Sufjan Stevens’ ‘Illinois’ is being changed into a musical
Sufjan Stevens‘ 2005 idea album ‘Illinois’ is being changed into a musical, with its first run confirmed for this 12 months.
The brand new present will premiere this summer season as a part of the twentieth anniversary celebrations of Bard Faculty’s Fisher Heart in New York.
A synopsis of the manufacturing, which options music and lyrics penned by Stevens and script written by Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury, reads: “That includes new preparations of your entire album for a reside band and three voices — ranging in model from DIY folks and indie rock to marching band and ambient electronics — Illinois will lead us on a mighty journey via the American heartland, from campfire storytelling to the perimeters of the cosmos.
“Tony Award-winner Justin Peck transforms the album right into a full-length theatrical efficiency with a solid of virtuosic dancers, singers, and musicians in a story crafted with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury.”
The present will come to Bard from June 23 to July 2 and you should buy tickets right here.
Just a few years again, Sufjan Stevens known as for each band to interrupt up after ten years collectively in his end-of-year roundup for 2021.
Writing on Tumblr, Stevens listed his favorite and least favorite albums of 2021 – although a lot of the entries aren’t precise albums, and a majority of these which can be, weren’t launched this 12 months.
Topping Stevens’ record of the worst albums of 2021 was Netflix’s hit present Squid Recreation. “I didn’t truly see it but it surely appears actually silly,” he wrote earlier than giving it a rating of F-.
Additionally on Steven’s record of his least favorite albums was The Matrix 4 (“Ugh. Computer systems. Hackers. Cyberpunks. Simulated Actuality. The ’90s. The colour inexperienced”), Dune (“A really lengthy Zara advert”) and all the pieces Marvel have launched, with Stevens explaining that “if it’s on Disney+, it’s for youngsters”.
As for music, Stevens isn’t a fan of the ‘90s revival (“Please. It was dangerous sufficient the primary time round”), musicals (“Please cease singing and dancing”) or Adele’s newest album ‘30’. “Woman, please. We all know you’re 33. It’s in your Wikipedia web page,” he wrote.
He’s additionally set to function on ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’, the brand new album from The Nationwide, alongside different collaborations with Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers.