Review: Zoë Van Tieghem's OUT OF THE BOX at Green Room 42 Was Joyously Queer

Zoë Van Tieghem, no stranger to the performing arts, gracefully strides onto the stage, where she hosts a wonderfully gay evening in her matching white vest and shorts. In between songs that leaned heavily on themes of romance and uncertainty, there are mentions of the masterdoc, complaints about people thinking she’s straight, and tales of falling in love with your female best friend (“a lesbian canon event”).

She’s more comfortable on stage than most, and her confidence shines through immediately. From the first note of her opening number to the final notes of the closer, she makes performing look effortless. Before diving into the first song, she gives a little backstory about herself, telling the story about coming out as a lesbian to her not-at-all-surprised parents at a Junior’s at age 15. She describes their reaction as “yeah… and?” which gets a laugh from the crowd.

Her opening song, "What Can I Do?" provides an introduction to Ms. Van Tieghem and the show in general. She shows off her impressive vocal range, hitting some angelic high notes against low piano chords, skillfully played by Julianne B. Merrill. The song conjures up feelings of uncertainty, a resonant theme to many a queer individual, and one she will touch on again later in the show. Before the next song, she discusses more of her personal experiences, of realizing she was gay at age 10 after falling backwards trying to reach something in her closet (the irony is acknowledged, which gets another chuckle from the crowd). She launches into her second song, "Que Sera Sera," with gusto. Once again returning to her upper register, she makes excellent use of resonance, varying her voice’s intensity over the course of the song to carefully provide emphasis.

In the next interlude, she explains the choice to lean heavily on ballads for the early numbers, to illustrate that feeling of teenage love, where everything feels like a matter of life and death to a young person. For another number, "We Kiss in a Shadow/You've Got to Be Carefully Taught," the show takes a more wistful tone, fitting for tunes about being in love and overcome with desire and longing. Van Tieghem really turns the emotion in her voice up a notch, wonderfully selling the performance. As she holds the final note, the lights dim for a minute. After a brief moment to take off some jewelry, she plays a song on acoustic guitar, with continued piano accompaniment. With a simple chord progression, she lets her voice do the heavy lifting and channels the image of a 90s singer-songwriter.

After this song, the mood changes. The songs become a little more upbeat and joyous. This is marked by her donning of a backwards baseball cap and her belting out of the song "I Hate Men" from Kiss Me, Kate, a genuinely fun tune about exactly what it sounds like it would be about. For the final two numbers of the show, "Old Fashioned Love Story" and "Always a Woman," Zoë is alive and energetic. She walks around the crowd a little, channeling the soulful bravado of the songs excellently.

She ends the night on a happy and yet still wistful note. Overall, Zoë Van Tieghem’s Out of the Box was a delightful evening, full of queer sadness and queer joy.

Find more upcoming shows at Green Room 42 on their website.

Follow Zoë Van Tieghem on Instagram and visit her website to learn more.