Review: Falling Out

New theater is a long process full of drafts and revisions, so it is always special to see the world premiere production of a brand-new musical. Falling Out is one such show that I was fortunate enough to see on its opening night earlier this week. Written by Josée Klein and directed by Anthony Logan Cole, this feel-good show excels in many areas, but like any new show, it still has room to improve. 

Falling Out at Under St. Marks

The audience enters the space, Under St. Marks, and is immediately thrust into The Lounge bar, hosting an open mic night. The show begins slowly, with the first three songs of the night being awkward ones that you might actually hear at a bar’s open mic night. However, once the real show begins, the audience is truly immersed in the story. 

The show follows Alex (Amelia Grace Beckham) meeting with her therapist (Ashley Margaret Morton). The therapist assigns Alex the task of sharing the feelings she writes about in her journal, which leads her to The Lounge’s open mic, where she begins to open up about her heartbreak. This is also where she meets the other four players in the show and forms her bond with singer Rock (Gavin Cole), who has a complicated past of his own. There, she also meets the other three players in the story, played by Patrick Dinnsen, Alex Crossland, and Matthew Liu. 

With only a cast of six, each actor, except Beckham and Cole, plays multiple characters in the show. These range from people from Alex and Rock’s pasts to band members, all of whom switch between their personas with ease. Each performer also plays at least one instrument, and the actor-musicianship onstage is fantastic. Matthew Liu, in addition to narrating, is phenomenal on the violin, and I constantly found myself watching the incredible speed at which his fingers danced across the strings. 

The intimate Under St. Marks

The score by Klein is a mix of country, rock, and a bit of folk. Beckham sings most of the songs, and her beautifully gentle voice allows her to convey her feelings to the audience. There was little plot movement in the score, as the story itself is minimal, which lessened the overall impact of the show. Additionally, I didn’t find much variation in the melodies, but the cast’s vocal and instrumental talents kept me interested and invested in the story. 

The show features a simple set—the band’s setup—that seamlessly transitions between locations thanks to projections designed by Mikaila Baca-Dorion. It doesn’t need more at this stage in its development, and even in the future, a more complicated set might detract from the show's rough dive bar feel. 

Falling Out has had a successful world premiere, and the entire team should be very proud of the production they have brought to the stage. It truly resonates with many people, as it explores love, heartbreak, and everything in between. As with any new production, it could benefit from some reworking, primarily by adding more clarity to the plot, especially the first therapy session, where Alex's heartbreak and the root of her struggles are introduced. This could also become a vehicle for Matthew Liu’s narrator to have more agency in the show and more actively guide the audience through the story. However, this is an excellent example of a New York Fringe show, and Falling Out clearly has the heart and ambition to grow into its full potential.

3.5/5 stars

1 hour and 30 minutes

Under St. Marks

Through February 1, 2026