‘Illinoise’ Comes To Broadway With A Captivating Dance Journey Through Sufjan Stevens’s Beloved Album

The anticipation surrounding Illinoise, the stage musical and dance performance inspired by Sufjan Stevens’ revered album of the same name, has been building for quite some time. Following successful runs at Chicago’s Shakespeare Theater and New York City’s Park Avenue Armory, Illinois has now arrived on Broadway, opening at the St. James Theatre, just in time for eligibility at the 2024 Tony Awards. 

Since its debut at Bard College in New York last spring, the production has garnered wide acclaim from critics. 

Upon its release in 2005, Stevens’s concept album, comprised of 26 songs dedicated to the state of Illinois, quickly resonated with a generation of listeners. Through the album, Stevens weaved together historical figures, local references, and personal narratives, alternating between marching band arrangements and intimate banjo strums. Despite its specific geographic focus, the album’s themes of loss, rediscovery and the universal human experience connected with audiences worldwide.

Marking the seventh collaboration between choreographer Justin Peck and Stevens, Illinoise is the culmination of a five-year journey to bring the album to the stage. While Stevens initially hesitated, he eventually gave his blessing to the project. However, as no new music was required, he was not directly involved in the production. Instead, the songs from the original album are performed live with an orchestra, accompanied by a trio of vocalists: Elijah Lyons, Tasha Viets-VanLear and Shara Nova, who featured on the original recording.

In conversation with Vogue, Peck reflected on the experience of the play. “It does really exist in the moment, which is such a theater thing,” he said. “But this show is especially special because of the delivery of this music and the ephemeral nature of dance performance. When you’re in the room watching it, it feels like you’re witnessing something very special.”

In Illinoise, the storyline unfolds through dance choreography rather than spoken words. The talented Ricky Ubeda takes on the role of the protagonist and leads the audience on a journey of self-discovery, first loves, and losses. The choreography by Peck is organic and, at times, seemingly spontaneous, as it captures the essence of a performer’s joyful impromptu dance. Through movement and narrative, Illinoise explores themes of coming of age, self-acceptance and even the memory of John Wayne Gacy Jr., the notorious serial killer who operated in 1970s Chicago.

When asked what he thought fans’ reaction to Stevens’ music had been, Peck said, “The album has meant a lot to the queer community for a long time. So there’s been a lot of people who come from that community, who love the music and are seeing it brought to life in this way. They’ve shared some pretty amazing responses.”

He continued, “I get a lot of messages from people on Instagram, and I try to screenshot them because I don’t want to forget them. It’s started to build into an extensive collection of messages, almost like a scrapbook. I think we felt there was a big responsibility. It’s not something we took lightly.”