American Idiot began previews on Broadway a week and a half ago to a fairly strong attendance (76.8% capacity for the first five performances). Let's hope it will continue strong all throughout previews and after opening night April 20th. There have been a few changes that I've noticed between the run on Berkeley Rep and its current state on Broadway. I've listed the ones I've noticed below:
1. American Idiot - they changed the parts for the beginning. Johnny doesn't sing the first few lines.
2. Johnny’s monologues are now shared by Will and Tunny. (For the most part.)
3. Dates have been added at the beginning of each monologue. I don't like the addition of the dates before each monologue...maybe it'll grown on me, but it just seems unnecessary.
4. Tales of Another Broken Home - addition of drum solo + guitar
5. Last Night on Earth – Didn’t notice any changes! So glad because it's one of my favorite songs from the show.
6. Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Tunny (I think) sing/repeats “City of the damned” a few times at the end of the song when it transitions to "Favorite Son"
7. Last of the American Girls/She's a Rebel - The creative team have had some trouble perfecting this scene/song. There have been numerous changes throughout the run at Berkeley with a late addition of Last of the American Girls a week before closing. According to various tweets from cast members on April 1st (April Fools joke?) that a new version went into the show that night.
8. Rock and Roll Girlfriend - Will exclaims "What the fuck?" (I'm assuming when Heather enters. It's a nice addition. - According to a friend, Heather and Miguel's character come out in a black box representing a TV set and he uses Heather as an instrument.)
9. Otherwise, nothing else has changed musically that I could notice. Most of harmonies and orchestrations have stayed.
10. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Song was added after curtain call during the last week and a half of the run at Berkeley Rep. It seems like it isn't included anymore.
Only 17 days until opening night!
