Illegal: A New Musical Concert Presentation

Location: Angel Island Immigration Station Detention Barracks, on Angel Island
Presented by the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation

Join us for a concert presentation of ILLEGAL, a new musical created and performed by Skyler Chin, co-composed by Sita Sunil, and featuring Catherine Gloria. The show is inspired by family secrets and poetry etched into the walls of Angel Island during Chinese Exclusion. With a professional AAPI cast, colorful characters, rap, song, comedy, and drama, ILLEGAL entertains as it shines a light on a dark chapter in history and on the fighting spirit of those who dared to become American.

Illegal is a new musical about some of America’s first “illegal” immigrants, written by Skyler Chin and Sita Sunil. The show draws inspiration from Skyler’s grandfather’s detainment and interrogation on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay in 1923, as well as the riveting and powerful poetry carved into the detention center walls by detainees.

Illegal tells a fresh reimagining of this little-known history through non-stop music, rap, rock, spoken word, kung fu, comedy, and colorful characters. In 2019, the award-winning workshop production at Yale University was described as “wildly entertaining” and “an emotionally satisfying story that resonates with contemporary politics – full of catchy music and clever wordplay.”

In 2022, Illegal was named a Eugene O’Neill National Music Theater Conference semifinalist, and NY Congresswoman Grace Meng and Senator Anna Kaplan commended the creative team for responding to recent anti-Asian hate through art. The Illegal team has kicked off an exciting season of shows in 2022 including UC Berkeley, Angel Island, Bronx Science, Manhasset, PS 130, and Flushing Town Hall.