The audience for American Idiot was very different compared to A Life in the Theatre. As The Biochemist said, blue haired in an entirely different way. Although the audience for ALitT wasn’t actually that old — I’d say average age was 30s, while AI was probably 20s. There was a sizable population of parents dragged to the show by teens.
Billie Joe Armstrong was playing the role of St. Jimmy for a week while Tony Vincent was away. I heard a couple people in the crowd wondering if he’d do all four weekend shows. Announced at beginning, very casually: btw, the role of St Jimmy, usually played by Tony Vincent, will be played by BJA today –> humongous roar.
Set design was excellent. I’m told that it may be derivative of Rent, but since I haven’t seen that show, it seemed original and cool to me. Love the band on stage. The trapeze that was used in the opening, when the entire cast sang "American Idiot"? I couldn’t figure out if/how it was going to be used, but it worked really well for Tunny’s dream/delirium scene.
Stark Sands as Tunny, in uniform –> character confusion for me b/c uniformed Sands = Nate Fick in Generation Kill. TBC pointed out that Tunny is a very angry character (and Sands’ body language conveys that pretty well), while Fick was frustrated rather than angry. Beyond the uniform, the very buttoned up polo at the beginning of the show contributed to my Tunny/Fick confusion, because Fick is a pretty buttoned downed character. Although, yes, Tunny seemed much angrier, or at least angry in an undirected way vs mad at the idiocy of command.
Was sitting orchestra right, so couldn’t see BJA til he started down the stairs but could tell when he appeared because of the roar. He’s smaller than he looks on tv and in photographs, skinnier, wirier. The squeals when he took off his shirt at the end were kind of surprising, TBH. His St. Jimmy was not as dark or imposing as Tony Vincent’s looks (based on pics and reviews — haven’t seen his performance), it’s more the devil on your shoulder, egging you on to things that are bad for you. Seductive, kind of.
The music. I liked the original American Idiot album, but I LOVE the cast recording of the show’s soundtrack, which includes songs from AI and also 21st Century Breakdown. The choral sound appeals, especially "21 Guns". Which is weird, because I associate choral music with religious music, which I don’t care for. The encore performance of "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" with the entire cast singing and playing guitar was pretty cool.
Was it weird for BJA to be on stage and to sing but to *not* sing lead vocals on most of the songs, but to wait for St. Jimmy’s parts?
Apparently, the cast usually hangs out after the show and signs autographs. I didn’t hang around to find out. The crowd hanging around for BJA was ridiculous: literally, they blocked the exits from the theater, crowding the sidewalk, waiting for a chance to see him get into the waiting SUV. NYPD was there, forcing people to NOT stand in the street, which led to a complete blockage of the sidewalk to the point that people in the theater who just wanted out couldn’t get out.
Anyway, I’d’ve gone to see it again while in town but for other tickets and plans. The other tickets were to Mamet’s A Life in the Theatre with Patrick Stewart and T.R. Knight. It’s a two man show, a comedy, with multiple plays within the play, following the relationship of an older theater actor and a newcomer. Quite funny, although I was a little unthrilled with the casual misogyny of Robert in a couple of scenes. Biggest giggle for me: the barre scene in which Captain Picard works on stretches in first position while wearing black tights and purple leg warmers.