Out Here Reviews

Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended

"...Somewhere deep in “Out Here” lies a moving new musical about the pain of divorce when there is a teenage kid involved, and the possibilities that flow from personal transformation. But for that to be found, this cluttered, scattered, far-from-ready show will have to get out of its own way."

Chicago Sun Times - Recommended

"...It’s best not to think of the likable, quirky, but not yet fully realized new work, “Out Here,” as musical theater in the traditional sense, even though it may be impossible to avoid those expectations. After all, it possesses all the trappings of the form: a family story, characters who sing, a small orchestra, a recognizable house setting, all offered at a very traditional venue — the Court Theatre — as part of its subscription theater season."

Chicago Reader - Recommended

"...At a chipper 90 minutes, Out Here is a poignant and entertaining reminder that self-actualization lasts far longer than a single decision."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended

"...Chay Yew’s direction knits this family together and keeps the pacing brisk so the show flies by leaving you aching for more. This musical has, as they say, legs!"

Let's Play Theatrical Reviews - Highly Recommended

"...I can see "Out Here" making its way on Broadway, as this unconventional musical production captivates audiences with its remarkable wit, exquisite dialogue and charm."

Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...“Life Happens”! Most of us find ourselves adjusting to things that take place, but in a simple way that never, or close to never, upsets the apple cart ( or our family). In a new musical conceived by Leslie Buxbaum, David J. Levin, and Erin McKeown ( book by Buxbaum, Music & lyrics by McKeown, and the dramaturgy by Levin) titled “Out Here”, we are observing a typical family, as the day begins in their house, that seems to be the perfect home and family."

Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended

"...Chay Yew’s interesting production of OUT HERE is definitely entertaining, but might be deceptively labeled as a musical. The piece is meant to feel improvisational, but it feels more like a work that’s still in progress. The show features seven talented actors portraying characters who are equally likable and fascinating. The powerful story they tell is about a family in flux."

Chicagoland Musical Theatre - Not Recommended

"...As an intellectual concept, the script and score, both halting and rambling, could neatly suit the concept of a family suddenly discovering they are in a musical and they have to put on a presentation about something. The program notes certainly spend plenty of paragraphs bigging up this notion. I think it was all just halting and rambling, not helped by the fact that McKeown's songs mostly sit stubbornly at the bottom of her performers' ranges while the band chugs along above them, drowning them out. (Christie Chiles Twillie, as co-orchestrator and music supervisor, deserves some kind of medal of valor for making everything sound as well as it does.)"

Chicago On Stage - Recommended

"...In an era in which the LGBTQ+ community is once again being persecuted by Those In Power, it is refreshing to discover a new musical produced by a major theatre with strong and clear LGBTQ+ plot lines and sympathies. Court Theatre’s Out Here, by Leslie Buxbaum, David J. Levin, and Erin McKeon and directed by Chay Yew, is a thoughtful, honest, and original exploration of coming out at what is euphemistically referred to as “a certain age” and the effects that doing so can have on one’s life and the lives of loved ones. It pulls no punches, either, and detours wildly from the expected routes that musicals with such plots take, revealing the difficult toll that blowing up one’s life can bring."