Directors Chat American Repertory Theater of WNY's AMERICAN IDIOT
By: BWW News Desk Jul. 13, 2016
The 2016-17 Buffalo theater season will mark American Repertory Theater of WNY's tenth year. Kicking off this historic milestone is a production of the musical, AMERICAN IDIOT based on the 2005 Grammy winning album by the power-punkers, Green Day.
At the directorial helm of the production is Matthew LaChiusa and musical director Billy Horn This marks BillyHorn's second directorial effort at ART/WNY with his first as musical director for the award-winning and highly acclaimed BLOODY BLOODY Andrew Jackson. No stranger to ART/WNY, Artistic Director Matthew LaChiusa has directed several shows over the past ten seasons including KILLER JOE, PICASSO AT LAPIN AGILE, and his own award-nominated work SHINE.
Both directors took time to answer questions about the upcoming production of AMERICAN IDIOT and share their views on this electrifying musical.
Can you draw the differences between American Idiot: The Musical and the 2005 Grammy award winning album American Idiot?
Billy Horn: I think the biggest difference between the two is in structure, specifically in the storytelling. The Grammy award winning album is much more abstract than the musical. The album presents the songs in a raw and honest way where the listener is able to listen to it and draw from it whatever storyline presents itself to their minds whereas the musical gives the same songs specific voices and characters and tells a very specific story set in a very specific time.
Matthew LaChiusa: In order understand the differences you have to begin with the album and how Green Day created a musical zeitgeist for the early part of the 21stcentury. The album reflected the effects and emotions created from living in a Modern Age of Cynicism and how this era has created a greater apathy towards relationships, social events, our political leaders, and our beliefs. The interpretation of the album presented in a musical theater form attaches three dimensional characters and a storyline to the concepts presented in Green Day's American Idiot.
What are the strengths of this musical?
Billy Horn: I think the biggest strength of the musical would be its source material. Green Day wove a tapestry of compelling punk rock anthems, heart aching ballads, and raw emotional rage that when it released in 2005 it changed the landscape of the pop punk music scene. The musical draws from that album as well as its follow up 21st Century Breakdown, and builds a relatable world with this fantastic music.
Matthew LaChiusa: A raw Punk Rock story with heart and soul. In the end, AMERICAN IDIOT leaves a markwithout scarring.
Describe this genre of musical theater.
Billy Horn: The words Rock Musical get used a lot to describe any show that isn't a traditionally orchestrated musical. Many times instead these shows feature pop music but are still called rock musicals. American idiot has the same aggression, passion and heart as the punk rock music that created it so I would consider it a Punk-Rock Musical.
Matthew LaChiusa: If you didn't know the album or Green Day, you'd most likely classify this as a Rock Musical. But if you are familiar with the album the musical interpretation read is more on the lines of a Rock Opera in the same vein of 'Tommy', 'Spring Awakening', or 'Jesus Christ Superstar' -except this one is more like a Punk-Rock Opera.
What is your favorite musical theater genre?
Billy Horn: I'm a rock and roll guy, I've been in rock bands my whole life and always gravitated towards rock musicals. Not to say I don't enjoy any other genre but my favorite would rock musicals.
Matthew LaChiusa: Well, my upbringing was filled with the likes Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Weber in particular the above mentioned Rock Opera. I used to crank that album up and rock out to it then throw on The Ramones or The Clash. I would have to say mixing the two genres shaped my taste in unorthodox musical theater.
What other creative outlets do you have?
Billy Horn: I've music directed in the past here in Buffalo, I'm a playwright and composer, I also front the rock band Billy Draws Two, and I run the Patchwork Theatre in Niagara Falls.
Matthew LaChiusa: It's hard to find much time being creative with the amount of energy spent on keeping ART/WNY running. I try to find time to be a playwright and sing for an Americana band, The Distillery Boys, when the opportunities present themselves.
Why should people come see AMERICAN IDIOT?
Billy Horn: Because it's not going to be what people are expecting. I promise that if you have a preconceived notion of what you're going to experience with this show we will shatter those preconceptions. You will see a show that will surprise you by how much it makes you feel with its beautiful storytelling being told through a masterpiece of modern punk music.
Matthew LaChiusa: If you're looking for unorthodox musical theater with high-energy and the Spirit of '76, 'American Idiot' should do it for you. But this is not a "modern" Rock Musical with mopey twenty-somethings costumed in skinny jeans and Hot Topic t-shirts. It's a gritty, angst-driven yet honest operatic punk-rock journey beginning with the first part of the 21st century to present times. 'American Idiot' is not generation specific. It is for those who came of age, reached adulthood during this part of the century, or spend two to three decades in the Modern Age of Cynicism. Whether they are Boomers, Gen Xers, Oregon Trailers or Millennials, 'American Idiot'speaks to all these age groups.
AMERICAN IDIOT opens on September 8th and runs to October 1st at American Repertory Theater of WNY's new space located at 330 Amherst Street, Buffalo NY. Performances are Thursdaythrough Saturday and all showtimes are 8 pm. Tickets are $20 GA and $15 Students. There are subscription packages available. For more information contact 716- -697--0837 or visit www.artofwny.org.
Pictured: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson performance featuring Michael Wachowiak (left); Billy Horn (right)
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