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Sufjan Stevens’ 2005 concept album “Illinois” enjoys cult status for its lush orchestrations and inventive lyrics. Tony Award-winner and Resident Choreographer of the New York City Ballet, Justin Peck, has transformed the album, with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of 2018’s “Fairview” Jackie Sibblies Drury, into a full-length theatrical performance that blends dance, theater, live music and storytelling into a breathtakingly emotional coming-of-age journey. “Illinoise” was presented at the Bard Fisher Center in summer of 2023 as a SummerScape commission. The Bard staging and the off-Broadway production at Park Avenue Armory earlier this year were sold out, highly praised, and “Illinoise” transferred to the St. James Theatre on Broadway this month. Opening night was April 24 and the limited engagement is scheduled to end on August 10. This morning, it was announced that “Illinoise” has been nominated for 4 Tony Awards.

Pulitzer prize-winning poet PHILIP LEVINE. He grew up in Detroit and worked in the factories as a young man. He's probably best known for his 1992 book of poems about the working class, "What Work Is," (Knopf) which won a National Book Award. He has several volumes of poetry as well as a sort of memoir. He won the Pulitzer for his collection, "The Simple Truth" (Knopf). His forthcoming book (NOT OUT YET!!!) is "Unselected Poems." LEVINE is currently teaching at New York University. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES THRU THE END OF THE SHOW).

Writer KEN LEVINE (pronounced "Le-Vine"). He's an Emmy Award-winning screenwriter and has been head writer for two of television's greatest shows: MASH and Cheers. He trained himself to be a baseball announcer out of a childhood love for the game, and has written a new book about his season as a broadcaster for the Baltimore Orioles: "It's Gone!...No, Wait a Minute" (Villard Books) He's now an announcer for the Seattle Mariners

Simon/Ketzel: Scott talks to our gardening guru, Ketzel Levine, who's attending Seattle's annual Northwest Flower and Garden Show. The show, which is bursting with the latest in floral design, is a reminder to frustrated gardeners that spring is just around the corner.

Scott talks to Weekend Edition's Gardening Commentator, Ketzel Levine, and author Michael Pollan about the social history of, and reflected by, roses. ("Second Nature: A Gardener's Education" by Michael Pollan. ALSO "The Writer in the Garden" -- selected writings about the garden on two audiocassettes. High Bridge Company, St. Paul, MN.)

The conductor has sued New York's storied opera house after being fired earlier this week following the Met's internal investigation into allegations of sexual abusive conduct towards young artists.

OUR GARDENING CONSULTANT, KETZEL LEVINE, SHOWS UP IN A MOST UNLIKELY PLACE THIS WEEK.

Writer-director Jonathan Levine could watch Hal Ashby's Coming Home a million times. "I think that the distinctive thing about Coming Home is the love story," he says.

Weekend Edition Gardening commentator Ketzel Levine talks with Scott and Rob McCaleb of the Herb Research Foundation in Colorado, about a plant that is sweeter than sugar, with none of the calories. (** a source for ordering the plant, called 'Stevia,' is Log House Plants in Oregon 1-800-LOG-H115)

Poet PHILLIP LEVINE. He's considered one of this country's pre-eminent poets, but before he turned to poetry he worked for years at factory jobs. The images of those early days continue to influence his writings. Levine's collection of poems "What Work Is." won 1992's National Book Award. His new memoir is "Bread of Time" (Knopf). (Rebroadcast from 7/22/91). REV.: Television Critic David Bianculli has a review of the new television movie starring Kirstie Alley, "David's Mother."