The Musical Illinoise, Based on Illinois - Felix

What Are the Best Live Theatrical Performances You’ve Ever Seen? - Felix Mason 

Illinoise, a Broadway musical based on Sufjan Stephen’s album Illinois, revolves around Henry and his various reflections on his life (specifically the dynamic with his two closest friends) and other characters sharing their stories around a campfire with musical numbers for each story. Considered critically acclaimed, the production received several nominations and won Best Choreography at the Tony Awards, a fairly prestigious award show for Broadway musicals (“Illinoise”). Christian Lewis, a writer from Variety, describes Stephen’s album Illinois as “whimsical, earnest, and sorrowful; it weaves together events and figures from Illinois history (including UFO sightings, Pullman cars, the World’s Fair of 1893, and the Lincoln/Douglas debates) with biblical allusions and feelings of shame and loss.” These themes of his album are translated into the musical with key songs like “Chicago” and “Come On! Feel the Illinoise!*” to represent Henry’s experiences.

*Note: The spelling of “Illinois” in this song is then used in the name of the musical as a play on words (emphasizing noise); it is not an error for any that are confused.

When I first heard of the musical, my parents were telling me about our upcoming trip to New York City. I was fairly excited but wasn’t sure if I would enjoy the musical we were planning to see. My dad was looking forward to it the most, and I knew that his enjoyment would make me feel happy so I tried to keep an open mind. I think in the moment, I simply didn’t know what to expect from it because the musical certainly wasn’t one of the more popular productions like Wicked or Chicago. Additionally, I had never heard of Sufjan Stevens or recognized any of his music so I expected my parents to enjoy the musical substantially more than me. However, as I left the theater that night, I was speechless. Little did I know, I had just seen one of the best theatrical productions of my life. 

In my overall short lifetime, I have seen quite a few musicals, of all sorts of different styles and contexts. Yet, Illinoise was the first production to capture my attention entirely and make me interpret every scene’s meaning on my own. I believe this was the first musical I’ve seen that had no dialogue in it, simply songs and choreography. I think it would be of substance to add that the main cast never sang or spoke, there was a band including vocalists that performed all of the songs. This key distinction between Illinoise and other productions increases my appreciation for the musical overall, making it my favorite.

 

While my favorite live theatrical performance is certainly subject to change in the near coming future, at the moment

 I believe that Illinoise is so set apart from others in its genre that it will remain my favorite for a while. Lewis comments, “Storytelling becomes the central device of 

the piece: the stories we tell others, the stories we tell ourselves, the way we recite our own memories, and the power that storytelling can have as a form of emotional release (for those on stage and for us in the audience).” I think that the stated quotation perfectly encapsulates the overall message of Illinoise, a musical that blends the past and the present of shared experiences through choreography.

Works Cited  

Illinoise Playbill. Playbill, https://playbill.com/production/illinoise-broadway-st-james-theatre-2024. Accessed 11 Dec 2025.

"Illinoise." Tony Awards, Tony Award Productions, 2025. https://www.tonyawards.com/shows/illinoise/. 

Lauren, Liz. Dancers in the musical Illinoise. Chicago Sun Times, chicago.suntimes.com/2024/2/4/24061463/illinoise-review-chicago-shakespeare-theater-sufjan-stevens-justin-peck. Accessed 11 Dec 2025.

Lewis, Christian. "'Illinoise' Review: A Thrilling, Genre-Defying Broadway Musical Brings the Sufjan  Stevens Album to Lyrical Life." Penske Media Corporation, Apr 26, 2024. https://variety.com/2024/legit/reviews/illinoise-review-broadway-sufjan-stevens-1235983600/. Accessed 11 Dec 2025.

Murphy, Matthew. Dancers and musicians in the musical Illinoise. Illinoise' Review: A Thrilling, Genre-Defying Broadway Musical Brings the Sufjan Stevens Album to Lyrical Life. https://variety.com/2024/legit/reviews/illinoise-review-broadway-sufjan-stevens-1235983600/. Accessed 11 Dec 2025.