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gardenoflilys · 2 months

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ILLINOISE. 🦋

A Full Run Down of the Show (From my memory) :

The show opens with Prologue (or, a Conjunction of Drones…) On stage we see Henry and Douglas sleeping peacefully until Henry eventually awakens. He gets up and walks over to a few things hanging up I believe and starts putting on his clothes, occasionally looking over at Douglas to make sure he’s still asleep (that’s just what I picked up from the moment) before finally leaving and leaving Douglas sound asleep and alone. (I also remember my sister literally getting so upset over this moment and being like “he just left him:(“ and her boyfriend having to calm her down, she was NOT having it)

We move into Three Stars (or, Concerning the UFO Sighting near Highland, Illinois.) which is Henry being haunted of the thought of Shelby, Carl, and Douglas. They had taken over and absorb his mind so much that the thought of them scares him and just makes him sick. Especially Carl and Shelby I believe. They move around him and he just stands there helplessly and it’s a chilling moment and I don’t remember the rest but I do remember that vaguely.

From there we move onto the Long Hike where each character comes up from the long journey and walks towards either center stage or right stage and just looks around in pure amazement at the journey they just did and eventually take a photo together which was so cute to me.

From there we move into Come On! Feel The Illinoise! which I must say WOW. (elijah vocals r crazy can we all agree on that???) This number was a mixture of amazement and silliness. The choreography in it is just WOW and im sure we’ve all seen a clip a couple of times. But there is some silliness!! Once they get camp set up, the dancers in the background walk around and act all silly while meeting other people in the background while Henry doesn’t say much or interact, rather just standing there and looking out. (I had to stifle back a giggle or two watching the dancers though.) There is also moments of Henry being haunted by the thought of Carl, Shelby, and Douglas (this is in my opinion and how I interpreted it.) They have lights held above their head symbolizing the ‘three stars’ (which is also made clear in Henry’s journal that they ARE the Three Stars) and approach him slowly while he just looks at them in this horror because he just can’t stop thinking about them and the thought alone haunts him. And WOW. It was definitely a little crazy

From there we move onto the storytelling bits! I believe it was either Marion, Knox, or Jeanette who picked up the journal first and held it out for the others. I think they tried Henry but he refused immediately. Just shaking his head and they moved on a moment after until eventually Morgan picks the hook up and there we start Jacksonville.

Jacksonville is described by Henry in his journal as ; a shared story about the attempts to understand a lineage, and find the lessons left by those who came before (or ; ancestry is more than DNA, it’s how we see, how we move, and how we talk to god.) He also describes Morgan as a griot & expert debater to which I think fits her PERFECTLY??? We already know a lot about this number and how it looks from their performance on The Late Show. But every-time Cass (Byron) started tapping, the crowd was CHEERING. It definitely got everyone hyped up. And I didn’t see Rachel play her role but I must say Tyrone absolutely KILLED IT!!!!!!! We love our swings 🩵

Next, Jo Daviess takes a turn in telling her story about ZOMBIES!!!! Henry describes her story as ; a shared story about the hood the founding fathers have on American imagination and also describes Jo Daviess as a historian and horror enthusiast. And let me just the say, this number brought me CHILLS. Jeannette absolutely KILLED it in her role and from the running in place from the zombies, fighting them, and I believe even crawling away from them was AMAZING and she displayed it PERFECTLY. I was in SHOCK after the number and was just like HELLOOOOO????!!!!! She did amazing and I just love her even more for it. 🩵 The number is crazy and when I heard Zombies I didn’t really like it as much and preferred Sufjan’s version but after seeing the show, I absolutely LOVE the number.

After Jo finishes her story, she tries to get Henry to tell his story, bending down in front of him and placing a hand on his shoulder, holding the book to him but he refuses just like before and Jo backs down and holds the book out to everyone before eventually Wayne takes it and decides to share his story.

Wayne shares the story of John Wayne Gacy Jr. but Henry described it as ; the damning cycle of exclusim borne of outcasts forced to sympathize with monsters to which ive stated I LOVE because it ties with the song so much. He also describes Wayne as a poet and murder balladeer. I believe Craig Salstein played Wayne and was dressed in a clown costume while Wayne traveled through the stage with the flashlight. They made the story very clear and anyone who knew about John Wayne Gacy knew what was going on. The dancers played families and kids and eventually each dancer was killed and it was definitely chilling! I expected it to be a solo dance and just told through movement from Alejandro (Wayne) but it wasn’t and it was still good I just WISH the number was longer!!! Everything happened really fast and I couldn’t fully absorb it.

Towards the end of the number, Wayne spirals out of control while Henry is present on stage (I believe he was present throughout the entire number or majority of it and was watching the entire thing) and once he sees Wayne start to spiral he is quick to jump into action and starts to calm him down. Becca did amazing with representing the panicked and rapid breathing that comes with panic attacks and then slowly calming down. Everything was just in sync and it was such a heartfelt moment, I wanted to CRY!!!!

Next we move onto Clark who shows his story through the Man of Metropolis which is described by Henry as ; a shared story about a Vulnerable Superman ( or ; the seductive fiction of the individual hero ), again this is another number I won’t get into too much as it was performed on the View and a majority have already seen it. But the number was definitely a crowd favorite. Brandt did amazing with the dancing and getting everyone hyped up. Each time the picnic blanket was brought out to represent the cape, everyone was laughing and when he threw his shirt out into the crowd, everyone was literally LAUGHING and CHEERING. It was AMAZING and such a beautiful number!!!!

Clark finishes his story and eventually turns to Henry and gets him to share his story and I think only Clark could have done this. They interact a lot on stage and it seems like Henry was really comfortable around Clark and definitely considered him a friend.

Act 2 starts here which is all about Henry’s story.

We start with Decatur which introduces a younger and more energetic Henry with his best friend and love, Carl. They did amazing with representing the friendship which also was most likely easy and fun for them to do considering Gaby, Ben, and Ricky are all close friends in real life. It starts with just Henry and Carl playing around. Skipping rocks across the lake, balancing on logs, looking up at the stars, and just playing around and having fun!

Eventually, Shelby comes onto stage and immediately Carl is drawn to her. It’s clear they like each other as they flirt on stage and the believe kiss once or twice or a couple of times. Very sweet moments while Henry just watches and tries to be supportive but definitely has a hint of jealousy and loss. I know and remember a moment where Henry and Carl are resting for a moment and Carl gets a little close to Henry, leaning in and it was LIKE they were going to kiss before Carl just moves away which I don’t know if it was because Shelby came on stage or because he was just teasing and messing with Henry.

My personal belief of what goes on between Henry and Carl and why they never got together or could’ve worked is because :

1). Henry stated in his journal he was always afraid to tell Carl about his feelings from him. Scared he’d freak out on him or throw fists.

2). Some people have said there could be religious trauma within the show and have said Carl is bisexual in denial and just some of this to which I could see how it works but don’t believe it’s true as much. I think Carl was just never aware of feelings or how he felt with Henry. He might’ve felt something there but never brought it up. He just was unaware of all this and such and didn’t think much into it and just brushed it off. He understood his feelings with Shelby but not with Henry because it was different. I don’t think Carl was ever homophobic or anything. He was just lost and never knew how he felt about Henry.

In Decatur I believe, Carl goes up to the set and spray paints NYC next to Chicago and taps the set. Showing they want to travel from Chicago to New York and Henry lets out this little cheer that was SO SILLY and made everyone laugh. They try to convince Shelby to come with (mainly Carl, Henry stands back and just watches.) Trying to guide her over and talk with her to which eventually Shelby gets tired of and pushes him away before storming off stage. Leaving Carl and Henry alone. Eventually though, we transfer into Chicago.

I’ll try my best to piece up Chicago in my mind from my memory. I believe it started off with Carl holding out the wheel to Henry and they start their journey, driving and talking and being silly as the dancers form a car with props and have these lights to represent headlights and everything. It was SO COOL. There is so many sweet moments throughout the number and represents more of their friendship and it’s just BEAUTIFUL. I absolutely love it. It was a great number. On the Instagram there is a clip of Chicago and that’s the main repeated Choreo that happened throughout Chicago.

Eventually, I believe they arrive in New York. This is where we meet Douglas, an artist who was trying to sell some of his art on the street. He starts to place it back in his bag while talking before him and Henry bump into each other. The art falls and scatters everywhere to the floor and Henry is quick to start helping him pick up the art. They touch hands I believe and I think it was right then and there Douglas fell in love. I’m unsure with Henry and I think he sensed the love coming from Douglas and decided to just take it and try it out. I don’t think he fell in love with Douglas right away, no, but I will explain this eventually.

Meanwhile, while Henry and Douglas are interacting, the focus shifts to Carl who gets a phone call from either Shelby or the hospital and is told about Shelby’s diagnosis with cancer. Immediately, Carl wants to go home. He needs to go home. He needs to see the love of his life and help her. She needs him. He quickly goes to Henry and tells him they need to leave and starts the car. Holding his hand out to Henry. Henry stands there for a moment before walking over to the set and pointing where New York is spray painted and stomps his foot on the ground too. He wants to finish the trip. He wants to finish what he started. What they started. But Carl doesn’t side with that. He offers one more time I believe but Henry refuses again, being stubborn and I do think he probably later on regrets this.

Carl starts the car and drives away, heading back to Illinois.

We transfer into to the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region, I Have An Idea Concerning Your Predicament. This is Shelby I believe after getting her diagnosis. Being unhooked from wires while doctors and maybe her mother or father comforting her while she gets up and just has this hopeless sense like she’s already given up. Eventually she sits down in a chair and that’s when Carl comes in and we got into Casmir Pulaski Day and immediately when I heard the switch. I started to cry because that song makes me SO emotional it ruins me.

Throughout Casmir Pulsaki Day, it shows Carl’s support for Shelby. Being there with her every step of the way and desperately trying to keep her going while Shelby just pushes him away each time and it’s clear she’s already given up. She’s accepted that she has this and she doesn’t think anything can be done. Carl doesn’t give up though. He keeps and keeps trying. Doing everything for his girlfriend, the absolute love of his life. Nothing works though and eventually, Shelby passes. There’s this moment and I think when Shelby was dying, she didn’t realize she wanted to give up. No, she wanted to keep fighting but she couldn’t now. She’s torn away from Carl and once she passes, Carl spirals completely. People try to help him but ultimately he pushes them away. He doesn’t want help. He wants his girlfriend. He wants his love back but she’s gone and he can’t get her back.

We go into Prairie Fire That Wanders About and im not 100% sure what happened but I know it was something to with Carl, either driving to Seers Tower or something. I’m not 100% sure.

We go into Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out To Get Us! which is a duet between Douglas and Henry and really shows the love they have for each other. Douglas is gentle and sweet with Henry. He’s what Henry needs and wants and I believe Henry started to fall in love with Douglas. Whether it was him or the idea of him, he started to realize he loved some part of him. And he feels guilty at times because he doesn’t know if he’s taking advantage of Douglas love or not. Is he what he wants? He doesn’t know but with Douglas. He feels content and safe. He loves him. The duet shared between them is beautiful and I absolutely bawled like a baby. But diving more into the number.

I remember it starts with the two sleeping before Henry eventually wakes up, grabs his journal and starts writing while Douglas wakes up and stops him. Then the dance carries on from there. And eventually Douglas heads back to sleep. I believe (I could be wrong) either Henry sees Carl or he calls him and says some sort of goodbye message and it panics Henry and he starts having this panic attack. And Ricky does so well with representing the movement through dance and I was just wow. It was crazy. Douglas wakes up and quickly rushes over to Henry. Calming him down and breathing with him, comforting him sweetly just like Henry had done for Wayne earlier in the show. He learned through Douglas. Douglas has helped him so much and has never once given up on Henry and I love him so much for it. It’s a clear message that despite the struggles someone has, we can still love them and help them through it. Don’t give up on them. Be there for them and love them through and through.

Eventually, Seers Tower comes along and starts with a dancer I believe to be Alejandro first leading and coaxing Carl up to the top of Seers Tower. Luring him in before dropping which caused a gasp from the audience. More and more dancers come, each luring him in before eventually dropping. Carl just watches. Debating. Is this what he should do? Is this his fate? Will he finally see his love if he does this? And eventually, he jumps off. Henry comes into stage right after and stands there in horror. His best friend just did that right in front of him. Then, we go back to the beginning of the show.

We go through a Conjunction of Drones, again which shows Henry leaving and the Hike all over again.

We then go into Act 3 which starts with Chicago (Reprise) which I took as Henry explaining the story to his friends and I believe eventually they all gather around and comfort him because they realize this story is real and how tragic it is. It’s a heartfelt moment.

Eventually, we shift into a more happy setting. Douglas comes on stage and once Henry sees him, he seems different. He’s happy. I think that’s when then and there, Henry realized how much he loved Douglas. Not the idea of him or the thought of him, he just loved Douglas. As a person, as his lover. He loved him.

We go into The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders which is a silly and playful number and I don’t fully remember much but it IS a fun number and kinda that stress reliever!!!

We go into the Epilogue which is just the dancers moving around and dancing on stage with the lights from my memory and that is truly all I remember.

HOPE YOU WNJOTED MY YAP SESSION AND AGAIN ONCE I HAVE THW BOOTLEG, ILL DIVE INTO MORE BUT!!!!