“American Idiot” is not your typical jukebox musical. Based on Green Day’s hit album, “American Idiot,” as well as throwing in some of their classics from other albums, the musical dramatizes the concept album in a way akin to The Who’s “Tommy,” presenting the music in a fresh way that innovates the sound of the original record.

Glory Struck’s production of the show, staged in a large warehouse in downtown L.A., carries the show’s innovative forward with a unique and immersive staging, but doesn’t quite go far enough to satisfy a craving for the radical.

“American Idiot” is a split narrative, following the stories of Johnny (James Byous), Will (Matt Magnuson), and Tunny (Payson Lewis) as they wander through a stark, archetypal contemporary world in search of fulfillment. Johnny leaves his fictional suburban home of Jingletown and gets swallowed up by  the trials of the city, consumed by a downward spiral into drugs while having brief but profound encounters with love, loneliness and postmodern alienation. Tunny enlists in the military and suffers the horrors of war as he is shipped off to the Middle East, and experiences firsthand the harsh consequence of violence, sacrifice, and blind patriotism. Will remains at home, having discovered that his girlfriend, Heather (Briana Cuoco), is pregnant, confronting the responsibilities of fatherhood at far too young an age to know how to handle them. 

The most exhilarating aspect of Glory Struck’s production is the choice of location. The choice to stage “American Idiot” in a grungy warehouse reminiscent of where Green Day would play their early shows is an inspired one, and provides the type of setting that the show was almost meant to be staged in—an underground concert venue, rather than the elegant stages of Broadway. The stage and décor of this production complements the music with the edge it needs to fully realize the energy and social consciousness of the musical.

Despite the amazing potential of such an ideal space, it’s difficult to walk out of a performance of this production fully satiated. Although Glory Struck touts their “American Idiot” as an immersive experience, it does little to earn the label other than the locale. There are moments during various songs where characters will sing or dance from designated areas around or behind the audience, and some interactions even occur along the walls of the warehouse, far out of the audience’s periphery. But these choices only distract audiences, make it difficult to know where to look, and even sometimes muddle crucial plot points without adding anything profound to the audience’s experience. The immersive elements are not wholly immersive, as the skeleton of this immersion is apparent—the boundary lines visible. Having clearly demarcated areas where “immersive” sequences might take place is just as presentational as a typical proscenium staging, only without the benefits of clarity and composition that a proscenium brings. The production’s limitations on its immersion makes it about as gripping as a magician who explains his tricks as he performs them.

What doesn’t help is that Jen Oundjian’s choreography lacks the crispness of execution to be either edgy or immersive. It’s difficult to experience the shock and awe of songs like ‘Holiday’ or ‘St. Jimmy’ when the performers are clearly going through the motions. That being said, in the more mellow songs, the metaphorical poignancy of the choreography is emotionally powerful and gives the score the dramatic life that makes “American Idiot” worthwhile as a musical rather than just as an album. This dramatic life is further augmented by stellar performances from the cast, particularly from James Byous, Matt Magnusson, and Payson Lewis as the leading men, as well as Caitlin Ary’s St. Jimmy and Briana Cuoco’s Heather. Casting a woman as St. Jimmy is a popular and effective departure from the original casting on Broadway, and Ary nails the role with convincing ferocity.

Brandon Baruch’s lighting design melded well with the production concept of creating a musical-concert hybrid, employing a wide array of intense LED’s to give scenes that extra performative punch that is so important to the energy of the show. But one thing that concerts and musicals both have in common is that they need a foolproof sound arrangement, which this production lacks. The volumes of the band were unbalanced, the mics were constantly going in and out, and the poor quality of Jon King’s sound design and Leo Delgado’s sound engineering was a major distraction during the performance.

While Glory Struck’s production is truly unlike any other “American Idiot,” it lacks the step further required to live up to its promise as an immersive theatre experience. The show has a basic entertainment value, but it may be but a stepping stone for the "American Idiot" we've all been waiting for.

"American Idiot" runs through June 7 at the Vortex Warehouse (2341 E. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles). Tickets are $30-$40. For more information, please click here.

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