Lists five reasons to see American Idiot, the musical stemming from Green Day’s 2004 hit album:
1. Live punk rock, via Broadway
Based on the music of punk band Green Day, and specifically the trio’s American Idiot album, the show filters ’90s Bay Area punk sensibilities through a Broadway-musical lens (with a book by Green Day singer/songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong and Broadway director Michael Mayer). So you get all the Tony Awards-winning showmanship and razor-sharp hooks without the moshing.
2. The music
The show features every song from Green Day’s 2004 album as well as numbers from the followup album, 2009’s 21st Century Breakdown. Musical director Rob Hamilton, who has worked with Moka Only, soul Decision, and Lee Aaron and is a member of local bar band Soul stream, leads a group of professional musicians that includes Dave Corman (Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band), Scott Tucker (Famous Players, Dawn Pemberton), Sam Cartwright and Paul Miyai.
3. The cast
Actors include veterans of past URP productions such as Nick Heffelfinger and Ali Watson, as well as newcomers to the company, many of whom are graduates of Capilano University’s and Langara’s Studio 58 theatre programs.
4. URP
Formerly Uncle Randy Productions, the local Ovation Awards-winning company has been producing musicals locally since 1995. Previous shows include Cabaret, Rent and Jesus Christ Superstar. American Idiot is the company’s 26th production.
5. It’s not ‘Canadian Idiot’
Although, to be fair, the 2006 Weird Al Yankovic song parody does have some pretty rad lyrics going for it, including “Well maple syrup and snow’s what they export/ They treat curling just like it’s a real sport/They think their silly accent is so cute/Can’t understand a thing they’re talking aboot.”
AMERICAN IDIOT
When: Nov. 5-10 at 8 p.m. Where: Centennial Theatre, North Vancouver
Tickets: $25-$45 at urp.ca and 604-984-4484