21st Century Breakdown: Who’s the American Idiot?
After enduring months of hype about Green Day’s new musical American Idiot, not to mention hearing my boyfriend overplay the soundtrack, I wasn’t exactly breaking down doors to see this show. But when a free ticket floated my way, I went—and, man, did I feel like an idiot for pre-judging this show!
American Idiot focuses on the lives of three teenager, Johnny, Will, and Tunny (oh Tunny….*sigh*)—three teenagers, restless and unsatisfied with their mundane, suburban lives and looking for meaning in a post-9/11 world. The boys strike out on their own, making it to the big city and while Johnny and Will relish the excitement and bohemianism of their adopted home, Tunny (…*sigh*) feels the opposite and, in an unexpected turn of events, enlists in the army.
We’re all aware of how emotionally revealing the circumstances of 9/11 were, as well as our current conflicts aboard. I remember, as I’m sure most of you do, exactly where I was when the Towers were struck and later, when war was declared. And although the world of American Idiot is deeply affected by the current climate, American Idiot is not about 9/11 or the wars. It’s about finding—or should I say not finding—meaning in a troubled world.
American Idiot touches upon a plethora of adolescent turmoil, like drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and rebellion and it’s the first piece of live theatre I’ve seen that successfully explores these issues within the present state of our society. As the Green Day hits such as “Wake Me Up When September Ends” and “21 Guns” are showcased throughout the show, I have to admit, I shed a few tears. Not because of an emotionally touching plotline, or because of heart-breaking scenes; but because those were songs I remembered hearing on the radio while watching tanks full of young Americans, some close friends of mine, driving across the Iraqi and Afghan desserts.
Stark Sands as Tunny (ok, no more sighs), represents the young, buff, buzz-cut “army boy”. Yet, it wasn’t his beautifully shaped muscles that brought me to tears (all right, maybe partly). It was his unique, raw, unadulterated voice that, with each note, made tears swell in my eyes. He encompassed the innocence, confusion, hurt, and anguish that I’m sure many of our servicemen and woman face daily in service of the grim business of war.
With an amazing set shaped of punk-rock band fliers, graffiti, and flat screens displaying examples of “new” media as well music director Tom Kitt’s extraordinary combination of acoustic and concert-like musical accompaniment, American Idiot surpassed my expectations on all levels.
According to some, the characters are not “deep”, the plot is not “well-developed”—but hello?—THAT’S THE POINT! The characters have been conditioned to chase the “American Dream” but no one can define what that is or how to get there. It’s not clear where they might be going, only where they’ve been. 
Simply put, who knows where we are going, or how we got there, or if we are ever going back. But, the one thing the artistic collaborators of American Idiot do know is how we relate on this long journey we call life. Kudos to Green Day, set designer Christine Jones, director Michael Mayer and actors John Gallagher Jr. and—of course—Stark Sands (….sigh).
Final verdict? LOVED IT!
~Laura Quackenbush
