Sufjan Stevens' iconic Illinois album is becoming a stage musical
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The bad news? Sufjan Stevens probably won't be finishing his 50 states project any time soon. The good news? His iconic album Illinois is getting the stage treatment.
The Fisher Center at Bard in New York has announced the premiere of Illinois the musical, which will transform the singer-songwriter's beloved 2005 LP into a live dance and theater performance. Tony-winning choreographer Justin Peck is directing the show, with a new story by Peck and Pulitzer Prize winner Jackie Sibblies Drury.
Illinois — or, if you're a real fan, Sufjan Stevens Invites You to Come on Feel the Illinoise — is one of the most beloved indie records of all time, a cult hit that tackles everything from John Wayne Gacy and the 1893 World's Fair to UFO sightings and Mary Todd Lincoln. The Fisher Center describes the new adaptation as a "full-length theatrical performance" that will "lead us on a mighty journey through the American heartland, from campfire storytelling to the edges of the cosmos."
Jason Kempin/Getty Images Sufjan Stevens
The show will feature new arrangements of the entire album, written for a live band and three voices. Per the Fisher Center, the music will range in style "from DIY folk and indie rock to marching band and ambient electronics."
Stevens and Peck are longtime friends and collaborators; Stevens has written multiple ballet scores that Peck has choreographed for the New York City Ballet. Peck also won the Tony in 2018 for the revival of Carousel, and choreographed Steven Spielberg's 2021 West Side Story film adaptation.
The Illinois performance will run June 23 through July 2 at the Fisher Center in New York.
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