Illinoise danced its way to the St. James Theatre this spring and earned four Tony Award nominations including nods for Justin Peck, Timo Andres, and Brandon Stirling Baker. Watch as the creatives discuss the Sufjan Stevens album that inspired the new Broadway musical.
Stay tuned for more of Broadway Direct’s conversations with Tony nominees, and all things Tony Awards here.
A company of performers brings the original story to life, set to the entirety of Stevens’ album Illinois with new arrangements by composer, pianist, and frequent Stevens collaborator Timo Andres, ranging in style from DIY folk and indie rock to marching band and ambient electronics, performed by a live band and vocalists. Illinoise is a “mysterious, deeply moving and unforgettable dance-musical hybrid that explores the hot zone between childhood and adulthood when emotions can be at their most overwhelming. The vocalists do not seem to sing so much as pour emotion into our ears. (New York Times).”
Interviews by Felicia Fitzpatrick.