What does producing American Idiot at West Potomac High School mean to the students?

GREEN DAY’S AMERICAN IDIOT

MUSIC by GREEN DAY

LYRICS by BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG

BOOK by BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG AND MICHAEL MAYER

Beyond the Page Theatre Company at West Potomac High School begins their 2015-2016 season with the hit Broadway show Green Day’s American Idiot. Theatre Arts Director Philip Lee Clark and his theatre company have committed to take this show beyond mere entertainment by creating ART THAT MATTERS.

- Emily Carbone

To me, American Idiot means the ability to reach out to a community that doesn’t always have a voice. My involvement with Next to Normal was very brief, but in those few short days I was able to see how deeply we touched people. Audience members walked out of the theater in tears because they recognized something in themselves or in their loved ones. Multiple people, some friends and some complete strangers, stopped to talk to us students about their experiences or to have a shoulder to cry on. One girl specifically asked that I thank a cast member for her because, after watching the show, she realized that she needed to get help. American Idiot is a chance to take that conversation with the community even further. We can expand on the mental health information that started with Next to Normal, and we can reach out to include the important topics of substance abuse and teen pregnancy. West Potomac and its surrounding community contain an incredibly diverse group of people, but these prominent issues remain present in every single person’s lives. These are real problems that we, our friends, and our loved ones are experiencing, and they are continuously swept under the rug. They are hidden in the dark corners of our lives out of shame, out of fear, and out of the disillusioned notion that they are something to be kept quiet.

Because we are producing this show at the high school level, the lessons become even more special. Paired with the countless stressors of daily life, teenagers are especially vulnerable to these problems. I am hopeful that American Idiot will reach more students through West Potomac than it would through an outside theatre company, drawing in audiences that aren’t as active in the community theatre world. As a cast, we have already become more in touch with ourselves and our experiences with the problems presented in the show, and I pray that other students can get as much out of it as we are. I am thankful to the community for being so supportive of this show, of the lessons it teaches, and of the conversations that it sparks. I am honored to be a part of this life-altering experience because this truly is art that matters. It is time to stop hiding and start talking.

- Jordan McCray

To me, American Idiot is more educational than anything. When I was growing up in post 9/11 America, I had no idea what the phrase meant. The world was just the world. However, doing this show has taught me more than I could ever learn in any history class. Getting to experience the rage, pain, and distrust of our own nation onstage is truly something I’ll never forget. At the same time, American Idiot also radiates love, hope, acceptance, and peace. When Clark first mentioned some of the aspects of the show that incorporated the community I didn’t see how it could possibly get any better. But as the days go on, he finds more and more ways to help those to find peace through this show both during and after the performance and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this department. It’s still unreal to me that I get to be a member of this amazing cast and crew, but most importantly I get to be a part of this message that life does get better regardless of where you are. I would like to thank the community for their continued support as we strive to continue to produce Art That Matters.

- Sam Davidson

American Idiot is a show based on opposites. Rage and Love, bits of turmoil and bits of calm, freedom and being stuck with what you have, as well as good and bad choices, which all add up to make a person who they are. And with the show, I believe that we have a great opportunity to share with people this story, and help them to get their own stories back to where they want them to be. We are using the songs and situations in this musical to reach out to people, and tell them “You aren’t alone, this has happened to other people, and with the right help, you can make it through this.” and that is a very important thing to hear. Not just because it makes people feel better about their own situation, but it also allows the light at the end of the tunnel to maybe start shining. And If that light starts shining, or someone starts to open up to someone after the show, or even if someone becomes mentally prepared to ask for that help that they need, then this show has succeeded in my eyes. Because, with this show and the talk-back sessions afterwards, we are bringing up issues, not just to spread the word about these issues, but to help people get past these issues, or even realize they have them. Because, even though we may not think about it often, art matters. It can get ideas out into the world that people have glossed over before, or it can change someone’s perspective on situations. Art can change people for the better, and if American Idiot does this for even just one person, then the entire cast, pit, and everyone involved in the show will have succeeded in our goal of helping the community. That is why I am in American Idiot, and that is what this show means to me.

- Lorna Ryan

“HELP” Something many people fear to ask for. But why? Even I feared asking for help, but I asked eventually. Now that I have gotten help I want to help everyone I can in any way I can. American Idiot is a way I can help people in so many ways. I’ve seen so many people go through the things displayed in American idiot. Things that need be talked about and discussed seriously. To me specifically, mental health is a big thing. I’ve had trouble throughout elementary school and even now with depression and anxiety. At one point in my life freshman year I decided my mental health was getting out of hand. I had to get help. I had seen so many people around me and I had heard so many stories and I couldn’t let myself end up like that too. Everyone has a story. We aren’t putting American Idiot on for show and tell, we are putting it on because we want to give to the community. We have made American Idiot our story to tell. We are showing people that these problems are HUGE. Too many people are ignoring these stories because they think the people in these situations just want attention or did it to themselves and even if that might be true, shouldn’t we be helping them? Shouldn’t we show them that there’s someone there for them when they are in these places? Our theatre department has recognized the fact that we need to help. We have gathered so many people to talk about these issues and hopefully by showing this to the community, people will start reaching out and asking for help. American Idiot is our story for everyone to hear.

-Tony Lemus

American idiot is a show that needs to be seen and heard. For me to be in this show gives me a chance to raise awareness to problems that occur in and outside of our community. This show is to not give you thoughts of hate, but instead of hope and to reach out to anyone who needs help with these sort of problems. American idiot is raw with its content and message, but seeing more shows in the future that are like this could really make a difference. In most cases with the people who have problems do not seek to get help and end up in bad situations. I hope to see these issues dissolve in our community and for people all around to spread the word of shows like this and give people second chances to be helped.

-Julian Worth

American Idiot’s voice is that of a lost generation and a lost culture. It’s a voice of pain, and a voice of love, and a voice for the things no one else will speak to. It’s a voice that speaks in order to be spoken to.

This is not a show of hate. It is a show of loss, of confusion, of trying to find what isn’t there. But it is above all else a show of hope, and we, as a community, are lucky beyond belief to have it.

Where: West Potomac High School – Kogelman Theatre

When: Nov. 5 – 21 (exact times can be found at www.westpotomactheatre.org)

Cost: $12 (advanced reserved tickets at www.westpotomactheatre.org)

Visit Beyond the Page Theatre Company at West Potomac High School’s website for complete show detail for Green Day’s American Idiot, including planned awareness events, and to learn about other groundbreaking ART THAT MATTERS shows and events planned for this season. www.westpotomactheatre.org

Disclaimer: This show features adult content, strong language, strobe lights and loud rock music.