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Overview

Synopsis

Bold, brash, and fun, American Idiot takes Green Day’s chart-topping 2005 punk rock album and brings it vibrantly to life. 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. After escaping to the city, Johnny finds himself embroiled in a passionate affair with a stunning and unpredictable young woman, and an even more passionate affair with hard drugs.Tunny finds a sense of purpose by enlisting in the Army, but is wounded in the line of duty, both physically and emotionally. Meanwhile, Will, who decided to remain in the suburbs with his newly pregnant girlfriend, becomes moored to his couch, hopeless and stuck. Each of the men struggles to find the balance between rage and love -- a conflict that defines their generation. With Green Day’s heart-pounding, visceral songs and a young cast who rage against the machine of society with heart and spunk, American Idiot is a knockout guaranteed to bring the house down.

Show Information

Music
Green Day
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Mature Audiences (M)
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
2009
Genres
Dark Comedy, Jukebox/Revue
Settings
Multiple Settings
Time & Place
present, suburbia and the city
Cast Size
medium
Orchestra Size
Rock Combo
Dancing
Some Dance
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, Mature Audiences, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Johnny

Lead

Male

Baritone

Will

Lead

Male

Tenor

Tunny

Lead

Male

Tenor

Heather

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Extraordinary Girl

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Whatshername

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

St. Jimmy

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Ensemble

Ensemble

Either Gender

Songs

  • American Idiot – Company
  • Jesus of Suburbia – Johnny, Will, Tunny, Heather, and Company
  • Holiday– Johnny, Tunny, Theo, & Company
  • Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Johnny, Whatsername, Tunny, & Men
  • Favorite Son – Favorite Son & Women
  • Are We the Waiting – Tunny, Favorite Son, & Company
  • St. Jimmy – Johnny, Miguel, Declan, Theo, St. Jimmy, & Company
  • Give Me Novacaine – Will, Tunny, & Company
  • Last of the American Girls/She's a Rebel – Johnny, Whatsername, Gerard, Chase, St. Jimmy, & Company
  • Last Night on Earth – St. Jimmy, Whatsername, Heather, & Company
  • Too Much Too Soon – Theo, Alysha, Will, & Heather
  • Before the Lobotomy – Tunny, Joshua, Ben, & Chase
  • Extraordinary Girl– Extraordinary Girl, Tunny, & Company
  • Before the Lobotomy (Reprise) – Tunny, Joshua, Ben, & Chase
  • When It’s Time– Johnny
  • Know Your Enemy– St. Jimmy, Will, Johnny, & Company
  • 21 Guns – Whatsername, Extraordinary Girl, Heather, Tunny, Johnny, Will, & Company
  • Letterbomb – Whatsername & Women
  • Wake Me Up When September Ends – Johnny, Will, Tunny, & Company
  • Homecoming – Johnny, St. Jimmy, Will, Tunny, Heather & Company
  • Whatsername – Johnny & Company
  • Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) – Company

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

    A persistent and intense urge and/or physical dependency on a drug.

    A genre of literature, film, and theatre that focuses on the emotional and/or moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood.

    A musical that features hit songs of a popular music group or genre.

    A musical theatre work using rock music.

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