Life After Idiot: From Green Day to Green Pastures

By March 1st, most of the principal original cast members of Green Day's American Idiot will have departed the show.  But no sooner can your get out your guitar and start singing "Good Riddance," than most of them will be back onstage in new and different and exciting roles.  The sheer variety of projects they are undertaking, I think, speaks volumes for the breadth of their individual talents.






Here's a look at those who have gone already and those preparing to move on shortly:

Michael Esper (Will)
Departs Idiot: February 27, 2011
Moving on to: Tony Kushner's The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures, directed by Michael Greif at the Public Theater.  Stephen Spinella and Steven Pasquale co-star with Esper.
To be succeeded by: Justin Guarini

Esper (right) rehearses with Stephen Spinella

Mary Faber (Heather)
Departed Idiot: December 12, 2010
Moving on to: The 50th anniversary production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, as Smitty, the been-there-done-that secretary with a penchant for matchmaking.  Directed by Rob Ashford and starring Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette.
Succeeded by: Jeanna de Waal

Mary Faber

John Gallagher, Jr. (Johnny)
Departs Idiot: February 27, 2011
Moving on to: Co-starring with Tony winner Mark Rylance in Jerusalem, the acclaimed London play which will transfer to Broadway this spring for a limited engagement.
To be succeeded by: Van Hughes

Promo art for Jerusalem, starring Mark Rylance

Joshua Henry (Favorite Son)
Departed Idiot: July 18, 2010
Moved on to: Henry led the cast of the short lived, but acclaimed musical The Scottsboro Boys.
Succeeded by: Wallace Smith and Miguel Cervantes

Joshua Henry (center) in The Scottsboro Boys

Christina Sajous (Extraordinary Girl)
Departs Idiot: February 27, 2011
Moving on to: Playing one of the Shirelles in Baby, It's You! just across the street at the Broadhurst.
To be succeeded by: Libby Winters

Christina Sajous (2nd from right) in Baby, It's You!

Tony Vincent (St. Jimmy)
Departed Idiot: December 30, 2010
Moved on to: Promoting his recording career.  This Thursday, February 24, 2011, his image will be on postage stamps for the United Kingdom.  The stamp on which he appears commemorates the production We Will Rock You as part of an 8 stamp series celebrating British musicals.  He starred in that show's West End premiere, as well as the Las Vegas production.
Succeeded by: Billie Joe Armstrong, Melissa Etheridge, Andrew C. Call, and now permanently by Davey Havok.

Tony Vincent from the front and the back!

Both Stark Sands (Tunny) and Rebecca Naomi Jones (Whatsername) will remain with the production.  Original cast members Van Hughes (Johnny) and Libby Winters (Extraordinary Girl) will have both moved up into larger roles, effective March 1, 2011.

Rebecca Naomi Jones with John Gallagher, Jr. and Tony Vincent

Soon, casting for the First National Tour will begin.

Comments?  Leave one here, email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.175

HERE IS THE 5TH AND FINAL QUESTION IN THE WIN TICKETS TO BROADWAY'S HOW TO SUCCEED CONTEST!  CLICK HERE FOR FULL CONTEST RULES AND HOW TO ENTER.

TRIVIA QUESTION #5:
Which two Pulitzer Prize-winning musicals have to do with American politics?

A.  South Pacific
B.  Fiorello!
C.  next to normal
D.  Sunday in the Park with George
E.  Of Thee I Sing 

There will be TWO answers to this question and you will need BOTH on your entry.


(Daniel Radcliffe as J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed...)




Entries will be accepted from now until noon Eastern time on Wednesday, February 23rd.  No late entries will be accepted.  Be sure to follow the complete rules for submitting an entry.  Thanks for playing and good luck!

For the Record

I was driving to work this morning when I heard the new Green Day single, "21 Guns." It is a catchy tune, full of meaning, and reminded me of a show tune. Well, it might be, actually, as the new musical from Spring Awakening's Michael Mayer is a show comprised of every song on the Green Day album American Idiot, plus, I believe, some songs from their current CD, 21st Century Breakdown, which includes the aforementioned "21 Guns." I'm going to go out on a limb here (LOL) and guess that if anyone can make this project work it will be Mayer and company - including Tony-winner John Gallagher, Jr., and a few other Awakening alums (Gerard Canonico, Brian Charles Johnson) plus the vastly talented Mary Faber, star of Saved and one-time Lucy the Slut/Kate Monster in Avenue Q, along with another vastly talented young woman from the vastly underrated Saved, Morgan Weed. Then, of course, there are the terrific Matt Caplan from RENT, and Andrew C. Call, one of my favorite new actors (Cry-Baby, Glory Days, High Fidelity - yes, I actually saw him in all three, and I hope this show will break his string of bad luck). Clearly, this thing has a terrific cast to support it. It looks like it is already doing well - a three week extension was granted before the first performance.

The concept (for a stage musical) album certainly doesn't start here. No, The Who's Tommy, Jesus Christ Superstar, and a few others beat them to the punch. But the members of Green Day insist that the album was always intended to have a narrative, and this fleshing out into a full musical was never NOT an option. Of course, musical pundits, critics and fans will be watching closely as this new/old trend reignites. Has the "jukebox musical" evolved yet again, only to revolve into the "original" jukebox musical? Stay with me here: The Who's Tommy (concept album) to Mamma Mia! (song catalogue attached to new story) to Movin' Out (song catalogue attached to new story, told through dance)to Jersey Boys (song catalogue attached to life story of the artist)to American Idiot (concept album).

And watch out, trend mongers: long before American Idiot started making headlines, Michael Jackson's Thriller/Off the Wall albums were optioned for a musical. Which leads me to a question for you: What album, including every song on a given album, do you think has the narrative chops to become a stage musical? My choice:

I can only imagine what Andy Blankenburhler or Sergio Trujillo could do with this one! Jerry Mitchell?

Jeff

(Photos of the Berkley Rep marquee by Andrew Ku from Playbill Online.)