Stage Review - Here and Their (A Non-Binary Musical)

Stage Review - Here and Their
Presented By: Jasmine Joshua / Heather Ragusa (Independent Production, presented at 12th Ave. Arts) - Seattle, WA
Show Run: June 12 - June 28, 2025
Date Reviewed: Friday, June 20, 2025
Run Time: 2 Hours, 45 Minutes (including a 15-minute intermission)
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman

I’m not sure that there’s any story that is braver, or that comes from as vulnerable a place, as a story of coming out. Yes, in some ways it’s more acceptable to come out as gay, non-binary, or queer than it has been in years past, but there’s still such a stigma about everything around LGBTQ+ among a significant population in our country that the decision just to make this discovery public can never be a slam dunk. What helps, though, is acceptance, even if it’s without a clear comprehension. If the person coming out is surrounded by open minds, and friends and family that are accepting of this new discovery, regardless of whether those same friends and family completely understand it (for instance, what it means to feel not right in the body a person was born in), it surely her to make it a little easier, there’s strength in support. But that support isn’t always there, and whether it’s because of age, upbringing, or some other factor, or factors, the lack of it can make a person feel alone. What I’m trying to say here, in a very roundabout sort of way, is that my review of Jasmine Joshua’s new musical Here and Their, comes with a healthy dose of respect, not just for being strong enough to work through their own self-discovery as an adult, and not just to come out publicly as non-binary, but to write an entire musical about the experience, and draw the majority of it from their own experience; to me that takes a whole lot of confidence, as well as a lot of support. We talked about Here and Their quite a bit when Jasmine appeared on an episode of Between the Pages with The Sound on Stage (https://youtu.be/GfqiTJwlMsg?si=t7dEVmebkRAgX94k), and a lot of what we discussed focused on the team of collaborators that helped Jasmine craft this musical, most notably composer Heather Ragusa. The pair have put together a musical that is a thesis for those who have either come out or those that are considering it, and a lesson for those who don’t fit into an LGBTQ+ group. Jasmine and Heather feel strongly enough about Here and Their that the pair produced this musical themselves after being turned away by other theaters and with the understanding that timing can be, as they say, everything. As we celebrate Pride here in Seattle (and across the country), I can think of no better show to make a part of those celebrations, and I can think of no better time than now to experience it.

The semi-autobiographically influenced show tells the story of Sam (Chloe Payne), who is on the precipice of her wedding to the love of her life David (James Lee). After a rollicking night of celebration at her family’s bar, “O’Malley’s”, left to her parents by their recently deceased father (Sam’s grandfather), a party organized by Sam’s best friend and cousin Meghan (Megan Huynh), the three friends contemplate the mess that needs to be cleaned up. Sam, though, is contemplating something else entirely, the feeling that something just doesn’t feel right. She sings about that in “Math”, in which Sam exclaims that one “can always solve a problem with math…with math it just works”. This song is one of my favorites in the show, it provides a good deal of insight into the personality, a bit on the nerdy side, of Sam and presents her confused state of mind at the same time. It’s a nice, albeit pensive, contrast to the riotous “Real Montana Women” from the opening scene bachelorette party. That’s one callout I do need to make, and that is with how vital the songs are in Here and Their to the storytelling. They just don’t “inefficiently move the story along”, they’re written and placed with purpose, and are part of the quality Jasmine and Heather have put into the craftsmanship of the piece. Sam’s contemplation carries through to “Better Than You Do”, a nice duet between Sam and David, with impressive choreography and good harmony. Her answer, though, comes from the most unexpected place, a relative who was not known to Sam or Meghan, and unacknowledged by her parents. An aging rock star named Vikki Vektor (Meg McLynn) is actually the best friends’ aunt, excommunicated from the family not because she became a rock star, though I get the idea that would not have gone over well either, but rather as a result of her being in a relationship with another woman. When Sam learns Vikki’s story, she is convinced that her aunt is the key to helping work out these confusing feelings, and so off Sam goes to find this emotional rosetta stone, throwing her fiancée, her family, and her life into upheaval in the process. What she finds may not be all of the answers she’s looking for, but the journey takes Sam on a voyage of self-discovery in which she realizes that she isn’t really a she, that there are people with similar emotional challenges, and that support does exist, and with that support comes strength. And unbeknownst to the creators of Here and Their, they have created an anthem for Pride in the musical finale. I could see people taking this song and singing it together in solidarity as they come together to move our society forward.

There’s a lot I like about this story, things that differentiate it from other tales of coming out, and things that make this an accessible piece of theatre for just about everyone. Jasmine uses many different voices to tell the story. Sure. there’s Sam, perhaps the most important because it’s about them and their journey. But there’s also Vikki, who provides an older perspective, and one that is often overlooked. As much as folks that are part of older generations can accept someone when they come out, there’s an understanding that may be hard to grasp. Until relatively recently, the worlds of gender and sexual orientation were described in binary terms. While many people have always existed in the gray areas , when someone has been brought up with male, female, gay, or straight, a word like transgender, or even just queer, could be confusing to hear….simpler times and all of that. Jasmine uses Vikki to be that voice in Here and Their, and the conflict that Sam and their aunt have over this is written just about the best way it can be, with respect for both voices told through a conflict with the final goal of mutual acceptance and mutual understanding, the latter a little bit longer of a game. There’s also the family and friends aspect of Sam’s new world. Ellen Dresser Smith is Sam’s mother, and she needs to consider her own upbringing with what Sam has presented to her, it’s a true test of a mother’s love. Meghan and David are the voices of the friends who question who this new person is that is no longer a she. How does that impact their relationship with Meghan and the engagement to David? These concerns are addressed in the Act 2 number “Meanwhile in Butte”, a song that presents thoughts that many have, but are often afraid to speak. And that’s the biggest achievement here, a playwright taking a situation and presenting all of the perspectives and all of the voices, and what I hope for Here and Their is that people see it and take the leads set forth by these characters to become less afraid to vocalize what they are thinking (respectfully of course).

It’s clear early on as well that the cast Jasmine has put together for this is more than capable. All of the actors here are excellent. From their vocals, to the execution of Elizabeth Posluns‘ choreography, they all bring such energy and emotion to their parts, it’s clear that, to a person, they care a lot about their work with this production. Chloe is an exceptional Sam, bringing a true sense of a “before” version of the character and an “after”, each different, but at their core the same, which is really the point here. Physical changes are simply superficial compared to what is at the heart of a person, and as Sam follows their journey, Chloe makes sure that the audience is well aware that the confident non-binary person at the end is the exact same as the confused girl at the beginning, in all the ways that matter. It’s a well rounded performance, “Math” being my favorite musical contribution, but all and all, Chloe is at their best when challenging Vikki, and vice-versa. Meg challenges Chloe right back as Vikki, and the two land enough blows to get each point across to the other, and the audience. The other aspect of Vikki is the music, and she is a punk rocker in the truest sense, and Meg has a rocking voice that works so well in that style. She exudes an air of being anti-authority, though after meeting record exec Haylee, played very well by Shana Emile, a woman fighting her own battles, Vikki gets a bit distracted by the possibility of a career resurgence. The punk rocker look is on point as well, and credit to Krista Lofgren and her costume design for helping to create complete characters across the board. Her work extends to the “Internet People“, a creative device that Jasmine has implemented to represent Internet searches and apps, Juniper Johns, Marnie Wingett, and Rylynn Davis dressed in bright, bold colors to provide Sam with the answers they need. Much of the second act is Chloe and Meg, and centering on their relationship, but it wouldn’t be wise to exclude Selena Whitaker-Paquiet and her turn as Tommy, Meg’s partner. Tommy is the glue that holds the relationship together, as well come as their business, the Pink Triangle. Selena’s portrayal is of a strong woman who isn’t afraid to challenge Vikki.

Here and Their is rife with good characters. Megan Huynh as Meaghan is very good, she’s the one organizing the celebration and events around Sam’s upcoming wedding. Megan plays her as a bubbly, energetic, cheerleader type, but also someone with a good heart who is completely supportive of her family and friends. James Lee’s David is also excellent as the fiancée whose world is turned upside down by Sam. He’s featured in his own musical number, the “Voicemail Song”, a fantastic song that is positioned perfectly in the show and performed extremely well. The enthusiasm the actors bring extends to the ensemble as well. Perseus Wait, Queenelle Gazmen, Stefanie MeiFang Van Rafelghem, and Sydney Kaser are all in on their work here, which includes dancing and singing that brings so much energy to a show that is already chock full of passion and zeal.

It’s a generally well done production, Jasmine has done a good job presenting a story that is clearly close to their heart. Robin Macartney’s set is versatile, representing two locations, O’Malley‘s and the Pink Triangle, the change being made simply by rotating panels at the back of the stage area, while additional set pieces are brought on stage to supplement the scene or provide another location, such as Vikki’s dressing room. Behind those panels sits the live band, which is outstanding in the accompaniment of the talented vocalists in the cast. But as good as they are, they are part of the one criticism I have of Here and Their, and that is around the volume of the audio. Frankly, it’s loud. In and of itself, that’s not a bad thing, but here the band is loud, as is the gain on the microphones that the cast uses, the combined volume becoming too much at times. The volume isn’t a problem during solos, such as “Math” or the “Voicemail Song”, but in ensemble numbers, the combined volume of the microphones creates a reverb effect that makes many of the lyrics in these songs indiscernible, which is a shame because they’re so well written. I thought about this quite a bit, though. I realize that this is an energetic show, and that energy brings volume, but whether it was the acoustics in the room (the 12th Avenue Arts theatre space is on the small side), or an imbalance of sound between the band and the microphones on Friday, there were moments that were difficult for me during the performance, and for a show that needs to be seen by audience members of all ages, and across multiple generations, in order to have the impact it deserves to have, turning down the volume a notch or two would provide a more widely received show, while keeping the messaging and its impact, which come more from the performances than it does the volume. I’d love to see this show produced in a venue where the acoustics can handle it, perhaps a larger space, and with a better audio balance. This is a show that has a real future, and it’s an important show, it deserves to be presented in the best way possible.

Here and Their, the new musical from Jasmine Joshua, with music from Heather Ragusa, is a rollicking and raucous show with a big heart. A story that is drawn from Jasmine’s own experience, it is the ideal show to celebrate Pride, bringing together voices that are seldom heard in a coming out story and presenting their individual perspectives in such a way that they can, and should, be used as an example to inform our own conversations about LGBTQ+. Open-mindedness, support, and patience are all required to help those who are struggling, and what this musical does is provide a fresh, exciting, and accessible look at a story that can bring everyone to the table by bringing everyone to the theatre.

Here and Their, the original production from writers Jasmine Joshua and Heather Ragusa, is being presented independently and runs on stage at 12th Ave. Arts through June 28. For more information, including ticket availability and sales, visit https://www.hereandtheirthemusical.com/.

Photo credit: Colin Madison Photography