Photos: Broadway's Illinoise Celebrates Its Opening Night With Gala Performance | Playbill

Photos Photos: Broadway's Illinoise Celebrates Its Opening Night With Gala Performance

Rachel Zegler, Mike Faist, and Julianne Hough were among the celebrities in attendance.

The company of Illinoise Michaelah Reynolds

The Sufjan Stevens dance musical Illinoise began performances and opened on Broadway April 24. But the production waited until post Tony nominations to party and celebrate. The production held a special gala performance May 7 with a number of celebrities in attendance, such as Rachel Zegler, Mike Faist, and Julianne Hough.

And they had much to celebrate. The musical is up for four 2024 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Choreography, Best Orchestrations, and Best Lighting Design. 

Illinoise is inspired by Stevens' album Illinois and features direction and choreography by Justin Peck (Carousel, West Side Story). The musical's story is by Peck and Pulitzer winner Jackie Sibblies Drury (Fairview). The production is set around a campfire as dancers, singers, and a live band lead audiences on an epic journey set to Stevens' music, arranged by Timo Andres. Read the reviews here. 

Purchase the opening night Playbill for Illinoise at the Playbill Store.

See photos from the gala performance red carpet, curtain call, and after party in the gallery below. 

Photos: Gala Celebration at Illinoise on Broadway

The dance ensemble for the Broadway bow features much of the performers from the show's earlier runs Off-Broadway and at Chicago Shakespeare Theater's The Yard. The company includes Yesenia Ayala (West Side Story), Kara Chan (Twyla Tharp Dance), Ben Cook (West Side Story), Gaby Diaz (So You Think You Can Dance?), Jeanette Delgado (West Side Story), Carlos Falu (West Side Story), Christine Flores (Dance Heginbotham), Jada German (Twyla Tharp Dance), Zach Gonder (Pam Tanowitz Dance), Rachel Lockhart (Jacob's Pillow), Brandt Martinez (Aladdin), Dario Natarelli (Maestro), Tyrone Reese, Craig Salstein (West Side Story), Ahmad Simmons (Fosse/Verdon), Byron Tittle (Dorrance Dance), Ricky Ubeda (So You Think You Can Dance?), and Alejandro Vargas. They are joined by Elijah Lyons, Shara Nova, Tasha Viets-VanLear, Manny Houston, and Tanner Porter.

The work was co-commissioned by Fisher Center at Bard (where the piece made its world premiere in 2023), Park Avenue Armory, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Southbank Centre, TO Live, and Perelman Performing Arts Center. The show's Chicago run finished February 18.

The creative team includes music director and supervisor Nathan Koci, music arranger and orchestrator Andres, scenic designer Adam Rigg, lighting designer Brandon Stirling Baker, sound designer Garth MacAleavey, costume designers Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung, prop designer Andrew Diaz, and mask designer Julian Crouch. Thomas Gates is production stage manager.

Orin Wolf, John Styles, and David Binder are producing, in association with Seaview and Executive Producer Nate Koch.

Visit IllinoiseOnStage.com.

Photos: Illinoise on Broadway

 
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