IDIOT is the second tech show that the Broadway Theatre League has brought to Utica this year.
With Utica as the tech city, patrons of the Broadway Theatre League’s presentation will be the first to see the national tour of AMERICAN IDIOT. The cast and crew will set up shop for a period of 12 days, which will be of great benefit and will contribute a significant economic boost to the area.
The musical features the hits “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “21 Guns,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” “Holiday”, and the blockbuster title track “American Idiot” from Green Day’s 2004 Grammy© Award-winning, multi-platinum album. Also included in the score are several songs from Green Day’s 2009 release “21st Century Breakdown,” and an unreleased love song, “When It’s Time.”
AMERICAN IDIOT premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in September 2009 and played through November of that year. In April 2010, the musical opened on Broadway where reviews were unanimously positive, with Charles Isherwood of the New York Times calling the show “the most adventurous musical to brave Broadway in the past decade” and the Toronto Star naming it “the first great musical of the 21st century!”
For more information on AMERICAN IDIOT, visit www.americanidiotthemusical.com or www.broadwayutica.com.
