In “Ain’t Done Bad,” a gay boy who feels like a misfit in his hometown leaves to find love in the big city. Although there are 17 songs over the ninety minutes of the show, it could not be mistaken for a conventional musical; it’s dance theater – or, as it’s billed, “a theatrical dance experience.” The seven cast members only dance; they neither talk nor sing. There is no spoken dialogue. The score is comprised of established songs by a queer singer-songwriter.

If  all this sounds familiar to you, it did to me too. The entire paragraph above is almost word for word how I could (and did) describe “Illinoise.”

“Illinoise” — which was conceived, directed and choreographed by Justin Peck, using songs from Sufjan Stevens’ album “Illinois” — debuted at Bard College last year, and, after a sold-out run Off-Broadway, transferred three months ago to Broadway (and won this year’s Tony Award for choreography.)

  “Ain’t Done Bad” — which  was conceived, directed, choreographed and performed by Jakob Karr, with songs from various albums by country singer-songwriter Orville Peck (unrelated to Justin) — is opening Off-Broadway tonight, three years after its debut at the Orlando International Fringe Festival in Florida.

The apparent similarities between the two shows helped draw me to “Ain’t Done Bad” in the first place, but the timing also makes a comparison unavoidable, which puts Karr’s show at a disadvantage.  I found “Illinoise” extraordinary and often thrilling. My reaction to “Ain’t Done Bad” is more uncertain. 

Don’t misunderstand: I liked it. (I agree with the title!)

The dancing is adept, sexy and expressive.

The music isn’t live, and I’m not an avid country music aficionado, but Peck’s voice is capable of a deep, Elvis-like sultriness that’s quite appealing.

The story is the weak link for me.

I got the general gist: the Son (Karr) is alienated from his family, finds solace in his friends, goes on adventures with would-be lovers until he finally finds The One (Joshua Escover), whom he nervously brings home to meet his family. There is a happy reconciliation. (That was clear when they all hug, even Adrian Lee as the Father .)

But Orville Peck’s lyrics only rarely guide us in figuring out what precisely is going on from moment to moment . Yes, in “Smalltown Boy,”  Peck sings:

Your momma will never understand why you had to leave
But the answers you seek will never be found at home
The love that you need will never be found at home…

One can also pick out a lyric here and there from some of the other songs that feels relevant (“See the boys as they walk on by”… “Had a lover but I lost my patience”) 

To be fair, Stevens’ lyrics are also often elliptical, and they don’t always decipherably correlate with the  movement on stage in “Illinoise” either.  But there are other ways that the characters and their stories  are more clearly presented in the Broadway production (testament not just to the costume designers but also to the significant if subtle contributions of playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury.) “Illinoise,” if unconventional, is undeniably dance theater. “Ain’t Done Bad” is more dance than theater.

Ninety minutes of largely abstract modern dance, accompanied the entire time by country music, might be more to your taste. Below is the song list on Spotify, and a 15-second video of the dancing.