Off-Broadway Players ready to rock Corner Brook ACC
Theatre group eager to present American Idiot musical adaptation
Off-Broadway Players is taking Corner Brook audiences down a Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
The community theatre troupe is staging a production of the Broadway musical American Idiot at the Corner Brook Arts and Culture Centre, Nov. 16 to 18, at 8 p.m.
The show is adapted from the 2004 Green Day concept album American Idiot. Jon Benoite, who is co-directing with Joanne Martin, hopes the show is a fun night out for audiences.
“That’s always Off-Broadway’s thing with our fall musical - we want you to just go out and have a good time,” he told West Coast Wire.
He notes the show features many hit singles, such as Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Wake Me Up When September Ends and Holiday, many of which are still on the radio 20 years later.
“It’ll provide some nostalgia, hopefully they’ll (the audience) go along on the emotional ride with our lead characters and at the end of the night, just come away feeling like they’re energized and refreshed and looking forward to the next one,” said Benoite.
Per the show synopsis, “American Idiot follows a young anti-hero, Johnny, the self-proclaimed Jesus of Suburbia, and his two buddies, Will and Tunny, as they attempt to break out of their mind-numbing, aimless suburban existence.”
Benoite has long been a fan of Green Day. When American Idiot was released, it resonated with him - trying to be part of a community but not feeling like he fit in.
“On the surface, that’s what this album is saying, so that hit me right off the top,” he said.
Nick Hamlyn, who is playing Will, feels it does a great job depicting the anger felt by a generation.
“The kids that were born in the 80s were always told if you toe the line, do what you should, everything will work out fine and the world will take care of you, and then you abruptly find out that’s not the case,” he explained.
Choreographer Jessicah Blanchard, who is also playing the extraordinary girl, feels it deals with very human themes such as addiction, loss, depression and hard life-changing choices.
“And the music just slaps,” added Benoite.
STAGING THE SHOW
At the time Benoite learned American Idiot was being adapted to Broadway, he wasn’t into musicals, but it did pique his curiosity.
But after joining Off-Broadway Players, he started producing a few musicals. Then, around 2018, he heard a production of American Idiot was coming to Newfoundland. He submitted the show to the company’s board of directors and his proposal was approved this year.
A casting call went out on Facebook and auditions started in August. Rehearsals started in September.
The 90-minute show features 30 cast members, including choir and musical accompaniment from a fivepiece band.
Even though the show calls for a cast of 14, Benoite says at Off-Broadway Players, they don’t like to turn anyone away. To accommodate everybody, they have incorporated performers into bigger dance numbers, added extra actions in the background of songs and scenes, and added more back-up for choral numbers.
One of the most difficult elements of a production like this is the choreography. As punk music, it requires a more aggressive style of performing.
“Typically, in musicals, things are very finely tuned and structured,” Blanchard explained. “And in this one, the movements are very aggressive and chaotic … it is difficult but it’s a challenge that I have accepted and has been kind of fun at the same time.”
Hamlyn, describing himself as a bar musician, says it’s a “big swing” to perform these songs on the stage, but it’s the thing he’s most enjoying.
“Finding the story in the songs rather than just pumping through them and seeing how loud and fast you can play, it’s nice to really dig in and see the narrative that’s in the album and how that transitions to a Broadway style show,” he said.
There is also a sense of community.
“Seeing people help each other with their lines or the choreography, seeing people have extra rehearsals that aren’t scheduled, to help go through music for people who need that extra practice, I think that’s a really lovely thing to witness happening in any community and getting to be a part of that is really heartwarming,” stated Blanchard.
In fact, Blanchard welcomed anyone to join and be part of this community for future projects.
“It’s always great to have new people,” she said.
She advises people to keep an eye out for an announcement on the Off-Broadway Players Facebook page.
“It’s a fantastic group of people, it’s an incredibly inclusive group of people,” added Hamlyn.
Off-Broadway Players has been active in Corner Brook since 2002.
Tickets for American Idiot are available at the Arts and Culture Centre box office or can purchased online at artsandculturecentre.com.