Justin Peck On The Making Of ‘Illinoise’ And The Guiding Vision Of Sufjan Stevens – Tony Watch Q&A

deadline.com:

Illinoise, the dance-musical hybrid nominated for four Tony Awards (including Best Musical) is the seventh collaboration between Justin Peck, the resident choreographer and artistic advisor of the New York City Ballet, and his old friend and creative partner Sufjan Stevens, the indie singer-songwriter turned Oscar nominee (for his song “Mystery of Love” from 2017’s Call Me By Your Name).

But it’s safe to say this quirky gem is something unique. Unlike the duo’s previous projects, which include commissions from major dance companies across the country, Illinoise isn’t exactly a ballet.

It’s not exactly a musical either. Putting movement to Stevens’ 2005 album Illinois and its captivating mixture of indie folk, rock and orchestral arrangements – not to mention lyrics that combine the autobiographical, the historical (figures from the state’s past and landscape pop up frequently) and the fanciful (zombies, UFOs, Superman, a predatory wasp) are fashioned into an episodic narrative without dialogue.

It’s a work that remains faithful to one of the prolific Stevens’ most beloved collections while exploring connections and avenues the songwriter could never have envisioned back in 2005.