Oh Happy (Green) Day: Billie Joe Armstrong to Make Broadway Debut in American Idiot

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Hey you, Broadway lovers! Have you been trying to drag your theater-hating friends to a show, only to met with a wall of objections? Well, this may be the week you can finally coerce them into waiting in the TKTS line with you in hopes of scoring tickets to a real, live Broadway musical. Billie Joe Armstrong, the frontman and lead guitarist of the band Green Day, will be making his Broadway debut starting tomorrow, in the musical American Idiot. The rock opera is based on the songs' of Green Day, mostly from their 2004 album of the same title. Armstrong will assume the role of St. Jimmy, a secondary character, while cast member Tony Vincent takes a short leave from the show.

Armstrong, who helped to write and create the show with director Michael Mayer, has been instrumental in promoting the musical, and it's no shock that his sudden turn as co-star should lead to some hefty financial rewards. It's a well-known fact that late-summer through early-fall is a tough time for Broadway to maintain the attention of fickle audiences, after Tony buzz dies off and before the holiday tourism onslaught begins. While American Idiot was received warmly by critics, it was snubbed at the Tonys this year, receiving only three nods. Armstrong will continue performances through Sunday evening before heading to South America to join his band mates for a concert.