The official cast recording for Illinoise, the Tony-nominated musical based on Sufjan Stevens‘ 2005 album, is on the way, due out May 31 via Nonesuch. It features the vocalists from the Broadway production, My Brightest Diamond‘s Shara Nova, Elijah Lyons, and Tasha Viets-VanLear (aka Tasha), and the band includes Christina Courtin, Sean Peter Forte, Domenica Fossati, Daniel Freedman, Eleonore Oppenheim, Kathy Halvorson, Nathan Koci, Brett Parnell, Brandon Ridenour, Kyra Sims, and Jess Tsang. You can hear two tracks, “Chicago” and “The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!,” below. Both retain the spirit of Sufjan’s originals but have an added theatrical sheen.
Another indie music-connected, Tony-nominated Broadway production, Stereophonic, which is not a musical but features songs from Will Butler (formerly of Arcade Fire), has also released a cast recording. It’s out digitally now, with a physical release to follow on June 14 (preorder), and it features Will Brill, Andrew R. Butler, Juliana Canfield, Eli Gelb, Tom Pecinka, Sarah Pidgeon, and Chris Stack. Stream it below.
Illinoise is open through August 10 at St. James Theatre (tickets), and Stereophonic is open through August 18 at Golden Theatre (tickets).