P.I.Y. Punk It Yourself!
An American Idiot-Inspired Activity for High School Aged Punks and Up
Is your wardrobe screaming more “business casual” than “stick it to the man?” We've got you.
Use the guide below to make the perfect outfit to wear to the Taper this fall. Please note that the core idea of the DIY punk aesthetic is to express yourself – so play around making different alterations to your shirt until you create one that feels right for you. Add some black clothing, studded accessories, eyeliner and hair gel and you’re ready to rock.
Have fun and remember: Punk is about authenticity, NOT perfection!
Duration: 15–30 minutes
Materials
- Shirt
- Stencils
- Paint, Fabric Markers, or Bleach
- Scissors
- Safety Pins
Instructions
- Choose a T-shirt. Selecting a shirt a size larger than your usual size will give you a bit more fabric to play with.
- Fold the bottom of your shirt to achieve the desired length and cut along the fold.
- Cut off the collar seam of your shirt and/or the seams on the ends of the sleeves.
- Cut vertical lines up the sides of your shirt to your desired length. Stop before you hit the sleeves.
- “Sew” your seams back together with safety pins.
You can create other cuts in your shirt in any pattern you choose. An easy beginner pattern is slits in the back of your shirt:
- Grab your shirt by the center of the collar and the center of the bottom and fold it in half on its side. There should be a center crease that faces you.
- Make sure the area is smoothed out on a flat surface.
- Cut slits down the center crease about an inch apart. You can play with the length of each cut to create either a uniform pattern, or a pattern that gets larger or smaller as it progresses.
- Grab each section of fabric you’ve cut and pull it to stretch it out.
Once your shirt has been distressed to your liking, add designs with paint, bleach or markers using stencils or freehand. If you’re bleaching, be careful to do this in a ventilated space.
Punk Tips
- Use pliers to smush the heads of the safety pins to keep them from coming apart in the wash.
- If you're painting with stencils, be sure to use masking tape to keep the stencil in place. Using a very small amount of paint and light, dabbing motions will prevent the paint from bleeding out beyond the stencil.
About the Show
The music of Green Day and the lyrics of lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong captured the zeitgeist of a generation with its Grammy Award®-winning multi-platinum album, which is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary. American Idiot puts those raw emotions front and center in a highly theatrical and thoroughly satisfying rock opera that burns up the stage.
This groundbreaking, new production, directed by Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Snehal Desai, and produced in collaboration with Deaf West Theatre, features an ensemble of both Deaf and hearing actors, and is performed simultaneously in American Sign Language and spoken English.
Learn More
As you watch American Idiot, pay attention to how the design team has interpreted the punk rock aesthetic for this new production. And don’t forget to wear your punk creation to the Taper – we can’t wait to see what you create!
This companion activity can be done before or after seeing the production and utilizes materials you probably have in your home or classroom. We invite families, educators, and other audience members to use or adapt these activities, which were created for Center Theatre Group by Resident Teaching Artists Christine Breihan and Estela Garcia. You can find a companion activity on the show pages for all productions in our 2024/2025 season.
Download this activity