AMERICAN IDIOT Opens 2/12 in Philadelphia

The national tour of AMERICAN IDIOT will make its Philadelphia premiere Feb. 12 - 17 at the Merriam Theater as part of the Broadway Season, presented by The Kimmel Center and The Shubert Organization. The press opening is scheduled for Tues. Feb. 12 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets ranging in price from $20 to $100 are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at kimmelcenter.org/broadway, at the Kimmel Center box office, Broad & Spruce Sts. (open daily 10 am to 6 pm) or at the Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad Street (open during performances only). Groups of 10 or more will receive discounts for select performances by calling 215-790-5883 or 866-276-2947. Performances include: Tuesday - Thursday evening at 7:30 pm; Friday & Saturday evening at 8:00 pm; Sunday evening at 6:30 pm; matinees Saturday at 2:00 pm and Sunday at 1:00 pm.

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 and direction is by Tony Award-winner Mayer ("Spring Awakening").

The acclaimed creative team also includes choreography by Olivier Award-winner Steven Hoggett ("Black Watch") and orchestrations and arrangements by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tom Kitt ("Next to Normal"). The Tony Award-winning scenic design by Christine Jones and the Tony Award-winning lighting design by Kevin Adams will also be featured in the tour.

Cast members include Alex Nee starring as Johnny along with Trent Saunders as St. Jimmy, Casey O'Farrell as Will, Thomas Hettrick as Tunny, Alyssa DiPalma as Whatsername, Jenna Rubaii as The Extraordinary Girl and Kennedy Caughell as Heather.

AMERICAN IDIOT will also feature Aurie Ceylon, Carson Higgins, Antwaun Holley, Daniel C. Jackson, Brandon Kalm, John Krause, Alison Morooney, Turner Rouse, Jr., Jamal Shuriah, Dustin Harris Smith, Ashley Tobias, Chelsea Turbin, and Jared Young.

Winner of two 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 audiences the time of their lives night after night since its Broadway run at the St. James Theatre (March 2010 - April 2011) and its subsequent national tour, which launched December 2011 in Toronto.

"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, 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."

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!"

For more information on AMERICAN IDIOT, visit www.americanidiotthemusical.com.

The 2012-2013 Broadway Season is presented by The Kimmel Center and The Shubert Organization with productions at the Academy of Music, Forrest Theatre and Merriam Theater.

In addition to AMERICAN IDIOT, the 2012-13 Broadway Season includes: CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (Jan. 15 - 20); PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT (Feb. 26 - March 3); THE ADDAMS FAMILY (March 19 - 24); and SISTER ACT (April 2 - 7), all at the Academy of Music. The Broadway season will also feature additional shows including: BLUE MAN GROUP (March 5 - 10), ROCK OF AGES (June 14 - 16), both at the Merriam Theater; and the return of WICKED (June 26 - Aug. 4) for an extended summer engagment at the Academy of Music.

KIMMEL CENTER, INC., a charitable, not-for-profit organization, owns, manages, supports and maintains The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which includes Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the Merck Arts Education Center. Kimmel Center, Inc. also manages the Academy of Music, owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, and the University of the Arts Merriam Theater. Our mission is to operate a world class performing arts center that engages and serves a broad audience which includes providing arts in education, community outreach and a rich diversity of programming. The 2012/2013 season is sponsored by Citi. For additional information, visit kimmelcenter.org.

The Shubert Organization owns and operates 21 theatres in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, DC and continues its involvement in the presentation of distinguished theatrical productions. Under the leadership of Philip J. Smith, Chairman and Robert E. Wankel, President, the firm continues its tradition of producing distinguished theatrical attractions. These include Hugh Jackman Back on Broadway, Sister Act, That Championship Season, Passing Strange, Equus (w/Daniel Radcliffe), A Steady Rain, God of Carnage, Cats, Sunday in the Park with George, Dreamgirls, Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Lettice & Lovage, Passion, the original production of Amadeus and many others. The Shubert Organization is dedicated to the revitalization of the American theatre. Its activities include the restoration and modernization of its theatres and participation in civic and community affairs. Shubert Ticketing provides superior box office, call center and marketing services, as well as online products for live entertainment venues across the country.

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