Billy Joe Armstrong to Return to Broadway

After filling in for a sick actor for a few shows of Green Day’s American Idiot Broadway show, Green Day’s lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong will be reprising his role as St. Jimmy for around 50 shows in 2011. During the week of shows that he performed this year, the ticket sales had risen almost 94%. The 50 shows, which will be mostly in January and February, are to be separated into big chunks. Armstrong will appear January 1-9, 18-30, and February 10-27 at the St. James Theatre. Actor Tony Vincent, who originated the St. Jimmy role on Broadway, will leave the production after December 30. Other production members, including director Michael Mayer and star John Gallagher Jr., will remain with the show throughout. American Idiot is loosely based on Green Day’s album of the same name, and features every song from the Grammy-winning album, including some songs from the most recent album 21st Century Breakdown and the rest of the band’s catalog. Armstrong is credited as a co-book writer of the rock opera. In one week he helped the box office pull in $1,092,334. For more information on the show, visit American Idiot's website.