There’s only one person
at this point in my life that I know to be an expert on two things: Sufjan Stevens, and the dance world. That person is my friend Renee (and original New York guide from my early days!), and luckily, I was able to see “Illinoise” on Broadway with her last night.
Currently working at the United Palace in Washington Heights (which you might remember as last year’s Tony Awards venue), Renee’s resume also extends to the New York City Ballet as well as the School of American Ballet. Basically, she knows what she’s talking about when it comes to dance.
“Illinoise” is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens (famously known for songs like “Chicago,” “Mystery of Love,” and “Fourth of July”) and resident choreographer and artistic advisor of the New York City Ballet Justin Peck. Over dinner before the show, Renee shared with me that the two met when Peck began choreographing to Stevens’ music in 2012, and Peck called Stevens out of the blue to ask if he’d like to be more involved (you can learn more in this article from Vogue). Their collaboration grew from there, and the rest is partnership history.
For this project, Stevens/Peck aren’t teaming up alone - they’ve brought along previous collaborators, like lighting designer Brandon Stirling Baker (previous winner of the prestigious Hemsley Lighting Internship, an organization that Renee has worked with for years and I’ve volunteered at myself for the past two years), as well as NYCB costume designers Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung. Talk about a stacked roster.
Tonight’s ticket was a little steeper than usual at $63 each, purchased directly through the show’s website. Since we chose to book around two months in advance (right as the Broadway transfer was announced), I didn’t find this to be a terrible deal. Renee, who had scored free tickets when it played off-Broadway at the Park Avenue Armory, insisted that the show would be worth admission.
Side Note: As a late birthday present, Renee gifted me with a Playbill from the 2023 Tony Awards! Inside it are bios from every nominee (as well as a nice stack of ads). The result is a 137-page tome of a Playbill which I’ll probably keep until my dying day.
The Plot
“Illinoise” follows the story of Henry, a young man on the run from his past who joins a hiking trip with a group of storytelling strangers. As they share their joys, fears and sorrows around the campfire, Henry begins to open up, sharing a story that will ultimately set him free from his haunted memories.
The interesting thing here is that there’s no script - the entire show is told through dance and the lyrics of Stevens’ 2005 album “Illinois.” So basically, it’s the final boss of jukebox musicals, if you think about it (more on this later).
The Highs
This show was just beautiful to watch. I think that deserves its own bullet point. Every element of this show comes together so seamlessly, it’s almost like watching the brushstrokes of a painting being added one at a time.
Peck’s choreography really soars in this, and I think he’s easily got the Best Choreography Tony on lock with this show. As I watched, I could see elements of his NYCB predecessors Jerome Robbins (“West Side Story”) and George Balanchine (“The Nutcracker”) shine through, while still feeling fresh, tender and athletic.
Another Tony win incoming - Best Lighting Design. Wow, does Baker’s lighting really illuminate (no pun intended) this story. From his choices on spots, to handheld lights, to shadow and audience lighting, everything was pitch-perfect. Sorry to The Outsiders, who I assumed had this in the bag!
ORCHESTRATIONS?!?! Literally perfection. This album’s songs sounded like they’ve never sounded before. Shoutout to the trumpet player who gave me goosebumps every time he played. Wow.
My favorites of the cast were our two leads, Ben Cook (Carl) and Ricky Ubeda (Henry) who I could’ve watched duet all evening. These two have worked together on projects before (ever heard of a little indie movie called “West Side Story” directed by Stephen Spielberg?), and I can see why they’ve been paired together here: at times, their energy explodes off the stage, while at others, their vulnerability rips your heart out. Audience members could be heard sobbing by the end of this show, in large part to these two performances.
I’d also like to shout out Ahmad Simmons (Douglas). There’s some really lovely, gentle work being done here in a less flashy role.
In general, this show is quite charming. Audience members vocally responded to sections with laughs/cheers, as well as danced/clapped along. Somehow, these charming moments juxtaposed with the tragedy of the second act, allow for a balanced experience that feels cathartic on your way out of the theatre. You’ve literally run the gamut of emotions in 90 minutes.
There is a “car” in this show too, so let’s add that to the list of transportation in shows this season (Gatsby, Lempicka, Outsiders, etc!).
Also, points for tap dancing. Always points for tap dancing. They would have gotten even more points for tapping if they had included more than one tap number :)
The Lows
Let’s be honest: this is not your typical Broadway fare. If you don’t enjoy watching dance or like to color outside the lines a bit when it comes to the definition of “musical theatre” - this show may not be for you. I’ve heard this show described as being “like Cats” in Act I (oof), and I’ll admit, it took some time for me to understand the world we were living in.
If you’re a casual Sufjan fan (like myself), you may find it difficult to follow the plot at times because of garbled lyrics. I found this to be less of a problem in the second act, but during the first act, I did wish that I knew more of the songs by heart so that I could understand what was happening onstage. One of the dangers of going script-less!
At the end of the day, this is a jukebox musical, and not everything fits neatly. I found the third act to be a little long after the completion of the main storyline, but because we were bound to the album’s songs, there was no way to fix this. Overall, though, without a script, I thought this worked better than most jukebox musicals, which often have to work even harder to explain the why/how of songs included.
This is not the show’s fault, but personally, I would not choose to sit back row at the St. James again. My centerstage view was almost completely obstructed by one (1) person’s head. That should not be the case in 2024!!!! I spent most of the show leaning forward and around this poor girl’s head in order to see. Yikes.
The Takeaway
When this show got a nomination for Best Musical, I rolled my eyes, but now that I’ve seen it - I get the hype. It’s taking big swings, and I think that’s exactly what Broadway needed in a crowded and hectic awards season of lookalikes.
While I don’t know if the American Theatre Wing will choose to award it with the top honor this year (it is quite unconventional), I’m glad I made my way down to Illinoise tonight. I’d encourage you to do the same.
