The U.S. cast have been announced today for the UK premiere of Green Day’s explosive, award-winning Broadway rock musical American Idiot, which sets out on a major national tour in October and includes a Birmingham date at the city’s Alexandra Theatre.
Direct from Broadway, the smash-hit musical American Idiot tells the story of three lifelong friends, forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. Their quest for true meaning in a post 9/11 world leads them on the most exhilarating theatrical journey of the season.
Alex Nee will star as Johnny, along with Thomas Hettrick as Tunny, Casey O’Farrell as Will, Alyssa DiPalma as Whatsername, Jenna Rubaii as The Extraordinary Girl, Kennedy Caughell as Heather and Trent Saunders as St. Jimmy.
American Idiot will also feature ensemble members Aurie Ceylon, Carson Higgins, Antwaun Holley, Daniel C. Jackson, Brandon Kalm, John Krause, Alison Morooney, Turner Rouse, Jr., Jamal Shuriah, Dustin Harris Smith, Ashley Tobias, Chelsea Turbin and Jared Young.
The production features the music of Green Day with the lyrics of its lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong. The book is by Armstrong and Michael Mayer and direction is by Tony Award-winner Mayer (Spring Awakening).
Its hit songs include Boulevard of Broken Dreams, 21 Guns, Wake Me Up When September Ends, Holiday and the blockbuster title track American Idiot from Green Day’s 2004 Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum album. Also included are several songs from Green Day’s 2009 release 21st Century Breakdown, and an unreleased love song, When It’s Time.
The acclaimed creative team includes choreography by British Olivier Award-winner Steven Hoggett (Black Watch), and music supervision,
orchestrations and arrangements by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tom Kitt (Next to Normal). The Tony Award-winning scenic design by Christine
Jones and the Tony Award-winning lighting design by Kevin Adams will also be featured in the tour.
Winner of two Tony Awards and the 2010 Grammy Award winner for Best Musical Show Album, American Idiot premiered in September 2009. In April 2010, the musical opened on Broadway where reviews were unanimously positive and it ran for over a year.
The show will open at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre (October 8 – 13) then tour to Cardiff’s Millennium Centre (October 15 – 20); Edinburgh Playhouse (October 22 – 27); Glasgow Clyde Auditorium (October 29 – November 3); Dublin Bord Gaìis Energy (November 5 – 10); Manchester Palace Theatre (November 12 – 24); Birmingham Alexandra Theatre (November 26 – December 1); and then a two-week London season at HMV Hammersmith Apollo (December 4 – 16).
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Tickets for the Birmingham show are available from the Alexandra Theatre’s website, here.
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