Photos: Get a 1st Look at Chicago Premiere of Sufjan Stevens, Justin Peck, and Jackie Sibblies Drury Musical Illinoise | Playbill

Production Photos Photos: Get a 1st Look at Chicago Premiere of Sufjan Stevens, Justin Peck, and Jackie Sibblies Drury Musical Illinoise

The production has also announced additional performances for its upcoming engagement at New York's Park Avenue Armory.

Elijah Lyons, Ricky Ubeda, and Ahmad Simmon in Illinoise Liz Lauren

The new musical Illinoise, based on Grammy nominee Sufjan Stevens’ acclaimed concept album Illinois, is currently playing Chicago Shakespeare Theater's The Yard through February 18. Get a look at the new musical in the gallery below.

With a libretto by Tony winner Justin Peck (Carousel)—who also directs and choreographs—and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury (Fairview), performances began January 28 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 beginning March 2. Originally scheduled through March 23, the production has just added two additional performances and will now continue through March 26 in the Wade Thompson Drill Hall. Tickets for the New York engagement are on sale at ArmoryonPark.org.

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.

Photos: Illinoise At Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Stevens‘ acclaimed 2005 concept album is known for its lush orchestrations and inventive portrayal of the state’s people, landscapes, and history—complete 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’s 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).

 
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