American Idiot: a gritty musical for everyone
Off the Leash Theatre Inc will rock its way into the West Gippsland Arts Center on October 13 for Green Day’s American Idiot: The Musical.
Complete with a talented local cast and songs from Green Day’s album American Idiot (plus a few extra hits), the gritty show follows suburban youths Johnny, Will and Tunny through the highs and lows of life.
While the three boys begin the show yearning for something more and plan to leave their home in small-town America, they soon embark on disparate paths in a post 9/11, early 2000s world.
American Idiot grapples with themes of mental health, love, drugs, war, and loss.
Director Corey Bruerton said American Idiot is a show for everyone, including Green Day fans, young people and middle-aged people.
Bruerton has been involved in Off the Leash since the company’s 2018 production of “Rent”, and American Idiot was his first assigned directing role.
He said “casting was very easy” with those auditioning suiting the roles.
“We had around 20 to 25 auditionees... the only person we didn’t cast was our leading male Johnny,” he explained.
About 15 people were originally cast, and the hunt for their “Johnny” continued to Wonthaggi, where they finally stuck gold - Daniel Hussein.
“Daniel came from Wonthaggi, but he heard about it and was really interested... he’s been really great to work with,” Bruerton said.
While casting was relatively easy, the pandemic intervened during the rehearsal process and the show had to be rescheduled.
“You can only go so far with virtual rehearsals,” Bruerton said.
However, once the cast got back into rehearsals and a few more cast members joined the team things “pulled together”, and now they are ready to impress their audience with amazing songs and an impactful storyline.
“The music is beautiful, there’s a lot of punk rock in there but there’s just some amazingly emotional songs as well,” Bruerton said.
“The storyline is just something I think everyone can relate to in some way or another.”
Musical director Yolette Stewart said the show’s early rehearsals focused a lot on singing.
“The harmonies in this show are quite traditional and quite complex,” she explained.
“It’s really energising... at times it’s raw, at times it’s beautiful and intense and emotional.”
“There’s beautiful harmonic writing throughout and the band is really pumped and revved to go.”
American Idiot’s choreographer Grace Attard said the team has been able to “build a really beautiful picture”.
“Corey is incredible, he has an incredible vision and it’s been really nice to help him bring that to life,” she said.
“I thought this would be something new and a bit of a challenge.”
“I watched a lot of Youtube, a lot of musicals and how they’ve been done... I went right back to the 90s and listened to a lot of Green Day and similar bands, and from there we just built the choreography up,” Attard said, describing how she prepared for the role.
“Everyone should come and see it... people who are not necessarily traditional musical theatre goers would really like this one.”
Stepping into the role of “St Jimmy”, originally played by Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong on Broadway, is Sami le Vaunter.
This has been a show on le Vaunter’s bucket list for some time.
“Ever since high school I’ve just adored this role.”
“I’ve always had my eye on this, I love how anyone regardless of gender can play this role - it means that you’re judged on your ability to play the role rather than if you’re a man, woman, non-binary, whatever.”
Le Vaunter said the cast has “bonded together really well”, and have been able to step out of their comfort zones through American Idiot.
The show will run from October 13 to 16.
Show times are Thursday October 13 at 8pm, Friday October 14 at 8pm, Saturday October 15 at 2pm and 8pm, Sunday October 16 at 2pm.
Tickets are $40 for WGAC members, $45 full price, $40 concession and groups of 10 or more, and $35 for under 18s. The show runs for about two hours and 30 minutes, including intermission.
American Idiot is not suitable for anyone under 16.