AMERICAN IDIOT Takes The Stage With Backyard Playhouse

Backyard Playhouse, a non-profit theatre company based in Thousand Oaks is presenting their Treetop Production of Green Day’s American Idiot at the Studio Theater in Simi Valley October 9–18. The production takes a unique visual approach to the material, incorporating original video, animation, and multimedia elements into the live performance.

 

What makes the production particularly unusual is its director: four-time Emmy Award winner and Peabody Award winner, and Thousand Oaks Local, Steve Loter, best known for his work directing and producing animated Disney projects including Kim Possible, Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast, and Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Steve is also currently executive producing an original animated series with Higher Ground, the production company founded by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.

 

This is Steve’s initiation into directing live musical theatre, and he has brought his background in animation and visual storytelling into the theater in some unexpected ways. The production features original video work that interacts with the performers throughout the show, as well as an entirely animated sequence created specifically for the production.

 

Charlotte Nevins as Choreographer, Jan Roper as Music Director and Sonny Newman Thatcher as Visual Design Director round out this fabulous Creative team with Stage Manager, Madison Selby, Associate Directors, Jesse Fulton and Kevin Herrera, Lighting Design by Quincy De Vere and Sound Design by Daniel Tapia.

 

The Stellar cast includes Zach Troutman as Johnny, Tyler Stanley as St. Jimmy, Cameron Pench as Tunny, Curos Hazarika as Will, Julia Patterson as Heather, Allegra Greenawalt as Whatshername, Anissa Briggs as Extraordinary Girl and Sheilah Utley, Erin Galloway, Gabe Worstell, Daniel Sugimoto, Michael Arrieta, Tony Cellucci, Aubrey Ghaffery, Lauren Bailor, Rita Outtrim, Olivia Antu, Jordan Fernandez, and Marissa Sepulveda.