AMERICAN IDIOT, Starring Amelia Lily, Opens Tonight in the West End

Green Day's explosive award-winning Broadway musical American Idiot blasts into the UK, opening tonight 22 July at The Arts Theatre, Leicester Square.

The full cast are Luke Baker (Theo), Natasha Barnes (Heather), Alexis Gerred (Tunny), Llandyll Gove (Gerard), Raquel Jones (Extraordinary girl), Natasha Karp (Alysha) Robyn Mellor (Libby), Lucas Rush (St. Jimmy), Steve Rushton (Will), Aaron Sidwell (Johnny) and Ross William Wild (Joshua). They join the previously announced X Factor star, Amelia Lily who is playing Whatshername.

The award-winning Broadway musical American Idiot runs until 27 September 2015, with press night tonight 22 July. The musical features the music of Green Day with the lyrics of its lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong, and book by Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer. The production is being directed and choreographed by Racky Plews, with musical supervision by Richard Morris, sound by Chris Whybrow, design by Sara Perks and lighting by Tim Deiling.

American Idiot is the story of three boyhood friends, each searching for meaning in a post 9-11 world. Winner of two Tony Awards and the 2010 Grammy Award winner for Best Musical Show Album, American Idiot premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in September 2009, moving onto a critically acclaimed Broadway run in April 2010.

Its hit songs include "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 are several songs from Green Day's 2009 release "21st Century Breakdown," and an unreleased love song, "When It's Time."

American Idiot The Musical is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Limited on behalf of Music Theatre International of New York.

Luke Baker's stage credits include Sunny Afternoon at the Harold Pinter Theatre, Hairspray at Cork Opera House, I Can't Sing! at the London Palladium, Bare at Greenwich Theatre, Beautiful Thing at the Arts Theatre and on UK Tour, Aladdin with Paul O'Grady's Lily Savage at the O2, Ultimate Broadway in Shanghai, All The Fun Of The Fair on UK Tour, Peter Pan on UK Tour, Sign Of The Times at the Duchess Theatre and Salad Days at Riverside Studios.

Natasha Barnes' stage credits include The Boy Who Fell Into A Book directed by Alan Ayckbourn at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Crush at the Harold Pinter Theatre, Chess at the Union Theatre, Snow White at the Old Vic and on UK Tour, Come Dancing at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, Lend me A Tenor at the Gielgud Theatre, I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East and Spring Awakening at the Lyric Hammersmith and Novello Theatre. Natasha's screen credits include Doctors and Doc Martin.

Alexis Gerred's stage credits include Our House at the New Wolsey Theatre and on UK Tour, Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre and on UK Tour, The West End Men on Tour of Asia, Dirty White Boy: Tales of Soho at Trafalgar Studios, Rooms: A Rock Romance at Finborough Theatre, Fresher: The Musical at Pleasance Theatre, Islington and Edinburgh, Sleeping Beauty at the New Theatre, Cardiff, Hotel S.A.L.I.G.I.A at the Bloomsbury Theatre and Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens at Bromley Churchill Studio. Alex's screen credits include Eurovision: Your Country Needs You and Cardinal Burns.

Llandyll Gove's stage credits include Saturday Night Fever on UK Tour, 20th Century Boy on UK Tour, Grease at Cork Opera House and on UK Tour, Dancing Queen on UK Tour, Aladdin at Cork Opera House and Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and Cinderella all at Glasgow's SECC. Llandyll's screen credits include Walking On Sunshine, Kiss Me Again, Stanger and Deus Ex Machina.

Raquel Jones' stage credits include Ghost The Musical at the English Theatre, Frankfurt, Jesus Christ Superstar on World Tour, Hair in Munich, Aladdin for Jordan Productions, Little Shop Of Horrors at the Birmingham Rep Theatre, Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre and The Wiz at Greenwich Theatre. Raquel's screen credits include the BBC Comedy Sketch Show with Jocelyn and Clive Swift and BBC Saturday Show.

Natasha Karp's stage credits include The Theory of Relativity at the Drayton Arms, The Grand Tour at Finborough Theatre, You Won't Succeed On Broadway If You Don't Have Any Jews at the Garrick Theatre, The Canterbury Tales at the Swan Theatre, Worcester, The Road To Qatar at the Edinburgh Festival, 2013, The Comedy Of Oedipus at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre, Market Boy at Lost Theatre and 3 Composers, 3 Countries at the Landor Theatre.

Robyn Mellor's stage credits include Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre, Dreamboats and Petticoats on UK Tour, An Evening With Lee Mead on UK Concert Tour, The Macmillan Centenary Gala at the London Palladium, The Thursford Christmas Spectacular, Jack and the Beanstalk at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, Sleeping Beauty at the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, and Jack and the Beanstalk at Birmingham Hippodrome. Robyn is part of The Spinettes, a vintage singing trio regularly appear on leading cruise liners all over the world. Robyn's screen credits include Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Clocked, The Alan Titchmarsh Show and Grease High School Musical.

Lucas Rush's stage credits include Mark Rylance Sonnet Walks at The Globe, Shitfaced Showtime at The Old Red Lion Theatre and Brighton Fringe, Jesus Christ Superstar on World Arena Tour, Saturday Night Fever RCCL and USA, Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre, Bloodbath at the Edinburgh Festival, We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre, Fame on UK Tour, Much Ado About Nothing on Italian Tour, Blood Brothers at the Manoel Theatre, Malta, The Merry Wives Of Windsor for the RSC and Barbican Theatre and Les Misersables at the Palace Theatre. Lucas appeared in the Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Lucas' screen credits include Walking On The Moon and Exploits.

Steve Rushton was the co-lead singer/bass player of UK Pop Punk band Son Of Dork. The band had a number 3 single and their debut album Welcome To Loserville went Gold. Steve then wrote, performed and produced two songs on the number one box office/worldwide Triple Platinum album for Hannah Montana: The Movie Soundtrack, as well as starring in the movie itself. He has written songs for Jerry Bruckheimer's G Force, Disney's Santa Buddies, Camp Rock 2, Good Luck Charlie and wrote & performed on the soundtrack of Disney's Race To Witch Mountain. Steve also performed an original song on the nationally televised star-studded ABC TV Christmas Day Parade 2009. Additionally Steve has written songs for The Jonas Brothers, Aiden Grimshaw, Amelia Lily, as well as further Disney movies. American Idiot will be Steve's stage debut.

Aaron Sidwell is best known on screen for playing series regular Steven Beale in EastEnders. His previous work on stage includes playing Carl Bruner in Ghost the Musical at the English Theatre Frankfurt, Michael Dork in the Olivier Award Nominated Loserville: The Musical at West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Garrick Theatre, Michael Carrington in Cool Rider Live at the Lyric and Duchess Theatre, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet for an Open Air Tour, Jack Sprat in the national tour of Carnaby Street - The Musical and Ham in Children of Eden at The Prince of Wales Theatre. Aaron's other screen work includes Lewis in The Nephilim; the Internet drama Almost but not quite, and Blood Army. Aaron also performs in a band, The Boston Plan, who toured with Professor Green, and then supported many other acts including Alexandra Burke, Agro Santos and The Wanted.

Ross William Wild's stage credits include Dreamboats & Miniskirts on UK Tour, The Witches of Eastwick at the Watermill Theatre, Bare at Greenwich Theatre and Union Theatre, Celtic Nights on US Tour, Grease on UK Tour, We Will Rock You on UK Tour, Gaelforce on European Tour and Highland Heartbeat on Scottish & US Tour. Ross' screen credits include DNA Diaries, Taggart, Bruno & Earlene Go To Vegas and Downing.

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