Did You Hear the Sound of the Hysteria?

Casey Fitzpatrick, Editor-in-Cheif & Staff Writer

This year’s Oak Lawn Theater Program threw everyone for a whirl in their cutthroat production of Green Day’s “American Idiot,” filled to the brim with edgy costumes featuring flannel jumpsuits and enough eyeliner to last a lifetime.
Traditionally, OLTP is known for their tame and polished musicals, usually featuring some romance, rosy cheeks, and graceful choreography. It is for that exact reason that all of the headbanging and utter disregard for elegance took us all by storm. Even with this unexpected, raunchy story of troubled teens, starring Josh Cash as Johnny, Abbey Dayton as Whatsername, and Ian McCalip (the real star of the show) as St. Jimmy, OLTP still pulled off an outstanding and minimally censored interpretation of this show.
Co-president of OLTP, Kaeley Clark, reported that her experiences putting this particular musical together could be described in one word: unpredictable. She goes on to say, “We walked into practice every day, never knowing what to expect from the directors, their scripts, or one other. We had no idea this show could become what it was.”
After the three-month strife of consistent headbanging and non-stop screaming, it’s safe to say that the rest of the cast could probably agree with her. However, it was all worth it in the end. This epic tale of rebellion, drug addiction, and even teen pregnancy surprisingly made for a heart-warming ending, reminding us all that as individuals, we are capable of anything.
An anonymous cast member stated, “This year’s musical was like nothing we’ve ever done before. It was an extraordinary first for us.”