There are traces of Rent and even Hair in this show — testaments to the universality of good old sex-drugs-&-rock’n’roll… anger, confusion, escape, entrapment… Under today’s increasing assault of mass media youth can be even more inspired/disillusioned by assorted wars, dreams, distractions, mistakes, ricocheting between anger and apathy/depression.
Director Brad Wilcuts and Karen Vance’s choreography tell the story as much as the songs. I could not understand most of the words in the loud songs — however there are solo/ballads mixed in, more understandable. Still, the emotions and a semblance of the story come through without words, and the plot of escaping to the big city, or to the military… and it not exactly working out well… We get that, even without words.
Alison Dobbins and her team of media creators (Chris Biernat, Katie Birecki, Yizhi Shi, Zhiying Zhen, Claudia Caceres) did such a phenomenal job with the media projections — some assembled from the news, some “little movies” featuring the actors with all sorts of visual effects — they upstaged the actors on stage at times.
The eight piece band, led by music director/keyboardist David Wendelberger, was impressive (Ethan Lucas - drums, Yoshi Fukagawa-guitar, Nathan Walker-bass, Lowell Wolfe-guitar, Alex Casson-violin, Youi Park-Cello, Erin Lancour-viola.)
Brad Wilcuts says in his note “…this musical is a rallying cry for young people who feel disenfranchised and powerless in a world bombarded by media, violence and controversy.” It continues through April 22.
http://theatre.msu.edu/productions/current-season/american-idiot/