"American Idiot" Musical Tour

[Heather.]

Does that mean the tour will be extended??

[plaid ducky]

If you read back a page or two, you'll see that I explained the situation of the tour after the current leg.

At the moment, there is planned an non-Equity tour for the 2012-2013 season. So far stops have been planned for San Diego, Tampa & now, Baltimore. More stops will be announced when more theaters release their 2012-2013 season schedules.

This tour will *NOT* be the current tour cast. The current cast is Equity and they are not allowed to be in a non-Equity production.

[Undómiel]

This tour will *NOT* be the current tour cast. The current cast is Equity and they are not allowed to be in a non-Equity production.

What does that mean?

[plaid ducky]

What does that mean?

Equity is union and non-Equity is non-union. Performers (along with many other professions) join unions so that they can receive benefits, fair pay, and other goodies.

The current tour is Equity and thus are paid the Equity rate for being on tour. The non-Equity cast will most likely be paid less and not receive the benefits that Equity members receive.

Does this mean that the non-Equity cast will be less talented than the Equity cast? No. Not necessarily. The non-Equity cast will probably be less experienced, though. The musicians will also be non-union so it might sound a tad different as well.

Will the sets be different? It will most likely be a scaled down version of the current tour set.

[lizziebix]

Hey Vi, after the Equity show closes and the non-Equity starts, what are the chances of another Equity show? Or does it just go on and on as long as the theatres want it using non-Equity talent?

[plaid ducky]

Hey Vi, after the Equity show closes and the non-Equity starts, what are the chances of another Equity show? Or does it just go on and on as long as the theatres want it using non-Equity talent?

To be honest, probably no chance. The main reason producers would choose to go non-equity is if they want to spend less money. So, going from equity to non-equity means they're not making what they wanted so to cut losses they go non-equity. Unlike Wicked & Jersey Boys which has 2 equity tours going on at the same time (and have been traveling for years now), I can't see Idiot touring beyond the 2012-2013 season with the non-equity tour.

The touring model that I compare Idiot's touring with is Spring Awakening's. Their first tour was equity and it had two legs, so it lasted from 2008 to 2010. Then it went non-equity for a year before it stopped touring & its rights were released so regional theaters & schools could perform it. Idiot, while having the same lead producers & director, didn't win many Tonys nor did it have a longer run on Broadway that Spring Awakening had, thus I can see its touring life be shorter.

[lizziebix]

To be honest, probably no chance. The main reason producers would choose to go non-equity is if they want to spend less money. So, going from equity to non-equity means they're not making what they wanted so to cut losses they go non-equity. Unlike Wicked & Jersey Boys which has 2 equity tours going on at the same time (and have been traveling for years now), I can't see Idiot touring beyond the 2012-2013 season with the non-equity tour.

The touring model that I compare Idiot's touring with is Spring Awakening's. Their first tour was equity and it had two legs, so it lasted from 2008 to 2010. Then it went non-equity for a year before it stopped touring & its rights were released so regional theaters & schools could perform it. Idiot, while having the same lead producers & director, didn't win many Tonys nor did it have a longer run on Broadway that Spring Awakening had, thus I can see its touring life be shorter.

So interesting. Thanks for the explanation.

[Jet Taman]

Woo-hoo! Baltimore! I'm there!

And IF they're looking for a cast with the whole Equity/Non=Equity thing, I'd be more than happy/willing/qualified to be in the production.

[plaid ducky]

Van did a Q&A with Playbill.com (http://www.playbill.com/news/article/159125-PLAYBILLCOMS-CUE-A-American-Idiot-Tour-Star-Van-Hughes). Here are some answers:

Full given name: Van Michael Hughes

Special skills: Lariat trick roping, guitar, drums, piano, creepiness

Pop culture guilty pleasure: YouTube videos of skateboarding accidents

Most vocally challenging role you've performed: Johnny in American Idiot

Worst flubbed line/missed cue/onstage mishap: Because of a last-minute backstage microphone swap in American Idiot, I missed my usual entrance at the top of the stairs for “Letterbomb.” As I’m running to enter late from the wings instead, I made a split-second decision to dive and roll like a human tumbleweed across the stage. I must have rolled three times -- each one getting more air than the last before crashing into Will’s couch -- but got there right on time!

Worst costume ever: In Hairspray, in the song “Without Love,” I had to be a dancing silhouette in the female jail because there weren’t enough ladies in the cast to fill all of the slots on the set. I wore a very large wig and a corset on top of my normal Sketch costume and wiggled quite girly. I hated putting that wig on everyday.

Favorite Green Day tunes not in the show: "Geek Stink Breath", "Burnout", "Pulling Teeth"

If you could trade roles/tracks with anyone in the show for a week, who would it be? WILL!

Something you are incredibly proud of: Billie Joe proposed to me onstage at the encore one night.

[Tripe]

They just announced locally here in Dayton that we'll get AI in March of 2013! Excellent! While I have been kind of meh about the touring musical, I'll probably go see this since it's right in my backyard. It will be interesting to see the differences between the versions for sure!

[desertrose]

Video with Jake Epstein

Chicago - The new Green Day musical American Idiot just opened in Chicago. It earned rave reviews in its Broadway run.

Jake Epstein, who plays Will in American Idiot, joined us with more.

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/good_day/american-idiot-musical-green-day-chicago-jake-epstein-20120210

[billiejoeandco]

San Fran, 7.8.12<3

Does anyone know about stagedooring?

[Jaymee!!]

Find the door after the show, wait patiently, approach actors kindly and respectfully.

Pretty simple when it comes to stagedooring, I don't know how else to describe going about it.

[Dry_Ice]

Is anyone going to see the show this Thursday?

No one in the Chicago meet-up is, so I thought I'd say here!

[plaid ducky]

Kelvin went on for Will tonight. Matt was on for St. Jimmy this past weekend. Gabe was on for Johnny and Jen was on for Heather as well. Jarren is back as Favorite Son.

[-Bruce]

Just bought my ticket for American Idiot in Seattle.

Section MF2

Row B

Seat 10

So Excited!

[greenqueen]

I'm trying to sell my extra ticket for AI in Chicago. It's for tomorrow at 2PM; $40. Just 7 rows from the stage! Let me know if anyone is interested.

Edited February 18, 2012 by greenqueen

[jetsrule128]

new blog from Kelvin

Friday, February 17, 2012

Day 90: The Actor's Nightmare (A Story of Asian Will...#getit?)

Let me take you back to February 14, 2012....

Like every other Valentine's Day, I try not to spend it loathing those who are laying trails of rose petals, depleting the shelves of champagne bottles, and guaranteeing themselves one very expensive night of sex.

Instead, I planned on taking a solo bath while playing John Mayer's "Love Song for No One" on repeat while hopelessly texting various ex-boyfriends as I await my delivery of Thai food meant for two. Unfortunately not just a Valentine's Day routine. Happily not just a Valentine's Day routine ;-)

This February 14th was different though. I thought to myself, "I'm on the road, I'm in Chicago, I like myself and I love my job. I'm going to buy a new journal!". Yelped the nearest bookstore and non-chain coffee shop and was ready to give myself a gift of an afternoon full of positive self-affirmations.

4pm rolls around, just about the time any decent night owl theater actor stumbles out for breakfast and just as I slide on my puffy coat and sunglass my even puffier eyes, my hotel phone rings.

"Hi, It's Monica. So, Jake is sick. You're on tonight."

I responded, "oh, okay. Cool.", but actually thought to myself, "oh, okay. Tonight Chicago will see it's second St. Valentine's Day Massacre.".

3 hours and 30 minutes to death at the hands of a couple thousand Chicago theater patrons of whom, I assumed, I would ruin their romantic night at the theater. (American Idiot, romantic comedy of the year! Hah!) Took the time to tweet:

<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fCF3ZVwGdLI/Tz6naqFP7cI/AAAAAAAAAIY/S6sKS9-jCkE/s1600/tumblr_lzemfatNEG1qb5grvo1_500.png" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em">

You know that terrible cliche actor choice when someone is stuck between a rock and a hard place and they start pacing back and forth like its supposed to mean something? Well, I'm confident I logged about three miles around my little hotel room.

I had my script out. I had the OBC album blasting in the background. My shower was running hot water to steam my voice and possible force me to sweat out yesterday's heavy rationing of Maker's Mark. I had a guitar across my lap when I realized that every time I went to finger a chord, my hands went instantly numb.

Here's how it works: Everyone has an understudy. I've known I was understudying Will from the day I was offered the job. Since that time, I've had a few rehearsals, done some homework, memorized some lines and kept an ear open whenever possible between learning and doing my own track. But no matter how much you prepare- the day you get that phone call- Life becomes an ignited canon and you are the ball.

An hour passed and I realized I had gotten nothing accomplished but a shower to the sounds of Michael Esper's voice. So I had an open dialogue with myself:

"Kelvin. Go to the gym. Relax. Breathe. Stretch. What you know is what you know. You don't have to prove anything. Just sing the right words. Text your parents."

6pm. 1 Hour and 30 minutes to death. Time to get my Will look on. Tattoo, costume fitting, and dawn the traditional blue streaks among my blonde streaks. (I didn't get pictures of ANYTHING as I was in serious prep mode.) Still denying the reality that this was in fact going to happen, I was indeed going to have to sing "Nobody Likes You" in front of people as opposed to myself on an treadmill.

6:30. 1 Hour til I meet my maker. The entire cast assembles on stage. I run "Too Much Too Soon" over and over and people are throwing bag and guitars a me, and I get pushed around on the couch. I get a message from our stage manager that the Will guitar is broken and in the shop. I think to myself: The Good Will is broken, The Good Will Guitar is broken. The audience will have to deal with the broken performance tonight.

7pm. 30 minutes til the curtain rises like the blade of a guillotine. I'm in a foreign dressing room trying not to disturb any of Jake's things. I run through a few harmonies for "21 Guns" and "Last Night on Earth" which I conveniently sing the opposite vocal part faithfully for the last 3 months. Microphone....check. Guyliner....check. Grip on reality..... not so much.

7:31pm. The curtain is late as per usual. I have to be on all fours on the bed as we do our "Fuck Time/ShitMotherFuckerMotherFuckerGoddamn". Everyone is giving me a thumbs up and a look of "you got this", "I've got you", "you're going to be great". But I can't shake the feeling that I'm going to let everyone down. I sit on the couch and feel the fabric beneath me. I take a remote control in hand and close my eyes through the entire first chorus of "American Idiot" trying to meditate and calm my mind and open my heart through the madness that is our show.

Cue the oh so familiar song where the melody is the same but the words have all changed. But only for me.

I remember Leslie and I making out and her lovingly whispering in my ear "you can wipe the sweat of your face". I remember burning my finger with a lit cigarette as my smoking dexterity hasn't developed. I remember standing center stage during the final monologue desperately searching for my line that was coming soon but not in my mind- opening my mouth and there it was. I remember being in a fetal position way too long. I remember looking into that baby's eyes and even though they were blue, they belonged to me. I remember chugging "holy water" and accidentally regurgitating all the water onto my lap making it look like I pee'd which I desperately had to do in real life.

I remember blinking and it was over.

I had a final reassuring nod from Van and a butt pat from Tommy and pretty much everyone else for a job well done before curtain call. I didn't die. And as American Idiot 99.99999% of the time receives standing ovations, I held my breath in fear that I was the link that didn't connect that would cause the audience to glue their asses to their seats. They stood. They applauded wildly. I was safe.

All said and done. Understudying can be terrifying. It is also artistically fulfilling. As an actor, your eyes have to be completely open. You suddenly gain an even deeper trust and appreciation for you supportive cast and crew. You hear the words all new again and gain a new perspective of the show that inspires new meaning even after months of work.

With that, I thank my cast first and foremost for being so kind and having the most wonderful of praises for Tuesday. I am humbled every day and in awe of their talent. And I thank my Twidiots who sent so much love before the show, and I read every tweet to fill up my tank!

In my career. This will go down as a highlight. I got to do a PRINCIPLE role in a major Broadway First National tour. That is something I thought I might not ever be able to do as an Asian actor. That is why I thank our producers Steve, Tom, and Ira. I thank our creatives Michael, Tom, Jared, Johanna, and Lorin for having faith in me and taking the chance. I thank Jim, Carrie, and Jillian at casting for their honest and progressive casting choices. From the bottom of my rage filled heart: Thank you for giving me this opportunity.

Alas, Asian Will debuted at the Oriental Theater..... yup. That just happened.

The only remnants of Asian Will. My Will tattoo in my hotel room after a cool down whiskey and ginger.

[plaid ducky]

Jet, you have to fix the copy & paste job. Heh...

[desertrose]

Interview with Van Hughes

http://www.mndaily.com/2012/02/16/punks-broadway

Punks on Broadway

For 28-year-old actor Van Hughes (“Hairspray” and “Tenure”), who plays the central character Johnny, this experience cut closer to the bone than previous roles.

“With [American Idiot] I could draw from my personal experience more so than I could with other roles. For instance, when I was in “Hairspray,” I mean, I don’t really know what it was like to be in the ’60s, I can just do research,” Hughes said. “But to be playing somebody who is searching for meaning in his life in a post-9/11 political climate and a media-saturated world … that’s what this show is about. This is about people living today looking for meaning in their lives.”

“I remember when I first was learning it, I was getting images in my head of what this would be like and what the show would be like. And sometimes the show proved me wrong and ended up being more intense than I had imagined,” Hughes said. “The creators of the show, visually and aesthetically, they took it to a whole other level. I know for a fact that Green Day was really impressed with everything that happened with it.”

[greenqueen]

A quick mini-review from me... I just saw the tour version of AI in Chicago this afternoon... (I saw the musical on Broadway twice.) It was really good; I'd say the tour version is very, very close to being as good as the Broadway version. Some of the actors weren't great singers, and the floor-that-comes-up was missing, but that was basically it. (Oh, and I missed Rebecca as Whatsername!!)

I was pleasantly surprised by how good St Jimmy was. St Billie is definitely the best, but "St Josh" was pretty freaking awesome, too! I for sure prefer Josh over Tony as St Jimmy. Something just really good about him; less creepy than Tony's version. And the new St Jimmy is so hot!

I read here on GDC that Larkin Bogan looks uncannily like Billie Joe... totally true! Now that he's gotten his hair straightened, he really looks a lot like Billie! Sorta fun to imagine him as being a 20-year-younger version of Billie

All in all, I was impressed by how good this show is; I really feel it does justice to the Broadway version. I had fun!

Edited February 19, 2012 by greenqueen

[harrietcharlotte]

my lovely boyfriend bought us tickets to see it in Manchester in November, excited

[Joshh]

Can't wait for this. Finally bought tickets for the Saturday Manchester date. Gonna be sweet.

[harrietcharlotte]

my lovely boyfriend bought us tickets to see it in Manchester in November, excited

Can't wait for this. Finally bought tickets for the Saturday Manchester date. Gonna be sweet.

OH HEY. Nice of you to acknowledge me dearest. Thank you xxx

[Joshh]

OH HEY. Nice of you to acknowledge me dearest. Thank you xxx

Do i know you?

Edited February 20, 2012 by Joshh