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Historical Background, Dramaturgy, and Design

Explore the historical context of Out Here, its dramaturgy, and the design of Court Theatre’s production.

Historical Background

Lesbian History and Culture: Explore the history and culture of lesbians, particularly in the 80s and 90s.
HIV, the AIDS Crisis, and Lesbians: In Out Here, Robin says that Dawn “skipped” the AIDS crisis, choosing the comfort of her straight marriage during that period. Learn more about the devastating history of the AIDS epidemic, and the ways that lesbians advocated for the dignity of gay men and became their caretakers, nurses, and family during an hour of need.
- Richard E Haywood discusses Women on Watch. A doc on how lesbians helped combated the AIDS crisis. by Her Vision Film Festival (16:29)
- HIV: The Neglected Pandemic | VICE VERSA (Full Episode) by VICE TV (1:28:47)
- Family Values: Lesbians and AIDS – PBS (6/23/1991) by Rainbow History Project (56:47)
- How The AIDS Crisis Changed The LGBT Movement | NBC News Now (9:11)
- Looking Back On 40 Years Of The AIDS Epidemic by TODAY (6:15)

Women sitting on a mattress in the street chant as they hold signs. Behind them, more protesters hold a banner. A police officer is partially visible. — The ACT UP Chicago Women’s Caucus deployed mattresses and hospital gowns to call attention to a lack of beds for female AIDS patients at Cook County Hospital. ACT UP, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, is a grassroots movement founded in 1987. Photo by Genyphyr Novak. https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/may-2020/oral-history-act-up-chicago-aids/

Members of ACT UP stage a die-in. More than a dozen people are visible lying on the ground, with a crowd of onlookers and police officers between them and the AMA building the background. Protesters have signs that read things like “Silence = Death.” — Members of ACT UP L.A. in front of the American Medical Association in Chicago. Photo by Phil Greer for the Chicago Tribune. https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/may-2020/oral-history-act-up-chicago-aids/

Above the burning United States flag, a cardboard sign shaped like a boot reads, “Let’s unite to stamp out AIDS.” — ACT UP members burn an American flag outside the White House on Oct. 11, 1992. The group burned the flag as part of a protest to demand more funding for AIDS research. Photo by AP Photo https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/gabrielsanchez/pride-act-up-protest-aids-hiv-lgbt1-history

Dozens of protesters stand with their arms around one another, fists in the air as they chant in front of a stage. Their shirts read things like “People with Immune System Disorders” with a pink triangle, and “Silence = Death.” Conference speakers stand awkwardly on the stage behind them. — ACT UP disrupts the opening ceremonies of the Sixth International Conference on AIDS in San Francisco on June 20, 1990. Photo by Paul Sakuma / AP. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/gabrielsanchez/pride-act-up-protest-aids-hiv-lgbt1-history

Boats are docked in front of a row of houses in shades of blue, red, orange, yellow, and peach. — Multi-colored vibrant houses along Nyhavn harbor, Copenhagen, Denmark. This is the city where Dawn and Robin met. Photo by Getty Images / Alexander Spatari https://www.admiddleeast.com/story/what-to-do-in-copenhagen-city-guide-for-lovers-of-danish-design

Dramaturgy

The American Musical: Out Here plays with the storied genre of the musical, which is at its core an American venture. Learn about the history of this genre to help you unpack the ways in which this world premiere bends and rethinks this art form.
Meta-Theatre: Out Here dives deep into meta-theatricality, wherein the characters are acutely aware of the presence of the band, the theatre, and the audience. Learn about the practice of metatheatre and what it can look like to break the fourth wall.

Design

Posted on April 9, 2026 in Learning Guides, Productions

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