Take a note, Spider-Man.  Just across the way from your seemingly cursed Broadway theatre, another cast of characters is demonstrating just how you stage a rock opera-musical.  Unlike the hopelessly flat webbed superhero’s show, the opening notes of American Idiot are loud, abrasive and visually arresting—infused with the energy of a compelling young cast who capture the audience and won’t let go for the next hour and half or so.  Plus, there are captivating flying sequences as well—take that Spidey!

Mind you, I’ve never really been a huge fan of Green Day, the punk rock group that provides the music, mostly from their 2004 album that gives the show its name.  But Chef has persisted since it’s opening last year, and so when Melissa Etheridge joined the cast for a week during the Broadway 2-4-1 ticket promotion, I finally caved.  My goodness, what had I been waiting for?

Here’s the thing: the story is a little weak—there’s not much book to speak of—relying heavily on stereotypes of disaffected youth trying to find their way in the world by moving to the big city and getting caught up in love and drugs.  There is little to no real character development since the cast members are at the mercy of the music—and if like me you aren’t a Green Day aficionado, some of the screaming lyrics may be hard to interpret.  Nonetheless, it’s a rock opera, so personally the character arcs were of little importance to me.

Instead, I couldn’t help marveling at what a non-step spectacle was being erected on the tiny St. James stage under the masterful direction of Michael Mayer.  A Tony winner for Spring Awakening, Mayer knows a thing or two about disaffected youth, and assembles a production team that gives this show pulsating modern rhythms.  The scenic design by Christine Jones won a well-deserved Tony last year, as did the lighting design by Kevin Adams.  Both of them pack a wallop of a punch that matches the hard-hitting music.  The incredibly intricate video projections by Darrel Maloney are riveting—not only providing recent historical context (the show is set in the “recent past”—most likely 2004)—but also soft touches like a glittering skyline backdrop.  Let me not forget the choreography by Steven Hodgett that can be frenetic and peaceful all at the same time, especially during the melancholy “Wake Me Up When September Ends.”  I was riveted.

The young cast and ensemble succeed at portraying pent up anger without being off-putting.  The understudy Van Hughes was quirky and charming in the lead role of Johnny, normally played by one of my faves John Gallagher, Jr. also a Tony-winner for Spring Awakening.  Again, I couldn’t help thinking he’d be a terrific Peter Parker.  And in the Spider-Man vs. American Idiot throw down: Green Day triumphs in crafting songs for women, helped by Tom Kitt’s expert arrangements.  Rebecca Naomi Jones is a stand out as Johnny’s love interest, as are all the women come to think of it, including Christina Sajous in a romantic flying sequence and Jeanna de Waal as the young pregnant mother.

In the role of St. Jimmy, the menacing drug dealer who leads our valiant Johnny down a dark path, Melissa Etheridge sang her heart out (she has left the production).  While I’m not sure she added much in terms of acting chops—it’s actually hard to see, and make her, sinister—when the true rock legend entered it was as if she was saying, “Watch how it’s done, kiddos.”

At curtain call, Melissa roundly thanked the entire cast and crew as if it were an awards speech, and the group strummed guitars to sing-a-long of Green Day’s Good Riddance.  The young audience chanted along,

“It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right.
I hope you had the time of your life.”

It’s certainly something I didn’t predict—so thanks American Idiot for giving me maybe not the time of my life, but certainly something energetic and captivating.

Next on Tex and the City: a deliciously camped up Importance of Being Earnest