Reviewing American Idiot (The Play)

Last night I had the privilege of seeing American Idiot at Theatre Cedar Rapids.  It's a performance I've actually been wanting to see since I heard about its release on Broadway, and I was not disappointed.  I went in with relatively high expectations, and the play still blew me away.

The show had an explosive beginning, exquisitely and energetically capturing and channeling the anger and disillusionment that's a rite of passage for American youth, and expressing the growing pains of the three main characters who take completely different paths to adulthood.  That energy carried throughout the approximately 90 minutes of the production.

The characters plan to leave their small-town upbringing to explore the world.  Unfortunately, just before leaving, one of the young men finds out that his girlfriend is pregnant, and he stays home to do the right thing.  The other two continue on their journey.

Once the other two get to the big city, they too part ways, with one joining the military, and the other finding drugs.  The storyline does a spectacular job of telling all three stories simultaneously, with the tale being told almost exclusively through Greenday's music and choreography.

The boy who stayed home withdraws from his girlfriend, and loses his girl and his kid.  The soldier is injured in battle.  The drug addict finds love and loses her.  They all come full circle and wind up home.  Once returning home, they find some measure of peace, but it's not your typical Hollywood happy ending.

The music was powerful, energetic and in your face.  The dancing was spirited, animated and integral to the advancement of the plot.  It was not-quite-choreographed in a way that was coordinated, yet retained enough individuality to carry that punk feel and express the individuality of each character.  Indeed, the choreography was as integral as the music to the character development; there were minimal non-musical lines.

I really can't say enough about this play, because I was an American Idiot, and am still able to identify with all of the characters portrayed, despite being well beyond the teen angst years of my life.  I would like to thank Theatre CR for their wonderful adaptation of this play, and highly encourage anyone who's a fan of Greenday or live performances to see the show if the opportunity arises.