(OUTview NW) REview Part 1: Artswest's Brilliant Production of 'American Idiot' is so Huge, it needs 2 Reviews!

A Drug-addicted, Johnny becomes St Jimmy

by MK Scott

After the Broadway hits of Rent and Spring Awakening, the daring production of 'American Idiot", the Greenday Musical, inspired by their 2004 album of the same name, American Idiot is an testament of the 2000's with war and confusion. Not since, The Who's Tommy has a concept album inspired a Rock Opera.

After a run at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2009, the show moved to the St. James Theatre on Broadway. The show officially opened in April 2010. The show closed in April 2011 after 422 performances. While Green Day did not appear in the production, vocalist/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong performed the role of "St. Jimmy" occasionally throughout the run.

The story, expanded from that of the concept album, centers on three disaffected young men, Johnny, Will, and Tunny. Johnny and Tunny flee a stifling suburban lifestyle and parental restrictions, while Will (Michael Coale Grey) stays home to work out his relationship with his pregnant girlfriend, Heather (Chelsea LeValley). The former pair looks for meaning in life and tries out the freedom and excitement of the city. Tunny (Justin "Lizard Boy" Huertas) quickly gives up on life in the city, joins the military, and is shipped off to war. Johnny (Frederick Halgreen, fresh from 5th ave's Jasper and playing Freddie Mercury in SMC's Queen Concert) turns to drugs and finds a part of himself that he grows to dislike, has a relationship with Whatshername (Kirsten "Lizard Boy" Helland) and experiences lost love. Johnny becomes Drug dealer, St Jimmy (Trent Moury, fresh from last season's Angry Housewives) and Tunny loses a leg in Iraq and is treated by nurse, Extraordinary girl  (Played by a Male actor for the first time,  Jimmie Herrod). I had to relook at the program to be sure Herrod was male with a  powerful and sounded female with great chemistry with Huertas's Tunny.

When the show comes together!              Photo: Brunk

With a cast of 31, the Artswest production have weaved some of most talented and young actors together and even some of our faves, from Ryan McCabe (Chorus Line, Judy's Scary Christmas)  to Huertas (the force behind Lizard Boy) and directed by Eric Ankrim (Jacques Brei/On the Town). The show is so complex you need 3 choreographers. (Gabe Corey Trina Mills, and Shandou Minitrone), then I learn that that is only part of the show.

The Set by Jared Roberts has transformed the box theater into a multi-dimensional experience with TV sets and a Balcony around the space. Plus the incredible lighting by Tristian Roberson.

As so with most new works from the last decade, this show was 90 min of non-stop music with no intermission. What was lacking was getting to know the other characters of Tunny and Will and later I learned why.

Yes, we are following Taylor next time!    Photo: Brunk

At the Opening Night Party, I met up the super ab-licius and sexy, Jordan Taylor, one of the only actors in the production to go shirtless as part the Military Tribe. Taylor explained the difference of the Observational experience, which is the traditional seat, and the Immersive experience of following the groups of actors from one corner of the theater to another. My Drama mentor always said, use of every inch of space for your performance. What was going on during when those Tribes of Actors would travel below the stage or in the currently closed off Arts West Lobby while the show continues off stage for the immersive audience. This is so important and huge that the Broadway version never focused on the goings on in other areas of the theater. What I can tell is the Observational Main stage focuses on Johnny's struggles. The Military Tribe on Tunny and the other (Tribe) is dealing with Will.

This weekend I will see the Immersive experience on the Military Tribe and more character performance from Tunny's group. I guess 2/3 of the full show is better than 1/3, even going back to the original reviews of the Broadway Show that lacked something (the other 2/3), I could understand that the Broadway audience was only seeing 1/3 of the show.

Artswest has officially taken the leap and the mantle from the now defunct Balagan Theater as the ones who will take Seattle Theater to the next level!

'American Idiot' is running through Oct 11th at Artswest Playhouse. Be ready to want see it in both experiences.Click HERE for Tix. Remember Observational first, then Immersive.