Green Day’s “American Idiot” punk opera
![John Gallagher Jr. (as Johnny), in the foreground, rehearses with Tony Vincent (as St. Jimmy) in the new musical based on the band Green Day's 2004 album "American Idiot."](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6f92996/2147483647/strip/true/crop/357x425+0+0/resize/357x425!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F85%2F7b%2Fdb81cc4ffd700b4ada5939bec819%2Fla-ca-0913-greenday01-kp74d3nc.jpg)
John Gallagher Jr. (as Johnny), in the foreground, rehearses with Tony Vincent (as St. Jimmy) in the new musical based on the band Green Day’s 2004 album “American Idiot.” (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
!["American Idiot" punk opera](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9be64cd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x329+0+0/resize/500x329!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fee%2Fc8%2F5b57c58401e1683be30098fdcec9%2Fla-ca-0913-greenday02-kp74ennc.jpg)
Projection/video designer Darrell Maloney looks on from behind the elaborate video projection system used for the production, opening Sept. 16 at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
!["American Idiot" punk opera](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fb46e8e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x308+0+0/resize/500x308!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F07%2F27%2Ff0e1bfb39d591e62f1822f163c54%2Fla-ca-0913-greenday03-kp748xnc.jpg)
Elaborate video projection and lighting on the set illuminates the cast during a rehearsal of “American Idiot.” (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
!["American Idiot" punk opera](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e35f501/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x314+0+0/resize/500x314!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3e%2F98%2Fd8586dcafa7fe987a05fdd704603%2Fla-ca-0913-greenday04-kp74qxnc.jpg)
The musical is directed by Michael Mayer, who also was a force behind “Spring Awakening,” a winner of eight Tony Awards. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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Steven Hoggett is choreographer of the splashy punk opera. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
!["American Idiot" punk opera](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4f1eba8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x369+0+0/resize/500x369!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4e%2F4a%2Fc9bf945918234957f74c9174160f%2Fla-ca-0913-greenday06-kp746nnc.jpg)
John Gallagher Jr., as Johnny, plays for Rebecca Naomi Jones, as Whatsername, in “American Idiot.” (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
!["American Idiot" punk opera](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d78a6f9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x327+0+0/resize/500x327!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcb%2Fd3%2F3794003082fe53660f1dcae38986%2Fla-ca-0913-greenday07-kp74d4nc.jpg)
Rebecca Naomi Jones as Whatsername, John Gallagher Jr. as Johnny (lying down) and Tony Vincent (in background) as St. Jimmy rehearse a scene. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
!["American Idiot" punk opera](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/461d992/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x333+0+0/resize/500x333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F08%2F9c%2F8789566cb1fb07de09904a41f642%2Fla-ca-0913-greenday08-kp749wnc.jpg)
Steven Hoggett, choreographer, guides the cast through a scene. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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Choreographer Hoggett, at right, runs through another scene with the cast. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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John Gallagher Jr., as Johnny, sings, as Tony Vincent, as St. Jimmy, joins in from behind. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
!["American Idiot" punk opera](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/90c3471/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x318+0+0/resize/500x318!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Feb%2F59%2Fceab541a50c39d3211853d8a2b4f%2Fla-ca-0913-greenday11-kp74gtnc.jpg)
The cast rehearses the musical, which features all of the songs from Green Day’s 2004 album “American Idiot,” plus a handful of other numbers by the Bay Area trio. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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Michael Mayer directs a rehearsal, several weeks before the premiere of “American Idiot”. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)