CAST & CREATIVES

Performing in his 6th Broadway show. Others include Ragtime, Billy in Billy Elliot, Tuck Everlasting, Mean Girls, and most recently Riff in Ivo van Hove’s West Side Story revival. National tours: Billy Elliot and Newsies. Film: Mouthpiece in Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award-winning West Side Story, Beckett in Happiness for Beginners on Netflix, Aaron Fisher in HBO’s Paterno alongside Al Pacino, Race in Newsies: The Broadway Musical (Disney). TV: “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin” and “The Penguin” (HBO Max), “The First Lady” (Showtime) “Law & Order: SVU,” “FBI,” “Veep,” and “30 Rock.” Ben has been involved with Illinoise since the very beginning and is honored to bring it home to New York.

(she/her). Broadway debut. Regional: world premiere of Illinoise (Bard Fisher Center, Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Dance: Jennifer Lopez’s Las Vegas show All I Have, Season 12 Winner of So You Think You Can Dance tour, Shaping Sound Company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Off-Broadway: Andy Blankenbuehler’s Only Gold, Illinoise (Park Avenue Armory). Film: Tick Tick… Boom!, Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award-winning remake of West Side Story, Spirited, Maestro. Television: all-star on seasons 13,14, 16 of “So You Think You Can Dance” (FOX). Awards: 2023 Chita Rivera Award Winner, 2015 America’s Favorite Dancer, season 12 of “So You Think You Can Dance.” Diaz is originally from Miami, Florida. Thank you to my family. Los quiero mucho.

Ahmad Simmons is a performing artist, theater maker, choreographer, and producer. Broadway: West Side Story, Hadestown (OBC), Carousel, Cats. Off-Broadway: Illinoise, Only Gold. Film: Maestro, Better Nate Than Ever. TV: Co-starred as Ben Vereen in “Fosse/Verdon,” “Dirty Dancing.” Tour: Hamilton (Dance Supervisor). BFA: Point Park University. Co-Founder of Arterial Projects. Deep love and gratitude to my incredible village of supporters and believers. @ahmadsimmons

Elijah Lyons is a New York City based singer/actor/multi-instrumentalist/composer/songwriter. New York: Illinoise (Park Avenue Armory), Rathskeller: A Musical Elixir (The New Ohio Theatre). Regional: Sing Street (Huntington Theater), Illinoise (Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Studio Albums: The Singing Effect (Lead Singer, instrumentalist, producer), Human Hands Are Cigarettes (Singer, Producer, Instrumentalist). Elijah is originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, and is a New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts graduate (recipient of the Sanford Meisner Scholarship). Instagram: @ElijahJoLyons

Credits: Illinoise, recording artist and touring member of Sufjan Stevens’ band for Illinoise; My Brightest Diamond. Composition: The Crossing, Conspirare, Roomful of Teeth, Detroit Opera, yMusic, BBC Concert Orchestra, Cincinnati Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra. Recordings: Age of Adz, You Us We All, Penelope, Unremembered, Death Speaks, Hazards of Love, The Blue Hour. Awards: Artist-in-Residence, Park Avenue Armory and MassMOCA; featured artist, Carnegie Hall, MoMA, The Momentary; Opera America Discovery and Knights grants; Kresge Arts and US Artists fellowships; three Grammy nominations (2023).

Credits: Illinoise (Bard Summerscape, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, PAA); 2018 Alone at Last, and 2021 critically acclaimed Tell Me What You Miss the Most (Father/Daughter Records); appearances at Sled Island (Calgary, Canada), FORM (Arcosanti, Arizona), Pitchfork Music Festival (Chicago, Illinois). Viets-VanLear is a singer and songwriter who performs under the name Tasha. Her third album will be released via Bayonet Records in September 2024.

Broadway: West Side Story (Drama Desk Nominee, Best Supporting Actress), Carousel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Regional: Destiny of Desire (Old Globe). Film/TV: West Side Story, Incarcerated, “Fosse/Verdon,” “Modern Love.” Off-Broadway: Sweet Charity, Trip of Love. Other: Bombshell: In Concert, Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Three-time Chita Rivera Award Nominee for Best Female Dancer and Winner for Best Ensemble (Carousel).

Broadway debut. Off Broadway: Illinoise (Park Avenue Armory), Peter & the Wolf (Guggenheim Museum). Regional: Illinoise (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Bard SummerScape). Dance: Twyla Tharp Dance, Pam Tanowitz Dance, Mark Morris Dance Group, Dance Heginbotham, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Janis Brenner & Dancers, Gleich Dances. Awards: Dance Magazine’s 2020 “25 to Watch”. BFA: The Juilliard School. @_karachan

Jeanette Delgado (she/her) is honored to be making her Broadway debut! Regional: Illinoise (Bard SummerScape, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Park Avenue Armory). Dance: Twyla Tharp (New York City Center 2022), former principal dancer with Miami City Ballet. Film: Ili in Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award-winning remake of West Side Story, Maestro. Awards: Princess Grace Award in Dance.

Carlos Falu is making his Broadway Debut in Illinoise. He was born and raised in Puerto Rico and has performed in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, Bad Bunny World’s Hottest Tour, Coachella, and the Off-Broadway show The Buena Vista Social Club. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for the love and support I receive from my friends and family. Beyond thrilled to join the company of Illinoise. “No la dejes caer” CESD agency. IG: @lafalu.pr

Broadway Debut. Off-Broadway: Illinoise (Park Avenue Armory), Nutcracker Rouge Company XIV. Regional: Illinoise (Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Other credits: Pam Tanowitz Dance, Dance Heginbotham, Keigwin + Company, Danielle Russo Performance Project, NVA & Guests, SHINSA The Collective, DanceLab NY. Education: BFA New World School of the Arts. Awards: Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch.” For my family, Sumo, Slim, Chua and Órla. @christinefl0res

Broadway Debut! Graduate of Juilliard Dance, 2022. Company member with The Metropolitan Opera Ballet. Dance Credits: Twyla Tharp (In the Upper Room, New York City Center) and Illinoise (Bard, Chicago Shakespeare, Park Avenue Armory) among other freelance projects. Huge thanks to my family and friends. Mom, Dad, Joey, I wouldn’t be here without you. Endlessly proud to be part of Illinoise! @jadarosegerman

Broadway Debut! Off-Broadway: Illinoise (Park Avenue Armory). Juilliard School 2018, Springboard Danse Montreal 2017. Pam Tanowitz Dance. Other performance credits include PARA.MAR Dance, Brian Brooks Moving Company, Mark Morris Dance Group, Zvi Gotheiner Dance, Studio 189, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Thank you to Justin Peck, and all of the collaborators on Illinoise. @zackgonder

Originally from Charleston, SC, and now based in NYC, is thrilled to make his Broadway debut in Illinoise. Last seen in Freestyle Love Supreme: Las Vegas and the original Off-Broadway cast of Forbidden Broadway: Next Generation. Manny is also a songwriter who holds a degree in classical piano performance from the College of Charleston.

Rachel Lockhart is making her Broadway debut in Illinoise. Off-Broadway:  Illinoise (Park Avenue Armory and Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Dancer in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X (The Metropolitan Opera). TV/Film: Doja Cat “2023 Music Video Awards” (MTV); Premiered on season 17 “So You Think You Can Dance” (FOX); “East New York” (CBS). Education: The Juilliard School BFA, Alabama School of Fine Arts, J. Lockhart Performing Arts Institute (under her mother’s direction). Choreography: Made by Women Dance Festival, Dance Theater of Harlem (Open House), Juilliard Choreographic Honors. Special thanks to my village and team at Bloc NYC. Dedicated to my late father, Bernard Lockhart. IG: @rachelxlockhart

Performing in his 5th Broadway Show, others including, Moulin Rouge (OBC 2019), Aladdin (OBC 2014), Fiddler on the Roof (2015), Natasha Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812 (OBC 2016), Hamilton (Philip Tour) TV/Film: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Affair,” “The Last OG,” Disney’s, “Better Nate Than Ever”, “Annie Live” on NBC. Gratitude to Justin for this singular piece of theater, and big love to my Adrienne, Anami, and Vida.

Broadway Debut! Off-Broadway: Illinoise, Oliver!, The Tap Dance Kid, Ayodele Casel’s Artists At The Center, Tappin’ Thru Life. Regional: Vail Dance Festival, Kennedy Center, Newsies, Cabaret. TV/Film: Maestro, “SNL,” Macy’s Parade. YoungArts finalist, US Presidential Scholar in the Arts. LaGuardia Arts, BFA MT Pennsylvania State University #WeAre. Thank you, family, friends, mentors, MSA, and the Illinoise team for everything. Go In Rhythm. Instagram: @dario_natarelli

TANNER PORTER (Understudy Vocalist) is a composer-performer and songwriter. In her songs “that are by turns seductive and confessional” (Steve Smith, The New Yorker), Tanner explores her passion for storytelling. Her orchestral music, described as “drop-dead gorgeous” (Jim Munson, Broadway World), has been commissioned by the Louisville Orchestra (LOCC), Albany Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Ballet (“Kin,” choreography by Claudia Schreier), and orchestrated for the Boston Ballet (“Slipstream,” Schreier), among others.

Tyrone Reese (he/him) is a native of Mobile, AL. Reese is a graduating senior at the Juilliard School and a 2020 national YoungArts Foundation award winner in ballet. While at Juilliard, Reese has performed works by Rena Butler, Justin Peck, Ohad Naharin, Aszure Barton, and Jamar Roberts, among others. He is also the recipient of Juilliard’s Greene Foundation scholarship.

Former soloist with American Ballet Theatre. Broadway appearances include Carousel. Film work includes serving as Associate Choreographer for West Side Story by Steven Spielberg and Maestro directed by Bradley Cooper. Regional credits include performances at Bard SummerScape and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Trained at Miami City Ballet, recipient of the 1995 Grand Champion award on “Star Search.”

BECCA STEVENS (Understudy) is thrilled to make her Broadway debut in Illinoise. Two-time GRAMMY-nominated songwriter, Becca merges her vocal talents with pop, jazz, and folk influences. Becca has toured worldwide alongside David Crosby and Jacob Collier, among others. Her next album (coming out August 2024) delves into themes of loss and motherhood, reflecting on her profound artistic evolution. Becca is managed by Eric Lense Management. www.beccastevens.com

Broadway Debut. As a decade-long company member of the Bessie-award winning tap dance company Dorrance Dance, Tittle also assisted Michelle Dorrance for her American Ballet Theatre debut in 2018. Commercial credits include Janet Jackson, Usher, Doja Cat, Hugh Jackman, Jason Mraz, and Nicki Minaj. Television and film credits include “In the Heights” (2019), “Maestro” (2024), James Corden, “Good Morning America,” and “The 2022 Met Gala.” Tittle is humbled to be the recipient of a 2019 Princess Grace Fellowship in dance.

Alejandro Vargas is so excited to be making his Broadway debut in Illinoise. Off-Broadway: Illinoise (Park Ave Armory) Regional: Illinoise (Chicago Shakespeare Theater) Dance: ISHIDA Dance; works by Ohad Naharin, Aszure Barton, Camille A. Brown, Edward Clug, Omar Román de Jesus, Rena Butler, Jamar Roberts, Tiler Peck, amongst others. Education: Candidate for BFA May 2024, The Juilliard School. Alejandro is endlessly grateful to his family and friends who have long supported him throughout his journey.

Sufjan Stevens is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer based in New York known for his poetic lyricism and diverse musical catalog. Notable recordings include Illinois, Seven Swans, The Age of Adz, and Carrie & Lowell. Stevens has composed for the New York City Ballet and contributed to films, including the Oscar and Grammy-nominated song “Mystery of Love” for Call Me by Your Name. His tenth and latest studio album, Javelin, received widespread acclaim.

Currently the acting Resident Choreographer and Artistic Advisor of New York City Ballet, where he has been commissioned to create over 20 original stage-works at Lincoln Center, including his award-winning collaboration with composer Sufjan Stevens on Everywhere We Go (2014). Recipient of the TONY Award for Outstanding Choreography for his work on Broadway’s Carousel (2018). Choreographer of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021). Justin is very proud to be making his directorial debut on Broadway with Illinoise.

Plays include Marys Seacole (OBIE Award), Fairview (Pulitzer Prize), Really, Social Creatures, and We Are Proud to Present a Presentation… Presenters of her plays include Soho Rep, Donmar Warehouse, The Young Vic, LCT3, Berkeley Rep, and New York City Players & Abrons Arts Center. Awards include: PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, Jerome Fellowship at The LARK, and Windham-Campbell Literary Prize in Drama.

Timo Andres is a composer/pianist. Commissions: Boston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall, the Barbican. Orchestra: Oregon Symphony, Britten Sinfonia, Albany Symphony, New World Symphony. Recital: Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Wigmore Hall, San Francisco Performances. Recordings: Sufjan Stevens’s Reflections and The Decalogue (Asthmatic Kitty); The Blind Banister, Home Stretch, Shy and Mighty (Nonesuch). Awards: 2016 Pulitzer Prize Finalist (The Blind Banister), 2021 Grammy nomination (The Arching Path). Education: Yale School of Music.

Adam Rigg (Scenic Design) is an award-winning set and costume designer. Broadway: The Skin of Our Teeth (Tony Nomination; Outer Critics Circle Award). Off-Broadway: Teeth, On Sugarland (Lortel Award), Cullud Wattah (Drama Desk), Fefu and Her Friends (Henry Hewes Design Award), Is God Is. Upcoming: El Niño, Blood Quilt, Lincoln in Bardo. www.adamriggdesign.com

Over 30 collaborations worldwide with Justin Peck. Recent: Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Kennedy Center, Sydney Opera House, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Australian Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Park Avenue Armory. Recipient of the Knight of Illumination Award. stirlingbaker.com

Grammy-nominated Sound Designer, Audio Engineer and Spatial Sound expert. Credits: song of songs (David Lang); Soldier Songs, Black Lodge (David T. Little); p r i s m (Pulitzer Prize; Ellen Reid); The Let Go, FLEXN (Park Ave Armory), Spatial…No Problem (Lee “Scratch” Perry/Mouse on Mars).

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Tony Nomination), Little Shop of Horrors, The Addams Family (Drama Desk and Critic Circle Winner for design), Big Fish, Head Over Heels, Satyagraha, Shockheaded Peter.