Illinoise

A young man named Henry leaves his bed and partner in the middle of the night ("Prologue (or, A Conjuction of Drones...)") and hikes into the woods. He thinks about three of the most important people in his life ("Three Stars (or, Concerning the UFO Sighting near Highland, Illinois)"). Henry reaches a clearing in an Illinois cornfield ("The Long Hike") where a group of friends are sitting around a campfire telling stories about their childhoods and lives. He is given a notebook like the others' and encouraged to "write from the heart" ("Come on! Feel the Illinoise!").

The storytelling begins: Morgan reminisces about growing up in Jackson, Illinois, and her attempts to understand her lineage and the lessons left by those who came before ("A Story About Jackson"). Jo Daviess relates her worries about the hold the Founding Fathers have on the American imagination, and the dangers of racism and conservatism ("a story about Zombies"). Wayne has been dealing with feelings of self-loathing about their sexuality and reflects how, as an outcast, they hide the truth about themselves, fearing that they are no better than Illinois serial killer John Wayne Gacy ("a story about John Wayne Gacy, Jr"). Wayne eventually breaks down in tears and is comforted by the other members of the group. To lighten the mood, Clark talks about how he is a vulnerable Superman ("a story about The Man of Metropolis").

At first, Henry resists telling his story but is emboldened by the willingness of his new friends to share their feelings of vulnerability. His story comes alive as he relates that his childhood best friend and first love, Carl, had a lover named Shelby, and the three were close friends ("Decatur"). He and Carl embark on a road trip, passing through Chicago and ending abruptly in New York, when Carl receives news that Shelby is ill ("Chicago"). Carl returns to Decatur to be with her, but Henry meets and falls in love with Douglas, an artist ("To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region, I Have an Idea Concerning Your Predicament"). Shelby soon dies of cancer, with Carl at her side ("Casimir Pulaski Day").

Meanwhile, Henry is still together with Douglas, and while the two are very much in love, Henry is tormented by the idea that he has done something terrible by leaving Carl ("The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!"). Douglas is able to calm Henry, and the two fall back to sleep. Carl struggles with having lost the love of his life ("In This Temple as in the Hearts of Man for Whom He Saved the Earth") and, feeling he is unable to confide in Henry, commits suicide ("The Seer's Tower"). Henry is devastated by the loss of Carl, and, returning to the near-present, Henry leaves Douglas in bed and finds these new friends ("A Conjunction of Drones, again").

Henry realizes that he cannot spend the rest of his life dwelling on the end of his friendship with Carl but must celebrate the good things about it as well. Henry is overjoyed when Douglas arrives at the campfire having hiked there to find him ("Chicago" (reprise)). Henry's new friends and Douglas celebrate his bravery for telling his story and accepting his emotions ("The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders"). Henry and Douglas embrace as the celebration of storytelling continues ("Epilogue").

The musical, originally titled Illinois, premiered at the Fisher Center at Bard College, running from June 23 until July 2, 2023, during the Bard SummerScape. Direction and choreography were by Justin Peck.{{Cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/new-musical-illinois-by-jackie-sibblies-drury-justin-peck-and-sufjan-stevens-to-make-world-premiere|title=New Musical Illinois by Jackie Sibblies Drury, Justin Peck, and Sufjan Stevens to Make World Premiere |work=Playbill|first=Leah |last=Putnam |date=Mar 9, 2023}}{{Cite web |date=August 16, 2023 |title=Illinois |url=https://fishercenter.bard.edu/explore-learn/illinois/ |website=Fisher Center at Bard}}

The show, now titled Illinoise, was next staged at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater from January 28 to February 18, 2024; Peck continued as director and choreographer.{{Cite web |url=https://www.chicagoshakes.com/plays_and_events/2324_illinoise |title=Chicago Shakespeare Theater: Illinoise |website=www.chicagoshakes.com}} It opened in New York off-Broadway at the Park Avenue Armory on March 2, 2024, and closed on March 26, 2024, again with Peck at the helm. Orchestrations were by Timo Andres.{{Cite web| url=https://www.armoryonpark.org/programs_events/detail/illinoise |title=Illinoise: Program & Events |website=Park Avenue Armory}}

The production transferred to the St. James Theatre on Broadway on April 24, 2024, for a limited engagement through August 10, 2024, running for 117 performances.{{cite web |last1=Paterra |first1=Sidney |title=ILLINOISE Concludes Broadway Run |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/ILLINOISE-Concludes-Broadway-Run-20240810 |website=Broadway World |access-date=4 September 2024}} Peck directed and choreographed; set design was by Adam Rigg, with lighting by Brandon Stirling Baker and costumes by Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/03/sufjan-stevens-broadway-illinoise-1235861875/|title=Sufjan Stevens Musical Illinoise Heading To Broadway as Late-Season Entry in Crowded Spring |first=Greg|last=Evans|date=March 19, 2024 |website=Deadline}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwaynews.com/vocalists-of-dance-musical-illinoise-will-repeat-performances-on-broadway |title=Vocalists of dance musical ‘Illinoise’ will repeat performances on Broadway|date=April 5, 2024|website=Broadway News|first=Andy |last=Lefkowitz}} The production received four nominations at the 77th Tony Awards, including Best Musical,Evans, Greg. [https://web.archive.org/web/20240430123717/https://deadline.com/2024/04/2024-tonys-nominations-list-1235899070/ "Tony Award Nominations: Hell’s Kitchen, Sterophonic Lead With 13"], Deadline.com, April 30, 2024 winning one for Best Choreography for Peck.Sarmiento, Isabella Gomez. [https://www.npr.org/2024/06/14/nx-s1-5006566/tony-award-winners "Tony Awards 2024: The complete list of winners"], NPR, June 16, 2024

Characters are named after counties located in Illinois,{{cite book|url=https://www.playbill.com/production/illinoise-broadway-st-james-theatre-2024#carousel-cell20040368|publisher=Playbill|title=Illinoise: Inside the Playbill|access-date=June 20, 2024}} and the vocalists are named after moth classifications, Barsine, Nacna and Arctiini, and costumed to represent moths.{{cite news|last=Hofler |first=Robert |url=https://www.thewrap.com/sufjan-stevens-illinoise-broadway-review |title=Illinoise Broadway Review: What Teenagers and Moths Have in Common" |work=TheWrap|date=April 26, 2024}}

• "Prologue (or, A Conjuction of Drones...)"

Act I

• "Three Stars (or, Concerning the UFO Sighting near Highland, Illinois)"
• "The Long Hike"
• "Come On! Feel the Illinoise!"
• "a story about Jacksonville"
• "a story about Zombies"
• "a story about John Wayne Gacy, Jr."
• "a story about The Man of Metropolis"

Act II

• "Decatur"
• "Chicago"
• "To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region, I Have an Idea Concerning Your Predicament"
• "Casimir Pulaski Day"
• "Prairie Fire That Wanders About"
• "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!"
• "In This Temple as in the Hearts of Man for Whom He Saved the Earth"
• "The Seer's Tower"
• "A Conjunction of Drones, again"

Act III

• "Chicago" (reprise)
• "The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders"
• "Epilogue"

The Broadway production was praised by the reviewers of the Chicago Tribune,{{cite news|title=Review: Illinoise puts movement to the music of Sufjan Stevens – it’s not the usual Broadway show |first=Chris |last=Jones |work=Chicago Tribune|date=April 26, 2024 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/04/26/review-illinoise-puts-movement-to-the-music-of-sufjan-stevens-its-not-the-usual-broadway-show/}} The Hollywood Reporter,{{cite news|title=Illinoise Theater Review: Justin Peck Transforms Sufjan Stevens' Concept Album Into a Soaring Rush of Late Adolescent Experience|first=David |last=Rooney |date=April 26, 2024 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/illinoise-review-sufjan-stevens-justin-peck-broadway-theater-1235882171/}} Variety{{cite news |date=Apr 26, 2024 |title=Illinoise Review: A Thrilling, Genre-Defying Broadway Musical Brings the Sufjan Stevens Album to Lyrical Life |first=Christian |last=Lewis |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2024/legit/reviews/illinoise-review-broadway-sufjan-stevens-1235983600/}} and several others. A reviewer from TheWrap, however, thought that the production was "not only sentimental but downright whimsical" and "precious", and criticized the choreography as displaying "a limited dance vocabulary". The New York Times reviewers were split, with Jesse Green calling Illinoise "unforgettable"{{cite news|title=Review: Welcome to Illinoise, Land of Love, Grief and Zombies |first=Jesse |last=Green |work=The New York Times |date=March 7, 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/07/theater/illinoise-review-sufjan-stevens-justin-pick.html?searchResultPosition=5}} but Gia Kourlas stating that the show was "a place of overflowing emotion, but little dance spirit".{{cite news|title=Illinoise: A Place of Overflowing Emotion, but Little Dance Spirit |first=Gia |last=Kourlas |work=The New York Times |date=March 13, 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/13/arts/dance/illinoise-dance-justin-peck.html?searchResultPosition=4}}

• Movin' Out, another musical focusing on a series of dances linked by a thin plot, with all the vocals performed by a pianist and band, while the dancers act out the lyrics; it was created by Twyla Tharp.

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/illinoise-539118 Illinoise at the Internet Broadway database]

{{Sufjan Stevens}}

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Category:2023 musicals

Category:Musicals set in Illinois

Category:Dance in theatre

Category:Broadway musicals

Category:LGBTQ-related musicals

Category:Sufjan Stevens