The new musical Illinoise, based on Grammy nominee Sufjan Stevens鈥� acclaimed concept album Illinois, begins performances January 28 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater's The Yard. Get a sneak peek at the production in the highlights video above.
With a libretto by Tony winner Justin Peck (Carousel)鈥攚ho also directs and choreographs鈥攁nd Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury (Fairview), performances are scheduled through February 18 at the Chicago venue.
The production, set around a campfire as dancers, singers, and a live
band lead audiences on an epic journey, will subsequently play New
York's Park Avenue Armory March 2鈥�23 in the Wade
Thompson Drill Hall.
The cast features Kara Chan, Ben Cook, Jeanette Delgado, Gaby Diaz, Robbie Fairchild, Christine Flores, Jada German, Zachary Gonder, Rachel Lockhart, Dario Natarelli, Tyrone Reese, Craig Salstein, Ahmad Simmons, Byron Tittle, Ricky Ubeda, and Alejandro Vargas.
The company also includes vocalists Elijah Lyons, Shara Nova, Tasha Viets-VanLear and instrumentalists Christina Courtin, Sean Peter Forte, Domenica Fossati, Daniel Freedman, Kathy Halvorson, Nathan Koci, Eleonore Oppenheim, Brett Parnell, Brandon Ridenour, Kyra Sims, and Jessica Tsang.
Stevens鈥� acclaimed 2005 concept album is known for its lush
orchestrations and inventive portrayal of the state鈥檚 people,
landscapes, and history鈥攃omplete with UFOs, zombies, and predatory
wasps. This work weaves together delicate folk narratives about
blossoming queerness, orchestral anthems destined for cinematic
montages, and jazz tunes about the state鈥檚 ghost towns. This stage
adaptation made its world premiere last year at the Fisher
Center at Bard.
The creative team also includes music director and supervisor Nathan Koci, music arranger and orchestrator Timo Andres (who penned new arrangements of the album), scenic designer Adam Rigg, lighting designer Brandon Stirling Baker, sound designer Garth MacAleavey, costume designers Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung, props designer Andrew Diaz, mask designer Julian Crouch, and production stage manager Rick Steiger.
Illinoise, originally commissioned, developed, and produced
at the Fisher Center at Bard, is a co-commission of Park Avenue Armory,
Fisher Center at Bard,
Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Perelman Performing Arts Center,
Southbank Center, and TO Live, and produced in association with
ArKtype/Thomas O. Kriegsmann by special arrangement with the Perelman
Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC).
