AMERICAN IDIOT Opens 2/12 in Philadelphia

The national tour of AMERICAN IDIOT will make its Philadelphia premiere Feb. 12 - 17 at the Merriam Theater as part of the Broadway Season, presented by The Kimmel Center and The Shubert Organization. The press opening is scheduled for Tues. Feb. 12 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets ranging in price from $20 to $100 are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at kimmelcenter.org/broadway, at the Kimmel Center box office, Broad & Spruce Sts. (open daily 10 am to 6 pm) or at the Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad Street (open during performances only). Groups of 10 or more will receive discounts for select performances by calling 215-790-5883 or 866-276-2947. Performances include: Tuesday - Thursday evening at 7:30 pm; Friday & Saturday evening at 8:00 pm; Sunday evening at 6:30 pm; matinees Saturday at 2:00 pm and Sunday at 1:00 pm.

AMERICAN IDIOT, a 2010 Tony Award-nominated Best Musical and 2010 Grammy Award winner for Best Musical Show Album, features the music of Green Day with the lyrics of its lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong. The book is by Armstrong and Michael Mayer and direction is by Tony Award-winner Mayer ("Spring Awakening").

The acclaimed creative team also includes choreography by Olivier Award-winner Steven Hoggett ("Black Watch") and orchestrations and arrangements by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tom Kitt ("Next to Normal"). The Tony Award-winning scenic design by Christine Jones and the Tony Award-winning lighting design by Kevin Adams will also be featured in the tour.

Cast members include Alex Nee starring as Johnny along with Trent Saunders as St. Jimmy, Casey O'Farrell as Will, Thomas Hettrick as Tunny, Alyssa DiPalma as Whatsername, Jenna Rubaii as The Extraordinary Girl and Kennedy Caughell as Heather.

AMERICAN IDIOT will also feature Aurie Ceylon, Carson Higgins, Antwaun Holley, Daniel C. Jackson, Brandon Kalm, John Krause, Alison Morooney, Turner Rouse, Jr., Jamal Shuriah, Dustin Harris Smith, Ashley Tobias, Chelsea Turbin, and Jared Young.

Winner of two Tony Awards, AMERICAN IDIOT is the story of three boyhood friends, each searching for meaning in a post 9-11 world. Through incredible spectacle, thrilling performances and with the hope embodied by a new generation, AMERICAN IDIOT has given audiences the time of their lives night after night since its Broadway run at the St. James Theatre (March 2010 - April 2011) and its subsequent national tour, which launched December 2011 in Toronto.

"Since its inception, audiences have been surprised by the emotional journey the show takes them on, told almost exclusively through Green Day's songs, including many they are already familiar with and love," said Tom Hulce, producer. "This is such a potent time for our country and the search of our characters for what to believe in is gorgeously celebrated through Billie Joe and Green Day's wonderfully lush score," he added.