What in the world could a Broadway musical based off a punk rock album and variety shows from the early 1900s have in common? Though it may seem these two things may be vastly different, they are actually quite similar. To be fair, at first glance the two may seem to have nothing at all in common, but further inspection will reveal that they actually share something interesting aspects. If the name American Idiot rings a bell, it might be because it is the name of a popular album by the band Greenday. The band, formed by lead singer Billy Joe Armstrong, is categorized as punk rock. Loud, angry, and occasionally violent are just a few words to describe the genre. Recently, this album was transformed to fit on the stage as an equally loud, angry,…show more content… Both were created with the sole purpose of entertaining. They were born to make money while simultaneously giving people something to full their time. Those are both good, if not a bit obvious, answers, but American Idiot and Vaudeville have one more thing in common. These two vastly different forms of entertainment were and are heavily political. It may not seem like it, but Vaudeville pushed a lot of boundaries. Sketches were performed making fun of the government. Blackface was incredibly popular with actors, even a few black actors painted their faces to make a point. American Idiot and Vaudeville challenged their audience by presenting something that could be considered crude or socially unacceptable. One Vaudeville show in particular sparked controversy with its portrayal of an interracial couple. In spite of their many differences, these two shows shared one common goal: to challenge their audience. American Idiot and Vaudeville seek not only to entertain, but to make people think about what flaws society possesses. They took the things people were not comfortable discussing and made into something they couldn’t ignore. Did this method change everything? Perhaps not, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t change
