Green Day fans and theater geeks flood Central Park for musical tribute.By Christopher MacAllister
Cast members of "American Idiot" perform on ABC's "Good Morning America" on FridayPhoto: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
NEW YORK — If someone came up to you and called you an American idiot, you wouldn't react too kindly. But for the people in the audience for Friday's "Good Morning America" Summer Concert, the insult became a chant of praise for the cast of Green Day's Broadway musical. Families and punk rockers alike had gathered in Central Park, holding up signs and wearing T-shirts for "American Idiot" and the band behind the Tony-winning show.
The cast opened with the chorus of "American Idiot," accompanied by a mixture of choreographed movement and punkish freestyle head-banging, getting the audience excited. They ended with the salute to punk rock, their fists held in the air as the audience screamed.
The audience waited patiently as host Robin Roberts talked about the cast and show, but some of the actors passed the time by doing flips. Finally, lead actor John Gallagher Jr. stepped onto the stage with a guitar, singing the beginning verse of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," accompanied by violins, and eventually the rest of the cast. Then they transitioned to the faster-paced "Holiday." There were a few wobbly standouts as each actor sang a line, but the rest of the cast and the audience helped out with the mighty "Amen!" the song asks for. They also shouted "Hey!" the way Billie Joe Armstrong does at Green Day shows.
After a break, and more praise from George Stephanopoulis, star Rebecca Jones sang "Letterbomb" (with some swear words taken out) while the other female castmembers danced. After Jones called out, "Wake up, America!" the guys arrived onstage and sang the opening verse of "American Idiot." And though this was the second time this song was played (with the same choreography), the audience didn't seem to mind.
Guitars in hand, the cast ended their set with "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)," the song that has ended many a Green Day show.
"It was awesome! They really captured the spirit of Green Day," one fan said after the show. "We saw the actual Broadway show on Wednesday, and even though [this] was shorter, it was just as good!"
What has been your favorite morning talk-show concert this summer? Talk about it in the comments.
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