Here & Their is a Queer story through-and-through. Sam and Vikki, the story’s two protagonists, are both learning new things about themselves, exploring identity, and navigating Queerness and relationships. Sam (Chloe Payne) is a bride-to-be, suddenly thrust into a gender identity crisis after discovering their aunt, Vikki Vector, is a semi-famous lesbian rockstar. Sam then falls down an internet rabbit hole into self-discovery. Encouraged by a (deeply hilarious and incredibly animated) Greek chorus of Internet People, Sam explores their Nonbinary identity, trying to make peace with themself and their relationships.
Meanwhile, Vikki Vector (Meg McLynn), an out and proud lesbian, navigates her fame, trying to figure out how to balance the relationship with her wife, Tommy (Selena Whitaker-Paquiet), and her desire to appease her new PR manager and fans. Together, these characters explore many facets of Queer identity—discovery, transformation, and re-discovery.
I cannot stress enough the amount of talent that oozes out of every one of the performers in Here & Their. Each character is rich, real, and vibrant. I was especially fond of the Internet People, played by Juniper Johns, Marnie Wingett, and Rylynn Davis. These three characters, and their reprise in Act Two as Sam’s new Queer best friends—Pinky, Alice, and Dylandrove Sam’s character forward.
Earlier I called them the Greek chorus of this production, but their characters serve as more than just narration. As Sam’s guides, they uplift and cheer Sam on, representing very real people in the Queer community that many of us can connect with. How many of us began our self-discovery on the internet, finding bloggers and vloggers who taught us what it meant to be Queer, and how many of us finally found ‘irl’ friends who congratulated and helped us as we found ourselves? They reminded me of dear friends of mine and kept me smiling and laughing.
