Orlando, FL – Rage and love will light up the stage at Valencia College’s Black Box Theater starting April 4, when the college presents “Green Day’s American Idiot,” the acclaimed rock musical based on Green Day’s groundbreaking album.
Valencia College’s production opens on April 4, with seven performances running through April 12. Valencia’s production, directed by John DiDonna, will feature a cast of Valencia students, alumni, and professionals from the Central Florida community.
Plot
The Tony-winning musical, expanded from the album, centers on three disillusioned young men, Johnny, Will and Tunny. Johnny and Tunny flee a stifling suburban lifestyle, while Will stays at home to work out his relationship with his pregnant girlfriend, Heather. Meanwhile, Johnny and Tunny search for meaning in life and try out the freedom and excitement of the city. Tunny quickly gives up on life in the city, joins the military and is shipped off to war. Johnny turns to drugs and finds a part of himself that he grows to dislike, has a relationship and experiences lost love.
Written by Billie Joe Armstrong and director Michael Mayer, the play draws on music was composed by Green Day, with lyrics by Armstrong, the band’s lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter. The score includes all the songs from the band’s original “American Idiot” album, as well as additional Green Day songs from the 2009 concept album “21st Century Breakdown,” and “When It’s Time”, a song originally only released as a single in Britain.
Inspired by concept albums by The Who, along with musicals ranging from West Side Story to Jesus Christ Superstar, the band collaborated with “Spring Awakening” director Mayer to bring the album to the stage.
Critical acclaim
The musical won two Tony Awards: Best Scenic Design of a Musical for Christine Jones and Best Lighting Design of a Musical for Kevin Adams. It also received a nomination for Best Musical. In 2011, its Broadway cast recording won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.
“Rage and love, those consuming emotions felt with a particularly acute pang in youth, all but burn up the stage in “American Idiot,” the thrillingly raucous and gorgeously wrought Broadway musical adapted from the blockbuster pop-punk album by Green Day,” raved New York Times theater critic Charles Isherwood when the musical debuted on Broadway.
Details
The play will be staged at Valencia’s Black Box Theater, on the college’s East Campus, located at 701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando.
Tickets are $15 for general admission; $10 for students, seniors, Valencia staff and alumni; and $7 for children 12 years old and under.
Tickets can be purchased at https://events.valenciacollege.edu/event/american-idiot-musical
Advance ticket purchase is strongly suggested. For more information, please call Valencia’s box office at 407-582-2900 or email boxoffice@valenciacollege.edu
GREEN DAY’S AMERICAN IDIOT (Musical)
Music by Green Day Lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong
Book by Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer
(AMERICAN IDIOT is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com)