Dare to Defy Productions to Stage Groundbreaking Musical AMERICAN IDIOT

Dare to Defy Productions will present Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT on Friday May 20 at 8 p.m. and Saturday May 21 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the historic Victoria Theatre.

Ticket prices range from $25 to $50 and are available at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office located in the Schuster Center, by calling (937) 228-3630 or at www.ticketcenterstage.com. There are senior, military and student discounts available at the box office.

AMERICAN IDIOT, a 2010 Tony Award-nominated Best Musical and 2010 Grammy Award winner for Best Musical Show Album, features the music of Green Day with the lyrics of its lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong. The book is by Armstrong and Michael Mayer.

The creative team includes direction by Angie Thacker, music direction by Lorri Topping, choreography by Kimberly Isaacs, lighting design by Matt Benjamin, scenic design by Ray Zupp and stage management by Carrie Thurston.

Nominated for three Tony Awards, AMERICAN IDIOT is the story of three boyhood friends, each searching for meaning in a post 9-11 world. Through incredible spectacle, thrilling performances and with the hope embodied by a new generation, AMERICAN IDIOT has given Broadway audiences the time of their lives night after night since the musical began performances at the St. James Theatre in March 2010.

"Since its inception, audiences have been surprised by the emotional journey the show takes them on, told almost exclusively through Green Day's songs, including many they are already familiar with and love," said Tom Hulce, the show's original producer. "This is such a potent time for our country and the search of our characters for what to believe in is gorgeously celebrated through Billie Joe and Green Day's wonderfully lush score," he added.

The musical features the hits "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," "21 Guns," "Wake Me Up When September Ends," "Holiday" and the blockbuster title track "AMERICAN IDIOT" from Green Day's 2004 Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum album. Also included in the score are several songs from Green Day's 2009 release "21st Century Breakdown," and an unreleased love song, "When It's Time."

The talented cast includes Layne Roate as Johnny, Bobby Mitchum as Tunny, Zach Erhardt as Will, Lisa Glover as Whatsername, Maddie Sensenstein as Extraordinary Girl, Natalie Sanders as Heather and T.C. Schreier as St. Jimmy. The dynamic and explosive ensemble includes Brett Norgaard, Skyler McNeely, Desmond Thomas, Jeffrey Mack, Zach King, Naman Clark, A.J. Breslin, Aaron Brewer, Brent Hoggatt, Andre Tomlinson, Laura Moore, Ella Wylie, Samantha Creech, Abby Land, Jenna Valyn, Anna Stanford and Mackensie King.

AMERICAN IDIOT premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in September 2009 and played through November of that year. In April 2010, the musical opened on Broadway where reviews were unanimously positive with Charles Isherwood of the New York Times calling the show "the most adventurous musical to brave Broadway in the past decade" and the Toronto Star naming it "the first great musical of the 21st century."

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