American Idiot invited dress thoughts

[don logan]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 12:14am

So I just got back from the American Idiot invited dress, and keep in mind that I know very little about theater.

The best part of the show is the music. Billy Joe Armstrong is a super talented pop songwriter, a genius at writing hooks. I'm not a fan of modern musicals because I just don't enjoy the songwriting that happens on Broadway. (or lack therof). The set is also very cool, as is the choreography (which is more movement than dancing).

The band sounds great, most of the male singers sound great. Some of the female singers could benefit from doing some gigs with a rock band (they just sounded a little musical theater-y for my taste). The sound design needs more tweaking--the vocals are way high in the mix but aren't EQ'd well and I had a hard time understanding the lyrics at times.

The weakest part of the show is the "story". I think they did as good of a job creating a story out of an album that has more of a theme with characters than an actual story. At times it felt like more of a concert and other times it felt like an actual story. The subplot about the kid going to Iraq had the most attraction for me.

The most painful part was when an Iraqi woman in a burka magically descends from the rafters, only to strip down and grind with an American soldier ( if people actually paid attention to Broadway shows there would be a fatwa against this one).
The following flying sequence was actually kind of cool, but when she first floats down I had a hard time holding in my laughter.


All in all the show has a lot of energy and will do well, and people who don't know Green Day's music will leave singing the songs to themselves. Theater snobs will hate the abstract storyline.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 12:31am

The following flying sequence was actually kind of cool, but when she first floats down I had a hard time holding in my laughter.

Agreed.

All in all the show has a lot of energy and will do well, and people who don't know Green Day's music will leave singing the songs to themselves.

I saw it in Berkeley. Despite being a life-long Bay Area resident, I didn't know ANY of Green Day's songs. I've only been singing the title song and "21 Guns" lately -- LATELY, not immediately after seeing the show -- because now I actually notice when they come on the radio, or just because whenever I see the title here, it pops into my head.

Theater snobs will hate the abstract storyline.

I guess I'm a semi-snob because I only semi-hated it.

[don logan]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 12:34am

Yeah I should probably rephrase that thing about theater snobs:

I can see some theater snobs hating it.

[mina3]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 1:02am

Saw the show tonight, hadn't seen it before, was really looking forward to it - and I pretty much agree with your assessment, don logan.

I was quite a Green Day fan back when their big albums were Dookie, Warning, and Nimrod, so I mostly enjoyed just listening to the (really well done) music and watching the spectacular visuals. All the performers were impressive, though Stark Sands particularly caught my eye. Having only seen him in a straight play, I had no idea he had such a great voice! I did have to sort of detach the theatre side of my brain, though, and pretend I was watching a rock concert with kind of a loose thematic progression. "Abstract storyline" is putting it mildly, and some traditional theatregoers (and...Tony voters?) will probably be put off by that.

My only real issues with the show were that flying scene previously mentioned (the people around me were literally saying "what what what" over and over until it ended) and the length. For a 90-minute show, it sure felt long to me, maybe just because it seemed like the ending started about 30 minutes before the curtain actually came down.

It was a fun evening, despite all the angst onstage, and I'm definitely planning a return trip.

[broadwayrocks2]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 10:22am

Loved the show !!!Was the flying seq suppose to be a dream?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 10:28am

Oh good, we're reviewing dress rehearsals now.

[sundaymorning6am]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 11:27am

yes. the flying sequence is a dream/fantasy/hallucination brought on by his morphine.

Posted: 3/24/10 at 11:34am

"The most painful part was when an Iraqi woman in a burka magically descends from the rafters, only to strip down and grind with an American soldier "

OH PLEASE Do this scene on the Tonys because I want to be laughing at that at Show Tune night for many many years to come.

[Popular]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 11:48am

Oh good, we're reviewing dress rehearsals now.

You just stated my thoughts a lot nicer than I would have. LOL

[Insider2]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 12:52pm

Oh please. Like this is the first time someone has ever posted thoughts on a dress rehearsal, and I notice that you bums who are slamming him for posting his thoughts were among the first to click on the post and read them up yum! Get a life.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 1:25pm

Plus, it's a review of a dress rehearsal of a show which has already had a substantial out-of-town tryout. If it'd been completely new, that's a different story.

[Insider2]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 1:37pm

Exactly, and if someone is so terribly offended by someone posting their early thoughts, here's an idea: Don't click on the post and read it! But in fact, it has been just the opposite. As of this moment, 1,807 people have read this thread, so clearly, people want to hear some opinions about a 95-minute show that charges more than $120.00 as its top ticket price (more than a buck a minute!) before they plop down their money.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 1:49pm

Though I understand your point, Lizzie, as an actor, I still find it kinda gross to post negative comments about an invited dress.

You (general you) were invited for free to allow the actors to perform in front of a friendly crowd in a new theatre, with whatever changes are being implemented, etc.

I've been to a number of invited dress rehearsals. Some for shows that opened out of town already. Some of them went really smoothly. Others had some pretty glaring mishaps. I simply would never post about those mishaps or other negative thoughts I might have had about the show. My 'job', if you will, is simply to provide support to fellow actors so that they may find their legs before a paying audience. That's the job of the invited dress audience. If you feel you must say something, stick with the positive. Leave the negative for the paying audiences who were not invited guests.

And the only reason I opened this thread was to post my thoughts on the subject of 'reviewing' an invited dress.

[BrianS]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 1:59pm

(SPOILERS)

Why do you think she was Iraqi? That storyline actually seemed the easiest to follow. While recovering, he had a dream sequence about his American army nurse and they fall in love. Not very blasphemous to have an American bust out of a burka. And, crazy stuff happens in dreams. I'm not saying the moment is gonna work for everyone, but it's a lighter moment in a pretty angsty show.

[newintown]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 2:35pm

I see nothing wrong in posting opinions about any performance that took place in front of an audience. The difference between an invited dress and a first preview is only one day. As long as the opinion is an honest one about what was seen, I think a lot of people are interested to hear it. To say that only compliments are permitted is to force a happy face on everyone and suppress any darker thoughts - never a healthy attitude.

And remember, in NY, most shows come in having already had a good production and a lot of rehearsal - they're ready to be evaluated by audiences at the final dress (if not reviewed by the press). Getting a free ticket doesn't mean you have to like it or keep your mouth shut.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 2:45pm

The invited dress has a very specific purpose: to make sure the cast has a performance in front of a crowd before a paying audience comes. It is, by it's very nature, meant as a support to the people working on the show. And if you are lucky to be invited (as I have been), I think it is only appropriate to show good manners and not critique a show in writing for the world to read.

As to your point about show's coming in from out of town, I saw an invited dress where the actor playing the lead (a role he had done for A WHILE in another place) got into a massive train-wreck during one of his big songs. It was tough to watch...but that is what invited dress rehearsals are for. Get the nerves out. And do it in front of supportive people. If I came home and posted about it and declared it a dreadful performance, I would have been the world's biggest a$$hole.

I've seen invited dress rehearsals that I've despised...and I've talked about them...with the people with whom I went. But I would never post about it...especially anonymously. It's just poor behavior.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 2:52pm

So with American Idiot only running for 95 minutes, would this show have a interval?

[maxximumvolume]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 3:01pm

No, there is no intermission. It runs straight through.

[newintown]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 3:19pm

I understand your feelings, Sonof, but I guess I just disagree. I think that whenever artists put their work in front of anyone, invited or not, paying or not, that work is up for evaluation, positive or negative. If it's ready to be looked at, it's ready to be discussed honestly. Otherwise, the discourse is of less value.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 3:34pm

Agreed with newintown. I'd be less inclined to dwell on any goofs or mistakes that happen during an invited dress, but it doesn't mean the entire thing should be kept hush-hush.

And FWIW, as for this specific show, I didn't see anything mentioned in the OP's post that many people didn't voice during the entire run in Berkeley.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 3:59pm

"that work is up for evaluation"

I know this seems really picky...but the work is not up for evaluation. That's why it's still called a 'rehearsal'. Evaluation starts the next night, with the first public performance.

And please realize I'm coming at this as someone who has done many, many, many invited dress rehearsals. You may think it's a very little thing, the difference between invited dress and first public, but, as a performer, I'm telling you it's not. It's a completely different mindset. You're looking for different things; working toward something entirely different. It's ineffible, really. But the two could not actually be any more different. At least to me. And to many, many actors I've worked with (some you know, some unknown like myself).

I do want to say that there seemed to be nothing egregious in the OP thoughts...but when someone voiced their concern about reviewing the invited dress, they were dismissed pretty handily. I just wanted to take the time as someone whose been in the sh*t to offer a different point of view.

[Dantes]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 4:40pm

Oh for crying out loud ive worked in the West End for years (on stage) and now run my own theatre production company and ive never myself or come accross anyone in the shows who gives a damn about people talking about invited dress and tech runs.

The simple fact is that if you put anyone in the theatre to watch the show wether its a rehearsal or preview you are inviting them to see it, so inviting them to talk about. It can't be had both ways, you can't have an audience and then demand they dont talk, its absurd.

After invited dress and techs ive been involved in we also check messege board etc to see what people are saying, its normally a good way to gage what reaction will be through previews and what we can strat looking at straight away.

But as i say apart from you ive never know anyone in the theatre be bothered about people talking about the show during a dress and tech or previews, its gonna happen anyway so you just get on with it.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 4:51pm

I'm not saying 'don't talk'. I talk all the time about stuff I see in invited dress. But I would never write about it. I would never post anonymously about it. Generally, invited dress has a lot of people you trust to either be a good cheerleader, or give constructive criticism. There are generally few people I would take criticism from if they're not an actual part of the project. They're not privvy to what's occurred and been discussed in the rehearsal process.
But sometimes you get a helpful piece of advice.

Maybe it's just the way I was raised. I wouldn't go over to your house for a dinner party and then write online, 'Dantes can't cook for sh*t and his couch is more unsightly than Bette Davis post stroke.'* And I wouldn't write about your invited dress either.

*I recognize no one has been disrespectful re: American Idiot in this thread. I'm just expanding the conversation.

[Dantes]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 4:55pm

Coming to mine for dinner is a little different since i dont have a website devoted to my dinner parties lol

This is entertainment, an audience were in, an audience will talk, we as writers, directors, actors need honest feedback, the best place to get honest feedback is from places like this...good or bad

Once an audience is in its out of your hands.

Oh and PS, I can't cook for s**t but my couch is awesome lol

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 3/24/10 at 5:09pm

You think I can't start a blog called "Dantes' Dinner Party Sh*tshow'??? Don't you try me!

I agree with you on feedback. I guess I just don't view these boards as the place to go for it. But to each their own.

I'm also someone who, if a preview is discounted instead of full (crazy) price, I will give it much more leeway. There was a revival a few years ago that I really didn't like too much, but was so appreciative of the producers' choice to discount most of the preview period by half that I didn't feel right slamming it on the boards. It was like a recognition of the fact that previews are still a work-in-progress.

I also once found myself in a virtual screaming match with someone about MY FAIR LADY. Turns out, this person was 14 years old. I reprioritized shortly thereafter.