Share NEW YORK — If theatergoing were an Olympic sport, then Matthew Dodson would be Michael Phelps. This year alone, the Manhattanite has already attended 160 performances on and off Broadway. In the past, thanks to rush and lottery ticket options, as well as last-minute deals on SeatGeek, he’s racked up head-spinning numbers for shows like “Company” (50 times), “Shucked” (60 times) and “The Phantom of the Opera” (100-plus visits).
“I love being a cheerleader,” says Dodson, 46, a cybersecurity systems engineer. “One of the amazing things about live theater is that you’re never going to see the same thing twice. It’s different every single night.
” This summer, Dodson has pledged his allegiance to “Illinoise,” a 90-minute, dialogue-free dance musical adapted from Sufjan Stevens’ beloved 2005 album. He has seen the show 38 times so far with his husband, Dan, and they plan to make more visits before it closes Aug. 10 at the St.
James Theatre. The stunning new musical, which won best choreography at last month’s , has attracted a small but mighty following of repeat patrons ever since it opened on Broadway in late April. The story follows a young queer man named Henry (Ricky Ubeda) as he learns to move forward from unrequited love and immeasurable loss.
Like the show’s lead characters, Dodson lost a close friend to bone cancer when he was in his early 20s. And he’s touched by the musical’s portrayal of a gay relationship that is “incred.