Green
Day’s “American Idiot”, with music by Green Day, lyrics by Billie Joe
Armstrong and a book by Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer based on
the conceptual album of the same name, landed with a bang at the Broward
Performing Arts Center in Fort Lauderdale last night where it will be
playing until April 6.

We
meet boyhood friends Johnny (Jared Nepute), Will (Casey O’Farrell) and
Tunny (Dan Tracy) on the cusp of manhood, bored with suburbia and make a
pact to move to the big city. At the last minute Will’s girlfriend
Heather (Mariah MacFarlane) tells him she is pregnant and he decides to
stay home. Tunny who doesn’t fit in with urban living enlists in the
army serving in Afghanistan where, when wounded, he meets The
Extraordinary Girl (Taylor Jones). Johnny finds two loves in the city,
one being heavy drugs after a figment of his imagination brings forth a
drug dealer St. Jimmy (Carson Higgins) which in turn leads to a true
love of  Whatshername (Olivia Puckett).

The
roots of “American Idiot” can be found in “Hair” and “Rent” with each
representing a generation, their music and their general sense of being
lost.  “American Idiot” is referred to as a 90 minute punk opera which
first came out in album form in 2004 and made it to the Broadway stage
in 2010.

With
a hard working cast, ensemble and band on stage of 22 people plus the
magic of Tony Award winners scenic designer Christine Jones and lighting
designer Kevin Adams plus the choreography of Steven Hoggett and
director Michael Mayer “American Idiot” captures the time. place and
music of a generation.

Upon
entering the theatre people of a certain age (mine!) are offered ear
plugs which I didn’t have to use but they should have offered sunglasses
as there is an overabundance of strobe light use directed straight at
the audience.