AMERICAN IDIOT Documentary, BROADWAY IDIOT, to Play 5/4 in Berkeley

Broadway Idiot, a documentary about the making of Berkeley Rep's acclaimed stage version of Green Day's American Idiot, debuted to stellar reviews at last month's South by Southwest Film Festival. Now it returns to the theatre where it all began as a benefit for Berkeley Rep's education and outreach programs. Broadway Idiot plays for one night only in the Roda Theatre on Saturday, May 4 at 8:00 PM.

Broadway Idiot follows Billie Joe Armstrong from a punk concert at Madison Square Garden to the opening of his musical American Idiot on Broadway... only ten blocks away, but worlds apart. Come behind the curtain - including plenty of scenes at Berkeley Rep - and share in the crazy journey. Known for his work on American Masters, Frontline, and Nova, filmmaker Doug Hamilton captures it all on camera. Now he brings that exclusive footage back to Berkeley Rep.

"We're delighted to host this homecoming for a remarkable musical that began on our stage," says Tony Taccone, artistic director of Berkeley Rep. "We're enormously proud to have debuted a show that has thrilled audiences across America, in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland - and soon in Tokyo and Seoul. As a nonprofit, we're also grateful that the proceeds of this screening will support the many activities provided for local youth by our School of Theatre."

With American Idiot, Green Day - vocalist/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tré Cool - created one of the best-selling albums of all time. Then the band collaborated with one of theatre's most acclaimed creative teams - Tony Award-winning director of Spring Awakening Michael Mayer, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and orchestrator Tom Kitt, and Olivier Award-winning choreographer Steven Hoggett - to bring this explosive, iconic story to the stage. The musical made its world premiere at Berkeley Rep in 2009. Its record-breaking run brought in the biggest advance sale in the Theatre's history, the biggest day at the box office, 18 of the top 20 days ever, and due to demand had to announce its first extension before it even played its first performance. The show burst onto Broadway in 2010, rocking the St. James Theatre for more than a year. American Idiot was produced in New York by Tom Hulce and Ira Pittelman in association with Berkeley Rep. It won two Tony Awards and a Grammy before beginning a tour that is now taking this exhilarating experience around the globe.

Don't miss this chance to go behind the scenes of American Idiot while supporting Berkeley Rep's School of Theatre, which serves more than 10,000 K-12 students annually at 135 schools in the Bay Area. Tickets to see Broadway Idiot are $10 or $20 for premium seating and a limited-edition poster or souvenir book. To access seats, call (510) 647-2949 or click berkeleyrep.org.

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