"Our seats were fantastic and the performance moved me just as much as when I first saw it at Gammage with the Broadway series." - goldstar
"#StrayCat's production of #AmericanIdiot was even better the second time around." - KF
"I got to see this local production of American Idiot last weekend. I never got into Green Day, and honestly I just couldn't understand the suburban white male angst that they tapped into. It was (is) widespread in our country, but I just didn't get it. Like, suburban life is supposed to be cushy and nice, what could they have to be messed up about? Were their lives so easy and privileged that they were rebelling against the kind of safety and comfort that most of us only dream of? What kind of entitled patriarchal bullshit was this?I know better now than to try to invalidate someone else's experiences, but I still just didn't get it. But, Stray Cat Theatre can do no wrong, so I jumped at the chance to see the show. If anyone could convert me, it would be this theatre company.
And holy mother of god did I have that epiphany.
"You're not the Jesus of Suburbia
The St. Jimmy is a figment of
Your father's rage and your mother's love" -Letterbomb
There it was. "Your mother's love and your father's rage." It really *was* some patriarchal bullshit! Hell yeah young white men are going to get fucked up in a system where the only emotions that their fathers can express is rage! And they're going to do their best to be something different, but if the only emotion men are allowed to have is anger, and these young men don't want to be like that, what choice do they have but to numb themselves? And what comes after that is boredom (depression), drugs, and other bad choices.
And then after that comes redemption in the form of acceptance+hope.
It goes without saying, but I'm going to say it anyway. The casting was FUCKING PERFECT as it always is at Stray Cat, as if these parts were written for these actors. Costuming was so on point that I was kind of nostalgic (and OMG I want to BE St Jimmy's furs). Choreography was stellar. I just loved everything. You will, too.
Go see it, the final weekend starts tonight." - SS
" Get out and see it. Phenomenal." - KJS
"Congrats to Stray Cat Theatre!!! What an awesome production!!! This is your last week to see it! Go fill those seats peeps!!! Kudos to Ron May, Louis Farber, Andy Kust, Mychal Anaya, Daniel Davisson, Brooke Unverferth, Eric P. Boudreaux, David Samson, Victoria Anne, Katie Frederick, Cassie Chilton and the rest of the company and crew!!! Ya'll are ROCKSTARS!!! Have a fantastic closing week!!!" - AV
"American Idiot at Stray Cat Theatre. Go. Just go. Only three shows left and if you haven't seen it...well that's just tragic. STELLAR work by cast and production team....the amount of talent on that stage is outrageous! The chemistry with this cast is incredible and they put on an entertaining and inspiring show...you will want to be a rock star after seeing this show....I am now listening to the American Idiot album on repeat, pretending to be a rock star. Go. DOOOOO IT!!!!!!" - MK
"A few days late...but seeing American Idiot last weekend was one of the most engaging experience I've had at the theatre. This cast absolutely rocked...and I can't stop thinking about how incredible the girl band was (of course the primary band members were on point too). So fierce." - SK
"Tonight I seen the musical American Idiot, and let me tell you it was absolutely fabulous! If you have not seen it yet, they still have 2 shows left this weekend! I would recommend it to everyone!...Loved every second of it! Stray Cat Theatre" - HG
"fucking brilliant show! Seriously gorgeous!" - RF
"Blown away by the show - the cast, the direction, the band! Loved it! I hadn't seen it in NY, but I loved what Ron did with the end - showing us how little has changed - sadly. I would have been bummed to have missed this show - you will be too, if you haven't made it there! Grab one of the few remaining tickets and get your butt in a seat tonight!" - MDW
"Stray Cat Theatre (Ron May) does it AGAIN! This flawless production is proof that PASSIONATE & POWERFUL THEATRE is ALIVE and WELL in Phoenix! We LOVED every single minute and are GRATEFUL to have witnessed all the incredible TALENT this company always pulls together to make it happen!! Thank You!!!" - JM
"I didn't get to see it at the St James Theater in NYC. I was able to see a touring company's performance here at Gammage. I loved it. I've been a huge Green Day fan since Dookie crashed the scene back in 1994 and I think Idiot is a show that will stand the test of time." - PP
"Stray Cat, I was VERY impressed with your work. You did good. Very good. You showed that this big production can be scaled down to fit the space it's given and be just as effective, both artistically and emotionally, as the original production." - anonymous
"Just saw Stray Cat Theatre's production of American Idiot and LOVED IT!!!! Such a rocking good time!! Everyone in the cast was phenomenal!! :)" - DW
"Just saw American Idiot Ron, you are a great director and those kids were brilliant. I loved how the cast walked around with their heads down and such angry pent-up rage. It's kind of how I imagined the story 12 years ago when I bought the cd." - SS
"Wow Ron . AMer Idiot was fantastic sir ! Congrats !Loved every minute The energy was so high the whole time !! The best show I have ever seen in Tempe !" - JM
"Stray Cat Theater was on fire ......... So glad to have seen the sensational production of American Idiot...... Non stop energy fueled by great talent..... great music. Congratulations cast and crew." - KB
"AMAZING CAST. Kinda of loud, but LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT! It was fucking amazing! Cast was insanely good! Just wanted to say your show was TONY worthy! AMERICAN IDIOT blew my mind! And I would NEVER believe it was only Stray Cat's 2nd musical ever! BRAVO!" - IM
"Attended “American Idiot” on Saturday evening. OUTSTANDING! LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT! Thanks for bringing such exciting theatre to the Valley!" - HO
"Locals: you have one last weekend to catch Stray Cat Theatre's production of AMERICAN IDIOT. They've sold out every show for a reason. Go!" - MM
"Fantastic acting, music, great seats and a beautiful venue!" - goldstar
"Great show, great venue. The actors were so good and the sound was good you could hear all the songs clearly. What a talented group." - goldstar
"This evening we went to "American Idiot." Presented by Stray Cat Theatre, directed by Ron May, musical direction by Andy Kust and choreography by Lisa Starry, A rock musical, this is one powerful play with great music, performance, and dance. At its core is a hard-hitting look at American culture and our political values. One caveat, be prepared for the volume; this is loud theatre. You have until July 16 to get to the Tempe Center for the Arts and attend this really great piece of theatre." - KW
"Ok guys! GREEN DAY'S AMERICAN IDIOT!! Stray Cat Theatre. See it!!! So much energy, great vocals, outstanding direction, and incredible talent! I may actually see it again! Don't miss it!" - AB
"...it was so good...SO SO good!" - NT
"holy shit. GO SEE AMERICAN IDIOT AT STRAY CAT THEATRE! goddamn! that was such a blast! I wanna go dance and see it again!" - CW
"Awesome awesome show!!!!" - SR
"...we were all blown away. (aside from the fact that we all realized how much we need to work on our abs...) And we all agree, St. Jimmy was amazing and mesmerizing. Great new take on that character. Thanks for the wonderful evening." - SS
"Stray Cat Theatre's American Idiot is an hour and a half of non-stop energy! The show attacks you from the beginning and does not let up until the curtain. There are only a few more shows left, so get out and see it!" - PH
"Okay, now that I've had proper time to let it all sink in, some thoughts on Green Day's American Idiot: First, let me start by saying this was the first show I saw at Gammage, and the show that made me realize "Holy crap, I need to get back into theatre!". Stray Cat's production made me feel that all over again. It's an emotional roller coaster, filled with songs (you already know) being sung by some of the most crazy talented people. Seriously. They belt. their. faces off. And it's fantastic. You'll laugh, cry, and cheer. If you don't, you're an idiot. (Haaaa. See what I did there?) Kudos to everyone involved. It closes next Saturday, get tickets while you still can!" - KF
"Congratulations to all involved in "American Idiot!!" You guys completely crushed it. I expected no less. Love and mad respect!! <3" - AV
"Another great show to all the kittens involved with American Idiot. So much Energy!" - K
"American Idiot! Go see it!! Wow @ #straycattheatre" - SR
"So I saw 'American Idiot' at Stray Cat Theatre last night and I could not focus on one thing. I was looking everywhere. Why? Because every single person was GIVING! I was drawn in by each actor and musician on that stage. I loved it so much! It's a holiday weekend and you deserve to treat yourself to some theatre. Go to www.straycattheatre.org and purchase tickets. You do not want to miss this!" - MT
"GO SEE AMERICAN IDIOT! The age of the audience ranged from 14 -65. And really drunk people. What fun! An absolutely non- stop energy blitz of raw talent and passion . Don't miss it." - RM
"You Kitties pack a powerful Roar!! Great Job - American Idiot!!!" - CS
"Had the pleasure of seeing Stray Cat Theatre's production of AMERICAN IDIOT tonight ...What a fun, energetic and powerful production with a cast that brings it all. Congrats to Ron May and everyone else at Stray Cat. It runs through July 16 - don't miss this one!" - MW
"Finally saw it tonight! The staging/choreo was pure magic, BRAVO!" - AG
"I'll admit it. I'm no fan of musicals. But "American Idiot" had me from the fist note. Damn near to perfection as a production can get." - SS
"Green Day's "American Idiot" was fantastic! The cast was exceptionally talented. Love the new Stray Cat Theatre too. Highly recommended." - MJF
"Go see Stray Cat Theatre's 'American Idiot'. Seriously. Go. Immediately. Blew me completely out of the water. So much hard purring and all of my multiple hats off to everyone involved. Cheers, darlings." - JG
"You'd be a friggin idiot to miss Stray Cat's "American Idiot." I couldn't sit still, either physically or emotionally. Might there be a revisit in my future? It's not often that I wish I could see a show again. But when it happens, it's almost always Stray Cat. Purr on, kitties!" - PFL
"Got to see the amazing cast of American Idiot last night! Once again, Stray Cat puts on an incredible show! If you are even a passing fan of Green Day, GO SEE IT! There's not much time left! Don't miss this amazing production! " - JD
"AMERICAN IDIOT WAS SO EFFING GOOD!!!!! Go see it!!!! Two more weekends!!!! I'm definitely coming back!" - BG
"Completely agree with Kerry Lengel, Stray Cat Theatre made 'American Idiot' their own. We were affected, reminded of an era and thoroughly entertained. If you live in the Phoenix area, get tickets. See this show." - WK
"Congratulations, Kitties, on another high octane, blow the walls down theatrical EVENT for the Valley! You prove over and over that there is great artistry and talent here - thank you for celebrating, enabling, encouraging, and providing a platform again and again." - BJF
"I never heard Green Day before but had a head banging good time nevertheless." - LB
"Just saw Stray Cat's AMERICAN IDIOT. It was awesome! Great energy and the cast killed it. Thanks to everyone involved in the production!" - FG
"BRAVO Alan Khoutakoun, Eric P. Boudreaux and Cast!!! What a high octane performance you shared in today's matinee performance! Alan, you were perfectly sensual and sinister in both body and voice. FRIENDS, GO SEE THIS SHOW!!! Exciting from start to finish..." - DH
"Holy shit so good." - KC
"Saw American Idiot (again). It just keeps getting better. Super props to the Idiettes band, especially their rockin', headbangin' lead guitarist. If you don't go see it... no one will like you... everyone will leave you... and you'll be all alone... while we're out here having fun." - TM
"It was perfectly loud and awesome. The way Green Day is meant to be heard. Could not sit still in my seat!!" - MKS
"Hats off to the great Cast and Musicians for the brilliant matinee today of Stray Cat Theatre's AMERICAN IDIOT at Tempe Center for the Arts!! It is one of those shows that I hope never ends. I have bought more tickets since I got home!! I AM GOING TO OBSESS!!! OMG!! :) :) It closes on July 16." - GB
"Excellent performance today. I wast sure about seeing it on a Sunday afternoon but it gave me chills." - JB
"I just saw it. Best show ever. I'm such a big green day fan." - JP
"I saw the Broadway tour of this musical, yet the Stray Cat production soared above it! Inventive, creative, compelling...all the characterizations were perfect. Choreography so edgy and exciting, use of 4 stage prop "coffin crates" superb. Loved it all!!!!" - goldstar
"I took my husband and 11 yr old. We all loved it. If you are a greenday fan this is a show for you. It has some colorful language if anyone is worried about bringing smaller children. The theater was a little warmer than I thought it would be." - goldstar
"Stray Cat Theatre's AMERICAN IDIOT at Tempe Center for the Arts is a huge hit!...The show is one hour and 35 minutes without an intermission. It went by so rapidly. The applause is limited because the songs feed into each other. I could tell that the audience loved every minute of it. I can't wait to see it again. I had seen the show in NYC, so I knew how good it is. And then when Ron May is announced as the Director, it made my job of buying several shows very easy. Thanks again for a beautiful production. I will be seeing it again and again and then some before it closes on July 16!!!" - GB
"I'm saying you should go see this show because it truly does ROCK!!! Local talent busting their ass and putting a great spin on this material, GO SEE IT!!!" - RH
"Mind. Blown. Shout out to Stray Cat Theater for putting on an incredible performance of Green Day's American Idiot! Well done!" - RT
"The cast is so ridiculously talented!!! The energy, physicality, and amazing voices totally captured me. It was hard to sit still!" - KS
"What an incredible show...Straycat Theater has really done something special. If you haven't seen it yet, you're missing out on some phenomenal talent!" - JB
"...an AMAZING performance...Wow! Just wow!" - ES
"Last night we saw "Green Day's American Idiot" produced by Stray Cat Theatre and directed by Ron May. One word: WOW!!!" - BO
"Stray Cat's American Idiot comes back for its second weekend tonight. Don't miss it! The incredible women alone are worth the price of admission, everything else is bonus." - WK
"Stray Cat Theatre's version of GreenDay's American Idiot rocked!" - MS
"Go see American Idiot at Tempe Center for the Arts. It is Stray Cat Theater's latest, and it is amazing. Great music, great acting, great show. Seriously....go see this show." - SD
"Last night was amazing!!!!!!!!! I was so impressed everyone and everything!!! Such talent!!! I can not wait to see American Idiot again!!!!" - AM
"Went to see Stray Cat Theatre's "American Idiot" preview at TCA last night. Phenomenal singers, wonderful staging, beautiful storytelling...Go check it out. I'll be there again this Sunday." - AC
"American Idiot at Stray Cat Theatre is absolutely incredible. Here's a review: GO. SEE. IT." - JK
"Just saw American Idiot at Stray Cat Theatre! In their new home at the Tempe Center for the Arts! What an amazing ensemble of artists. The voices. The energy! You should support this company and go see this show! #americanidiot #straycattheatre #greenday #rockstars" - KM
"American Idiot" Stray Cat Theatre. GO SEE THIS SHOW!!!! Don't wait and then regret you missed it. It's definitely a MUST SEE!!!" - DW
"Just saw American Idiot great show go see it" - YC
"Post #1 about Stray Cat Theatre's incredible production of American Idiot: Amazing show, PHENOMENAL actors! I'm just in awe. They rocked it out and made me feel all the feels! Go see it. Post #2 about Stray Cat's American Idiot: The show made me feel ALL the feels. Greenday's album came out my first summer in Israel. And it was SO poignant for me. I was falling in love with the country, the people, my roots, and who I was in that country. And I was falling in love. The beginning of the show made me feel all those things again. By the next summer, my adoptive homeland was at war with Lebanon, but that wasn't the war I was most scared of. The war in my home, in my relationship, in my heart and in my soul were far scarier and more dangerous. And that's saying something. Then...back in the US, the war on drugs was waging in my family and I was thousands of miles away, helpless. And dammit, Stray Cat's American Idiot made me feel that too. About 7 months after that, I left Israel, broken, but stronger; scared, but braver; and overall a better person for all of it. Damn, Stray Cat and company; thank you. Tonight was an incredible experience for me. Not to mention the EFFING talent!" - JF
"Put in the rare appearance out at the theatre these days to usher for my home theatre Stray Cat as they made their debut in the great big new Kitty Condo for American Idiot. Incredible performances, great direction from Ron May as always, great music direction from Andy Kust, and lively, raging choreography from Lisa Starry! Hope you can get out to see it if you're here in AZ! Runs through July 16th. Tickets at straycattheatre.org." - TS
"Blown away by tonight's performance! Everything, EVERYTHING, was so well thought out and choreographed. The vocals were beautiful. The emotions were real and heartfelt. The angst ripped into my guts. I'll come back just to pick up on nuances missed while watching such a powerful production! Just. Good. Job. #americanidiot" - JR
"I am no longer surprised but still in awe of how anytime Ron stages something, I can go, "fuuuuuuu...." in the very best way. AMERICAN IDIOT is no exception to this rule. We preview tomorrow and open Saturday for a show that will likely go down as one of my favorite SCT shows. So so so good. Please don't miss it." - BU
"I loved every minute of the play. Best live music in a long time. Amazing cast. Great performances. Took me back years. You channeled Green Day one of my favorite bands of all time. Thank you for a memorable night at the theater. I am still head banging." - KM
"Omg! What a great show. Nicholas John and the entire cast of American Idiot did a phenomenal job. It was so much fun and the venue is wonderful. If you want to see a great show with an extremely talented local cast get your tickets to American Idiot at Tempe Center for the Arts." - TO
"Just saw American Idiot @TCA, directed by Ron May! Totally awesome production. ..a must see!" - DP
"Home from Tempe Center of the Arts and Stray Cat Theater's production of "American Idiot". It's UNBELIEVABLE. It goes like a bat out of hell from the first moment. Green Day's music is perfect and so is the band that plays during the performance. The cast is great and under Ron May's direction they literally explode on stage. What I'm saying is, don't be an American Idiot. Go see this production." - SS
"American Idiot! Seriously. See this. Do it do it do it. It's worth it for "21 Guns" alone." - JT
"This was my second time seeing it. I saw the original tour back in '13 as well. This was a local production that was better in a few ways than the tour." - JM
"...a spectacular sold out opening night performance of American Idiot at Stray Cat (seriously, go see it!)" - LP
"Unbelievable man. One of the best productions I've EVER seen. Blown away. Great job - seriously, epic work." - RG
"What a kick ass opening night!! Congrats to everyone in American Idiot! My 14 year old wannabe rocker girl daughter loves it too! P.S. Alan and Megan can sing "Last Night on Earth" to me every day for the rest of my life!" - MV
"...an AMAZING show!" - MA
"It was AWESOME!!!!" - MT
"Saw the show tonight......amazing must see!!!!!" - DG
"I flew all the way from Ohio to see this show!! David Samson Absolutely slayed in this show, worth every penny, You guys would be real idiots (Get it? 'Cause the show is called- ok, you get it) to not see this show." - ER
"American Idiot explodes from the opening moments and relentlessly screams of post 9/11 angst and a generation's broken dreams, to the tune of Green Day's punk rock score, until the closing moments. It brought me back to seeing Hair in the 70's. Kudos to so many talented local artists for making this happen..." - DB
"I had the extreme pleasure of being present at opening night of Stray Cat's American Idiot. I am still buzzing from the energy! The band, the movement, the voices, the set!!! A beautiful borage of sensory stimulation from the first moment to the very last. Please go see." - HH
Last night I attended the opening performance of Stray Cat Theatre's American Idiot. While this show is the closing production of the 2015-2016 season, it also felt like an opening: this is the company's first show at the swanky Tempe Center for the Arts, and is the largest production I've ever seen them put on. Eric Beeck's black-and-white set, plastered with show posters and illuminated with projections of television shows, feels very much like the inside of a pixelated TV set. I was taken back to watching MTV in the 90s, when the network still played music. From the opening notes to the closing number, the cast sings and dances with sweaty, invigorated energy. The ensemble performs much of the heavy lifting in the choreography (Lisa Starry clearly let these young actors know what was up, and they more than rise to the occasion), transforming from local friends to bus riders (and the bus itself) to city dwelling strangers, punk rock girlfriends, addled drug addicts, and wounded soldiers, all while emitting a solid wall of sound. The three main characters, played by Eric P. Boudreaux, Nicholas John Gearing, and David Samson all begin the play as three friends confronted with post-9/11 existential ennui. Faced with the prospect of wasting away their lives at their small town's 7-11, they opt for escape. Of course, their journeys do not go as planned, and each young man is faced with an uphill battle to claim his identity as a human being and as an American. Other players include Breona Conrad, Victoria Anne Fairclough, and Megan Moylan as the women in our protagonists' lives (while the story is very centered on male angst, the women get their moments in the spotlight to vent their rage), and Alan Khoutakoun as the brash, menacing and seductive St. Jimmy. I've never been a huge Green Day fan, truth be told, but the arrangement of the music with such a talented live band and group of singers won me over. The show is the expression of a sense of impotent frustration felt by a generation looking for its place in a world that seems to have both been left behind and moved on without them. There's tenderness too though, a yearning for connection, and ultimately, a meditation on humility and forgiveness." - ET
"Stray Cat Theatre does it again. This production of American Idiot is outstanding." - BD
"Just saw Green Day's American Idiot production by Stray Cat Theatre. It was awesome and you should go see it!" AM
"This show ROCKS!" - MT
"Ok everyone make time and go see StrayCats production of AMERICAN IDIOT! You will love it." - AR
"...the cast rocked it! Such passion and intensity, and the crazy good talent of the entire cast." - DP
"Stray Cat Theatre's AMERICAN IDIOT is insane! I wish there was a designated moshpit area! Go check it out, sell it out, and rock it out!" - WH
"So yeah... you're gonna want to see this show. It kind of kicks ass." - MS
"American Idiot was amazing on Friday. Today, I felt like I was watching a whole different show. Call me a theater newbie, but I had no idea how many tweaks and enhancements can magically appear in just a few days. Today, the show was more real, more raw, more emotional and so much more everything. Period. Wow. Just wow. From start to finish. The set, lighting, music direction. The characters. Thank you again Ron May. I'll look forward to next time!" - JR
"Omg you guys. I know for some of you Green Day and their whole concept is not your thing, that's fine, you can ignore this post. For the rest of you here in town that are willing to stretch your theatre/audience muscles a bit, THIS IS IT! Call me biased, but Nicholas John totally rocked it today, along with the rest of the AMAZING cast directed by Ron May. You have until July 16 to see this edgy and incredible piece of art. Do it. You won't regret it. It really was brilliant. There were various moments of chills and even a few tears. This story is one that has the capacity to dig into your soul if done correctly, and you guys nailed it!" - MC
"Cannot begin to describe how much I enjoyed seeing American Idiot yesterday. Loved all the songs, heard some amazing voices, saw great acting, stage settings and super lighting effects." - MV
"I loved the show!!!!!!!!...You guys sounded great! Brava to the whole cast!...out of all the American Idiot shows I've seen, the thing I really enjoyed was this version of St. Jimmy! I totally appreciated the more "cultured" version lol. He was fab! Actually I enjoyed his voice the most from the other 2 shows I've seen. The 1st show I saw had orginal cast in it too, but not orginal St. Jimmy. Ooh and your guys Johnny was the hottest BTW lol. My friend and I were sitting in the front row kind of drooling lol. That one guy Sky, OMG his energy is like NUTSSSS! He's a freggin lightning bolt!!!" Your whole cast was just fucking amazing and I had more fun at this one and enjoyed it way more than any of the previous versions I have seen" - JB