Review: Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT Takes Risk
By: Marietta Lunceford Apr. 22, 2016
When I received an email a few weeks ago, inviting me to see AMERICAN IDIOT at Birmingham-Southern College, I have to admit I was intrigued. Having seen the show a couple of times, once on Broadway, I knew that it was not only going to be difficult to stage and sing, but it was way beyond what I considered to be the borders of what a private, faith based college would consider acceptable.
I went expecting the show to be cut to pieces or at the very least, watered down considerably. Neither is true.
BSC's production of Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT is just as gritty as you can imagine. The adult themes, strong language and irreverent sentiments are all intact.
Centered around three guys trying to make sense of life right after the attack on the World Trade Center Twin Towers, each takes a different path. Played by DeCorian Cobb as Johnny, Jackson Massey as Will, and Sean Alexander as Tunny, these three make decisions that send them each in a different direction.
Their stories are told almost completely through music from Green Day's album of the same name- AMERICAN IDIOT. With a few other songs thrown in for good measure, the music is familiar and fast paced. Although it is mostly loud, head banger type music, it weaves together perfectly to tell a story that I have always felt is thought provoking and interesting.
Although you see glimpses of the cast's talented voices, overall this genre of music is a stretch for these musical theatre students. When there are slower moments, those voices show themselves, but otherwise I felt there was too much yelling and not enough singing.
In my opinion the change of gender for the character of St. Jimmy, played last night by Shannon Hickey, from male to female had an adverse effect on the story. I have always thought that St. Jimmy was Johnny's alter ego and that their "relationship" was that of Johnny's good side and bad side battling it out. (Occasionally on Broadway, Billy Joe Armstrong, lead vocalist for Green Day and co-creator of AMERICAN IDIOT, would play the role of St. Jimmy since it was such a pivotal role.) To see that part played by a girl changed the dynamic and made the struggle seem more external between Johnny's new girlfriend and St. Jimmy, than an internal struggle.
The set is another area in which I was curious to see how BSC handled this show. Although last night's set was simpler than what I had seen before, it was definitely effective and showed that you can make a set much less embellished as long as the story is still told.
Other stand outs for me are Melanie Hollenstein as Heather and Jada Cato as the Extraordinary Girl. Both have good voices and are successful in their roles.
In an audience full of college age students who responded well to the show, I had the misfortune of sitting beside three older, grown women who did not. They talked loudly and laughed inappropriately throughout the show. There is NEVER a time for conversation during a production. After surviving a week of adults acting badly, I was so disappointed to encounter this.
BSC took a risk doing a very current, controversial show. I would have to say that although I could sit here and pick the show apart, a risk like that for students of art is almost always worth it. I was glad I was there last night and proud of BSC for attempting such a piece. Overall, I was impressed.
Running through this weekend, it is definitely worth a trip to the Hilltop. Go to http://www.bsc.edu/communications/news/2016/20160404-idiot.cfm to order tickets or call 205-226-4780 for more information.
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