City of the Dead: ‘American Idiot’ redeems a lost generation of anti-establishment music

Punk rocker Jello Biafra had it figured out.

“Don’t hate the media,” he said, “become the media.”

“American Idiot,” the stage adaptation of Green Day’s punk rock opera, has become the media. It is the first Broadway hit to feature punk music and joined the ranks of Southwestern College’s rock musical productions that include “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Tommy” and “Night Shriek.”

“American Idiot,” to paraphrase lyrics of Billie Joe Armstrong, argues that it is okay to be a loser, it just depends on how good you are at being one. Green Day pop punk and the emotional performances of the actors and musicians make SWC’s production unforgettable, elevating the lovable loser in the show to contemporary philosophers.

Most of the production is sung-through, in the style of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Superstar,” “Evita” and “Phantom of the Opera” and Pete Townshend’s “Tommy.” Actors had to use their singing voices and choreography to tell the story.

“American Idiot” is the bumpy story of best friends Johnny (Daniel Woods), Will (Victor Reveles) and Tunny (Jake Strohl). The trio’s tale explores the dark underbelly of contemporary life while pursuing its own grungy version of the American Dream.

Decked in leather jackets, denim vests, heavy boots, Mohawks, metal spikes and fishnet stockings, the entire cast captured the counter-culture look of the punk scene. A live band blazed through Green Day’s menacing music, capturing the anger, melancholy and the destructive desire to tear the corrupt system down.

Director Ruff Yeager said he wanted to crank up the punk to 11 in order to inspire change.

“The characters are rebellious,” said Yeager. “It follows the punk aesthetic of rebellion and non-conformity, and it is important to honor those qualities and also to say, ‘what do we do to channel that?’ How do you create positive social change?”

Alcoholism, drug addiction and the horrors of war are central to the story of “American Idiot.” After each show, guest speakers led talkbacks on themes of the play and shared community resources for people who may need help.

Though the three punks had dreams of making it big, life got in the way. Will lingered in his hometown when he learned of his girlfriend’s pregnancy. The siren song of an Army recruiter convinced Tunny to enlist with promises of glory and Johnny got hooked on drugs after he is left behind.

Yeager said it is important to deal with the issues that the characters face in “American Idiot” because they are relevant.

“We’ve got increased military spending and a president with an inclination to express himself in a military fashion,” Yeager said. “I think it is a relevant conversation to have right now, as a warning. The opioid crisis is huge now. Our government has said it is a medical emergency, but no funds have been given to address it. It is an epidemic and we need to know why it happens and what we need to do to change it. These issues are things the play deals with head-on.”

Johnny becomes addicted to heroin. Through him the play details causes, effects and solutions to drug addiction. Johnny is haunted by the stylish drug dealer St. Jimmy (Kevin Phan), who is later revealed by his girlfriend Whatsername (Jasmine January) that this dark character is the personification of his own addiction. Although the drugs may have given him the courage to make a move on the girl he wants, he loses her when the drugs destroy him.

Although Will becomes a father, his drug and alcohol-fueled depression delude him to continue focusing on the dream that was denied to him by his decision to stay. His girlfriend Heather (Morgan Vance) leaves him to find a more successful man.

Tracy Burkland, the co-musical director, said the punk style allows for very entertaining and diverse numbers. Live music from the band is part of the play’s voice and message, she said.

“A lot of the music features string instruments that are typically kind of delicate sounding,” said Burkland. “The majority of the music is very punk rock, but you also get a very sensitive side to the Green Day music.”

Energetic music fires up high-energy choreography, enhanced by Professor Michael Buckley’s clever set, which features two units of tall rolling stairs. During the song “Holiday,” the pair of metal stairs transform into a bus that the characters board. Choreographer Dana Maue incorporated the steps and railing of the units, which put to use creatively throughout the show.

“The vision is kind of like a guy’s fraternity on a bus,” said Maue. “I tried to incorporate bumps in the road, hitting a really smooth part of the road, and incorporating what would happen on a bus like moving around in the seats or shoving each other around or punching each other. I try to incorporate everyday movement, but make it into dance.”

Artful choreography portrayed Johnny’s tragic struggle with heroin, Tunny’s hallucination in the hospital after his injury, and Will battling his inner demons on a couch.

Yeager said “American Idiot” is a story with weighty themes and a show people should see to engage in a bigger conversation about contemporary society.

“You have the power to control your life,” he said. “A lot of times my students or constituents on campus don’t understand how much power they have. Every choice I make affects who I am and who I will become. That is power. Characters in this show don’t make great choices and I think a lot of times young people think their life is just things happening to them instead of making things happen. By learning from these characters, I want people to recognize the power they have.”

By the end, the characters are scarred by their experiences, but stronger for them.

Johnny has beaten his addiction and returns home.

Will overcame his depression and became a father to his child.

Tunny returns from the war missing a leg, but has found someone who loves him.

Johnny asked the audience “Is this the end? Or the beginning?”

For those who have survived the kinds of trauma exhibited in “American Idiot,” they know the answer.