Movin' Out opened on Broadway to positive reviews on October 24, 2002. In his Broadway.com Review of the piece, Paul Wontorek wrote: "The odd coupling of Joel and Tharp is a surprise success, and both artists come out the better for the meeting. Movin' Out uses 24 of Grammy winner Joel's rock and pop hits--performed live by inexhaustible piano man Michael Cavanaugh and a smoking nine-piece band which reminds us why live is better than Memorex--and a handful of pre-recorded pieces written for his 2001 classical piano album Fantasies & Delusions. The career retrospective… overpowers Joel's recent public battles with loneliness and the bottle and reconfirms his immense songwriting talents. Tharp, meanwhile, proves that even she can wow Broadway audiences with a full-length pop ballet that remains deeply rooted in classical dance. Audiences looking for some big-time Broadway hoofing won't be disappointed by even the more eccentric moments of Tharp's Movin' Out work, which invites everyone in to join in the fun."