THE OUTSIDERS IS PURE THEATRICAL GOLD
Neither a rehash of S.E. Hinton’s classic 1967 novel nor of the iconic 1983 film by Frances Ford Coppola, the stunning new musical The Outsiders, which opened tonight at Broadway’s Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, is recommended not just for the adaptation by Adam Rapp with Justin Levine but for the sheer artistry of theater director Danya Taymor and the expert design team she led in retelling this familiar story. Many of us have known the young adult novel since our junior high school days, but never like this; now, you can experience a fresh original take with a steady stream of creative theatrical ingenuity.
Sky Lakota-Lynch as Johnny Cade and Brody Grant as Ponyboy Curtis
Emma Pittman as Cherry Valance and Brody Grant as Ponyboy Curtis
The coming-of-age tale, set in a 1967 summer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is narrated by Ponyboy Curtis, the youngest of three orphaned brothers, the oldest of whom is his guardian after their parents’ deaths. The Curtis brothers are from the wrong side of the tracks, and belong to a gang of “Greasers” who are always at conflict with the wealthier “Socs” (Socials). Together, these two groups represent the “haves” and the “have-nots,” forming a gap from which deep tension and violence arises. As Ponyboy goes through socioeconomic class woes, friendship, and cycles of violence, he is forced to grow up quickly and leave the innocence of his childhood behind.
Sky Lakota-Lynch as Johnny Cade and Joshua Boone as Dallas Winston
Brody Grant as Ponyboy Curtis, Jason Schmidt as Sodapop Curtis,
Brent Comer as Darrel Curtis and Sky Lakota-Lynch as Johnny Cade
The acting company of 24 has 14 members making their Broadway debut, including the lead role of Ponyboy, played by Brody Grant. As narrator, and one just trying to survive another day of bullying, Grant instantly wins us over with his direct eye contact, tender voice, and authentic teenage looks. There’s nothing coifed or pretty boy about this leading man; he’s as downtrodden and unkempt as his two wigs by Alberto “Albee” Alvarado. In the final song “Tulsa ’67”, his exuberant performance brings to light the lyrics, “It’s time this greaser story’s told for the hopeless boy with the reckless grin, for the down and outs who can never win.” For Grant’s Ponyboy, he absolutely wins in the end.
Kevin William Paul as Bob Sheldon, Emma Pittman as Cherry Valance and the cast
Each member of the young energetic company is just as impressive and praiseworthy as a triple-threat with superior skills in acting, singing, and dancing. Highlights include Ponyboy’s older brothers Brent Conner (Darrel) and Jason Schmidt (Sodapop), as well as Joshua Boone (Dallas), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Johnny), the lovely Emma Pittman (Cherry), and ensemble members Tilly Evans-Krueger, Renni Anthony Magee, and SarahGrace Mariani.
The cast of The Outsiders
The sets by AMP featuring Tatiana Kahvegian offer Taymor a playground of items from which to stage the scenes: cinder blocks, slats of wood, tires, climbable jungle gyms, cars, rain, and fire — all atop a spongy dirt-like floor made up of tiny rubber pellets. Upstage is the back of a drive-in movie screen that offers a walkway and doors as needed. Jana S. Kim’s projections and Brian Macdevitt’s lights offer a master class in how design can punch, blind, and mesmerize at the same time. Combined with Taylor Bense‘s sound and Jeremy Chernick and Lillis Meeh‘s special effects, the moments of slow motion, freeze frames, and time maneuvering are the reasons Broadway productions can linger in the mind long after the show.
The cast of The Outsiders
Choreographers Rick Kuperman and Jeff Kuperman avoid any easy comparisons to the musicals West Side Story and Grease and instead offer masculine, vigorous moves both in joyful celebration and in violent brawls. At one point, the fight choreography becomes affectingly synchronized, ensuring a nomination if not an outright win for a Tony Award. It is quite simply the best choreography in any new Broadway show.
Jason Schmidt as Sodapop and Brody Grant as Ponyboy
The music and lyrics by Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Levine (who is also music supervisor and orchestrator) offer a different sound from other Broadway musicals. The score — made up of American roots music — is filled with heartfelt ballads and duets, often accompanied by guitar. There are memorable company numbers too, my favorite being the glorious “Great Expectations.” When Ponyboy expresses in song what he’ll bring to being a future writer (“And in his memory, I’ll stay gold”) it also speaks for the creative team and performers, as this production is pure theatrical gold.
The cast of The Outsiders
photos by Matthew Murphy, (2024)
The Outsiders
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 W 45th St
open run
for tickets, visit The Outsiders