New York, NY (Top40 Charts) "Critics are rightfully raving that Tony Award-winning Broadway smash Illinoise is a thrilling, genre-defying musical," exclaims Whoopi Goldberg, introducing the show's company to perform the song "The Man of Metropolis" on The View.
The original cast recording, now available to download and stream and on CD, is coming to vinyl soon. Illinoise: A New Musical features music and lyrics by Sufjan Stevens based on his album Illinois, a book by Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury, and direction and choreography by Peck, with new arrangements by Timo Andres and music supervision and direction by Nathan Koci. The album's band includes Elijah Lyons, My Brightest Diamond, Tasha, Christina Courtin, Sean Peter Forte, Domenica Fossati, Daniel Freedman, Kathy Halvorson, Nathan Koci, Eleonore Oppenheim, Brett Parnell, Brandon Ridenour, Kyra Sims, and Jessica Tsang. The New York Times exclaims: 'The vocalists do not seem to sing so much as pour emotion into our ears.' Variety says: 'A thrilling, genre-defying Broadway musical brings the Sufjan Stevens album to lyrical life.'