Illinois

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’s 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.