Photo Coverage: AMERICAN IDIOT Plays Bryant Park for BC/EFA

The smash-hit musical AMERICAN IDIOT presented "American Idiot Gives Back", a day of special performances on Thursday, December 16 to benefit Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. Free and open to the general public, the show's stars John Gallagher Jr., Stark Sands and Michael Esper will play a different selection of their Green Day favorites, Holiday classics and songs from AMERICAN IDIOT at each NYC location. BroadwayWorld was on hand at Citi Pond in Bryant Park and brings you photo coverage below.

Called "the first great musical of the 21st century" by The Toronto Star, AMERICAN IDIOT tells the story of three lifelong friends, forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. Their quest for meaning in a post 9-11 world leads them on an exhilarating journey.

Based on Green Day's groundbreaking rock opera American Idiot, Billie Joe Armstrong and the band collaborate with one of the theatre's most acclaimed creative teams, led by the Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer, Pulitzer Prize and two-time Tony Award-winning composer and orchestrator Tom Kitt, and Olivier Award-winning choreographer Steven Hoggett, to bring this explosive, iconic album to the stage.

The playing schedule for AMERICAN IDIOT is Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday 8pm, Thursday at 8pm, Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm & 8pm and Sunday at 3pm and 7:30pm. Tickets range from $137.00 - $49.00 and can be purchased at The St. James Box Office or via telecharge.com (212-239-6200).

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised over $195 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.

BC/EFA is the major supporter of seven programs at The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, the Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic and more. BC/EFA also awards annual grants to more than 400 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide.

For more information, visit www.broadwaycares.org.

Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski

John Gallagher Jr

Michael Esper, John Gallagher Jr, and Stark Sands

Michael Esper, John Gallagher Jr, and Stark Sands

Stark Sands

John Gallagher Jr and Stark Sands

Michael Esper, John Gallagher Jr, and Stark Sands

Michael Esper and John Gallagher Jr

Michael Esper, John Gallagher Jr, and Stark Sands

John Gallagher Jr and Stark Sands

John Gallagher Jr

Michael Esper, John Gallagher Jr, and Stark Sands in front of the crowd

John Gallagher Jr

Michael Esper, John Gallagher Jr, and Stark Sands

John Gallagher Jr

John Gallagher Jr and Stark Sands

Michael Esper, John Gallagher Jr, and Stark Sands

John Gallagher Jr

Michael Esper

John Gallagher Jr

Michael Esper, John Gallagher Jr, and Stark Sands