The new musical “Illinoise” will release an original cast recording. The album, featuring music and lyrics by Sufjan Stevens, will be released digitally on Nonesuch Records on May 31.
Two initial tracks have been released. The songs “Chicago (Reprise)” and “The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!,” featuring cast members Elijah Lyons, Shara Nova and Tasha Viets-VanLear, are available here.
Dates of the album’s physical CD and LP release will be announced.
The album will be produced by Dean Sharenow, “Illinoise”’s musical director Nathan Koci, the production’s sound designer Garth MacAleavey and Timo Andres, the latter of whom received a 2024 Tony Award nomination for his orchestrations. Orin Wolf and Nate Koch will executive produce the recording.
Featuring a book by Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury, “Illinoise” creates multiple dance-based narratives around the music from Stevens’ 2005 album “Illinois.” The musical, which features direction and Tony-nominated choreography by Peck, opened on April 24 at the St. James Theatre, directly after playing an Off-Broadway engagement at the Park Avenue Armory. The production received four 2024 Tony nominations, including a nod for Best Musical.
Rounding out the “Illinoise” company are Yesenia Ayala, Kara Chan, Ben Cook, Gaby Diaz, Jeanette Delgado, Carlos Falú, Christine Flores, Jada German, Zachary Gonder, Manny Houston, Rachel Lockhart, Brandt Martinez, Dario Natarelli, Tanner Porter, Tyrone Reese, Craig Salstein, Ahmad Simmons, Becca Stevens, Byron Tittle, Ricky Ubeda and Alejandro Vargas.
In addition to vocalists Lyons, Nova and Viets-VanLear, the album will feature musicians Christina Courtin, Sean Peter Forte, Domenica Fossati, Daniel Freedman, Kathy Halvorson, Koci, Eleonore Oppenheim, Brett Parnell, Brandon Ridenour, Kyra Sims and Jessica Tsang.
“Illinoise” is produced by Wolf, Seaview, John Styles and David Binder and executive produced by Koch and TT Partners.
