New York, NY – April 6, 2010 – MTV and Green Day take on Broadway with an unprecedented partnership to celebrate the new musical American Idiot, which opens on Tuesday, April 20. The deal will put the multi-platinum selling and Grammy Award winning band – credited for putting punk rock back on the map – and their thrilling new Broadway show, directed by Tony winner Michael Mayer and featuring an incredible cast of 19 performers, into the spotlight throughout the month of April leading up to opening week. Every day is a “Green Day” in April as MTV brings viewers special programming including the behind-the-scenes special “Green Day Rocks Broadway,” the premiere of the band’s new video “Last of the American Girls” and a sweepstakes giving 300 lucky fans the opportunity to attend the show opening week.
“Green Day has rocked MTV for years, now its Broadway’s turn. We’re so excited to continue our partnership with the band as they revolutionize Broadway with American Idiot,” said Amy Doyle, Executive Vice President of Music and Talent, MTV. “We’re thrilled to offer our viewers hours of exclusive band content, a special behind-the-scenes look of the show and free tickets for opening week.”
Programming paying homage to the band invading Broadway is set to infiltrate MTV on-air and online. With daily pieces of original content and customized Green Day promo spots including performances, show rehearsals, interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and more, MTV and all its on-air, online platforms and sister channels including MTV.com, MTV2, mtvU and MTV Hits will unite to bring music fans the ultimate Green Day experience 24-7.
“We are really excited to partner with MTV to introduce American Idiot to our fans,” said Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong. “We’ve had an amazing relationship with them throughout our career, and the network and its viewers have always been supportive no matter what we’ve thrown at them.”
American Idiot follows the exhilarating journey of a new generation of young Americans as they strive to find meaning in a post 9/11 world, borne along by Green Day’s electrifying score. The musical includes every song from the acclaimed album American Idiot, as well as several songs from the band’s GRAMMY Award-winning new release, 21st Century Breakdown. Billie Joe Armstrong and the band collaborate with one of the theatre’s most acclaimed creative teams, led by Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), two-time Tony Award-winning composer and orchestrator Tom Kitt (Next to Normal), and Olivier Award-winning choreographer Steven Hoggett (Black Watch), to bring this explosive, iconic album to the stage. Tony Award winner John Gallagher Jr, (Spring Awakening) leads the remarkable 19-member cast.
“We’re thrilled that MTV has joined us and Green Day as American Idiot begins performances on Broadway. MTV’s audience has been amazing supporters of Green Day and we’re excited for them to take the journey with the iconic album now as it rocks the stage,” said American Idiot producers Ira Pittelman and Tom Hulce.
MTV will take over the St. James Theatre during opening week of Green Day’s American Idiot giving 300 of the band’s biggest fans the opportunity to attend an exclusive first look. Beginning on Tuesday, April 6 through Sunday, April 11, viewers can go to americanidiot.mtv.com to win tickets to a special April 22 performance.
In addition, Green Day has teamed up with MTV Games and Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, along with Reprise / Warner Bros. Records to release Green Day: Rock Band™, the full standalone music video game experience that celebrates Green Day’s historic career and genre-defining albums worldwide, on June 8, 2010. Taking on the likenesses of Green Day members Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool, players progress through the story and history of Green Day rocking along to 47 tracks. In addition, fans will gain access to the band’s media vault, where they can unlock more than 100 collectible images, and more than 40 minutes of rare and unreleased video from interviews, outtakes and performances.
Visit Americanidiotonbroadway.com for more details.
