Illinois
January 12 - 28, 2024
The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare
music & lyrics by Sufjan Stevens
based on the album Illinois
story by Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury
directed & choreographed by Justin Peck
“Justin Peck can do anything he wants with choreography: a virtuoso of the form.”
–The New York Times
“Sufjan Stevens is the rarest of talents: prolific, intelligent, and brimming with heart-wrenching melodies. Illinois is his masterpiece.”
–NME.com
Pulitzer Prize Winner Jackie Sibblies Drury’s work is “breathless and radiant”
–The New York Times
At the gateway to the state alongside shimmering Lake Michigan, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare is home to a bold, new music-theater work based on Grammy and Academy Award nominee Sufjan Stevens’ acclaimed concept album Illinois. Known for its lush orchestrations and wildly inventive portrayal of the state’s people, landscapes, and history, a team of brilliantly imaginative artists unite to transform the album into a full-length theatrical performance, with a story by Tony Award winner Justin Peck (New York City Ballet, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story) and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury. Featuring a cast of virtuosic dancers, singers, and musicians, this world premiere production will lead audiences on a journey through the American heartland before embarking on its international tour.
