State Champ Radio Billboard Pride
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Sufjan Stevens is bringing the noise to Broadway. The acclaimed singer/songwriter’s new musical, Illinoise, is slated to graduate to the Great White Way after sold-out productions at New York’s Park Avenue Armory and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater when it opens at New York’s St. James Theatre on April 24.
The show is set to the songs from Stevens’ fifth studio LP, 2005’s concept album Illinoise (also known as Sufjan Stevens Invites You to: Come on Feel the Illinoise) which features songs and characters based on the Prairie state as the follow-up to his previous “state” album, 2003’s Michigan.
The show will be directed and choreographed by Tony-winner Justin Peck (Carousel, West Side Story), with an original story by Peck and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jackie Sibbles Drury (Fairview, Marys Seacole).
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The cast of Illinoise includes: Yesenia Ayala (West Side Story film), Kara Chan (Twyla Tharp Dance), Ben Cook (West Side Story film), Gaby Diaz (So You Think You Can Dance? winner, Maestro), Jeanete Delgado (Miami City Ballet), Carlos Falu (West Side Story film), Christine Flores (Dance Heginbotham), Jada German (Twyla Tharp Dance) and Zachary Gonder (Carmen at Lyric Opera), among others. The vocalists and band for the show will be announced soon.
According to an announcement, the show “brings the original story to life, set to the entirety of Stevens’ album with new arrangements by composer, pianist, and frequent Stevens collaborator Timo Andres, ranging in style from DIY folk and indie rock to marching band and ambient electronics, performed live by an 11-member band and three vocalists.”
“We’re absolutely thrilled to bring Illinoise to the St. James Theatre on Broadway. This project has been ruminating in my mind for nearly 20 years, which makes this moment even more sublime,” said Peck in a statement. “The audience response throughout our engagement at Fisher Center at Bard, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Park Avenue Armory has been extraordinary, and we feel lucky that we get to continue sharing this unique show with future audiences on Broadway.”
Peck described the show as a coming-of-age story that “takes the audience on a journey through the American heartland — from campfire storytelling to the edges of the cosmos — all told in through a unique blend of music, dance, and theater. On behalf of my team, we welcome this rare opportunity with full hearts.”
Playwright Sibblies Drury added, “Supporting the craft of each of the artists involved in making up this show has been a joy and an inspiration. For me, the thing that makes Illinoise so special is how it allows incredible performers to come together with an audience and welcome emotion and connection with open arms. It is rare to have an experience, in a public space, that is moving on an elemental level, so we are all incredibly gratified to bring Illinoise to the St. James on Broadway.”
The musical’s limited engagement will run through August 10, with tickets on sale now here. The show is produced for Broadway by Orin Wolf, John Styles and David Binder in association with Seaview and executive produced by Nate Koch and co-produced by Thomas O. Kriegsmann and the Fisher Center at Bard.
Renée Rapp used her time on stage at Thursday night’s (March 14) at the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards to speak her mind about the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. While accepting the award for outstanding music artist at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles in front of a star-studded crowd, Rapp urged for an end to the hostilities that began after members of militant group Hamas stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, murdering, raping and assaulting more than 1,200 Israelis while taking more than 250 hostages.
“We’re in a room of very influential people, very privileged people, which is exciting and also a huge privilege to be a part of that,” Rapp said while reading a statement from her phone to applause from some in the room at the event hosted by Wayne Brady that also honored Niecy Nash-Betts, and Oprah Winfrey. “Having said that, I’d like to take the opportunity to show support and call for an immediate ceasefire and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.”
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The “Not My Fault” singer and Mean Girls star ended by urging the audience to “continue to advocate for yourselves, continue to advocate for your friends, your queer friends and for those who can’t advocate for themselves.”
To date, Israel’s deadly military response to the Hamas attack has reportedly killed more than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank — many of them women and children — and displaced nearly two million Gazans as the war has dragged into its sixth month with no end in sight. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for a ceasefire to end the conflict that has also caused a massive humanitarian crisis, with the UN warning that more than half a million Palestinians are facing famine-like conditions in the territory where nearly all infrastructure has broken down.
To date a number of other celebrities have also called for a ceasefire, including Gigi and Bella Hadid, Susan Sarandon, Kehlani, The Weeknd, Annie Lennox, Hunter Schafer, Hozier, Pedro Pascal, Angelina Jolie, Mark Ruffalo and Boygenius. On Thursday, Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer called for new elections in Israel to replace Netanyahu, saying the hardline leader’s government “no longer fits the needs of Israel.”
Schumer, who is Jewish and a long-time vigorous supporter of Israel, said, “As a democracy, Israel has the right to choose its own leaders, and we should let the chips fall where they may. But the important thing is that Israelis are given a choice. There needs to be a fresh debate about the future of Israel after Oct. 7. In my opinion, that is best accomplished by holding an election.”
See video of Rapp’s statement below.
Kim Petras has the perfect soundtrack for you Valentine’s Day. The Grammy-winning singer dropped a 12-track sex positive lust bomb EP on Wednesday (Feb. 14) entitled Slut Pop Miami, a sequel her 2002 seven-track Slut Pop EP.
The collection that a press release explains was “inspired by hedonistic trips to Miami” pulls no punches from jump on “Slut Pop Reprise,” on which Petras promises “these b–ches can’t suck like me/ Walk in, I’m the sucking queen” over an insistent disco beat and a robotic voice announcing “this is slut pop.”
The pleasure-seeking party doesn’t stop there, with X-rated jams including “Gag On It,” “F–in’ This F–kin’ That,” “Get F–ked,” “Rim Job,” “C–kblocker,” “B-tt Slut,” “Whale C-ck” and the EDM banger “Banana Boat,” on which Petras coos “So ripe, so sweet, big and juicy/ Can’t wait to put ya in my smoothie/ I wanna ride, ride, ride your banana boat.”
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Petras has been hyping the collection on her Instagram for the past two weeks, showing off a custom Corvette with the album’s title, a teaser for the album’s title track in which Petras poses on the beach in a barely there silver bikini hiding, over inflated, exploding breast implants. After that clip was posted, Petras’ “Unholy” collaborator, Sam Smith, commented “UNBELIEVABLE.”
In the day leading up the EPs release, Petras released two more NSFW teaser videos that, well, see for yourself.
Petras is currently on the European leg of her Feed the Beast world tour in support of her 2023 albums Feed the Beast and Problématique.
Listen to Slut Pop Miami below.
