The show is not easy to watch: American Idiot takes a hard, cynical look at jaded youth who struggle with the expectations of the American Dream and come to epitomize a generation that failed to launch. By the story’s end, Johnny, Will and Tunny have moved on with their lives — getting beyond dreams and accepting the hard lessons of maturity. They’re not necessarily happy, but they can have stable, if unimaginative lives. The show’s final lyric in “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” sums it up: “It’s something unpredictable but in the end is right. I hope you had the time of your life.” A dark, punkish attitude, to be sure, but one we can learn from. Read more about American Idiot here.
American Idiot at UC’s College-Conservatory of Music is onstage at Patricia Corbett Theater
Thursday through March 13. More info: ccm.uc.edu.
