Illinoise Vocalists, Including Shara Nova of My Brightest Diamond, Will Transfer to Broadway

Vocalists Elijah Lyons, Shara Nova and Tasha Viets-VanLear, who performed in the Park Avenue Armory and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre productions of Illinoise, will also perform in the Broadway transfer of the show. The dance-driven theatrical take on Sufjan Stevens’ album Illinois, directed and choreographed by Justin Peck, begins performances at the St. James Theatre on April 24, which will also be the official opening night.

All three vocalists are singer-songwriters in their own right. Lyons is also an actor, whose credits include Sing Street with Huntington Theatre Company. Nova sang on the original Illinois album and performed on the subsequent tour. She records as My Brightest Diamond. Viets-Vanlear performs under the name Tasha. Fronting an 11-piece band and wearing butterfly wings, the trio will alternate singing and performing background vocals on such numbers as "Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois," "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." and "Chicago."

With an original story by Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury, Illinoise centers on an intimate campfire gathering. Zombie founding fathers, a murderous clown, complicated love and a character who looks suspiciously like a young Sufjan Stevens are involved. Stevens’ album has been newly arranged by composer, pianist and frequent Stevens collaborator Timo Andres.

The Broadway cast features Gaby Diaz (So You Think You Can Dance), Ben Cook (the Broadway production and 2021 film of West Side Story), Ricky Ubeda (the Broadway production and 2021 film of West Side Story), Yesenia Ayala, Kara Chan, Jeanette Delgado, Carlos Falu, Christine Flores, Jada German, Zachary Gonder, Rachel Lockhart, Brandt Martinez, Dario Natarelli, Tyrone Reese, Craig Salstein, Ahmad Simmons, Byron Tittle and Alejandro Vargas.