THE OUTSIDERS Opening Night Critics’ Reviews

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 9:35am

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967, Ponyboy Curtis, his best friend Johnny Cade and their Greaser family of “outsiders” battle with their affluent rivals, the Socs. This thrilling new Broadway musical navigates the complexities of self-discovery as the Greasers dream about who they want to become in a world that may never accept them. With a dynamic original score, THE OUTSIDERS is a story of friendship, family, belonging… and the realization that there is still “lots of good in the world.”

Adapted from S.E. Hinton’s seminal book and Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic film, THE OUTSIDERS features a book by Adam Rapp with Justin Levine, music and lyrics by Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay & Zach Chance) and Justin Levine, music supervision, orchestration & arrangements by Justin Levine, choreography by Rick Kuperman & Jeff Kuperman and directed by Danya Taymor.

Previews began on March 16 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre and the production officially opens on April 11.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 10:39pm

Any thoughts on how reviews may turn out tomorrow?

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 11:17pm

The responses on this board have me quite optimistic this might pull into the Best Musical favorite slot, so I'm very curious to see how this turns out.

[theatretenor2]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 8:53am

For some reason, I think it's going to draw more positives than mixed, but will not be a NYT critics' pick leaving us all to wonder how Water for Elephants was. 

[theatretenor2]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 11:09am

Why is the sound mixing on the highlights video so muffled? It does it a huge disservice to how incredible those songs sound.

[CJRochester]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 11:27am

This story in Playbill has a great teaser video that brings back memories of when I saw the show two weeks ago. It's one of those rare shows I would see again in a heartbeat f I lived in NY. Fingers crossed for good reviews tonight! 

https://playbill.com/article/the-outsiders-opens-on-broadway-april-11

 

[CukorLover]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 11:40am

After just seeing the show yesterday, I'd expect mixed to positive (leaning positive) notices. It's one of the freshest shows in a middling season, and there's plenty of opportunities for Tony nominations. While the sum of its parts are greater than it's whole, it's still an engaging and entertaining show with some breakout performances. And the hunk factor doesn't hurt either.

[BentleyB]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 11:48am

I think it will have positive reviews.  We saw it the night it began previews and have not seen it since.  I felt it was incredibly strong for a first preview and hope it has only grown stronger.  Looking forward to seeing it again in June. 

Updated On: 4/11/24 at 11:48 AM

[BETTY22]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 12:06pm

Mixed. It is good enough.....hoping it finds its audience with teens who read the book. 

 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 7:27pm

Three stars/recommended from TimeOut

Updated link: https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/the-outsiders-broadway-musical-review
 

Updated On: 4/11/24 at 07:27 PM

[theatretenor2]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 7:57pm

MemorableUserName said: "Three stars/recommended from TimeOut

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/the-outsiders

"

Well this writer sure invested a lot in his review.

[bigbelterbaby]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 8:02pm

theatretenor2 said: "MemorableUserName said: "Three stars/recommended from TimeOut

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/the-outsiders

"

Well this writer sure invested a lot in his review."

The writer is Adam Feldman, President of the New York Drama Critics Circle. Not sure why it’s so short. Maybe more to come ? 

…

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 8:06pm

I doubt the review embargo has lifted yet, and that's probably just a placeholder page that shouldn't have gone live. A Google search returns Theatermania's review, as well, with the headline "The Outsiders Becomes a Soggy Broadway Musical," but that page isn't live, either.

Updated On: 4/11/24 at 08:06 PM

[Mitch101]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 8:12pm

Mostly negative. Forgettable cast in a fairly boring adaptation. Rumble will get all the attention despite it being cool stylistically but lacks a dramatic arc. 

[theatretenor2]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 8:16pm

TaffyDavenport said: "I doubt the review embargo has lifted yet, and that's probably just a placeholder page that shouldn't have gone live. A Google search returns Theatermania's review, as well, with the headline "The Outsiders Becomes a Soggy Broadway Musical," but that page isn't live, either."

A little borrowing from the headline of Jesse's NYT review for The Notebook.

[BETTY22]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 8:19pm

What is go on with Time Out review....it's a headline and a paragraph......

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 8:23pm

BETTY22 said: "What is go on with Time Out review....it's a headline and a paragraph......"

Review embargo not lifted yet. Will be soon. 

[smidge]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 8:23pm

BETTY22 said: "What is go on with Time Out review....it's a headline and a paragraph......"

Explained above by Taffy.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 8:56pm

NY Stage Review:

Four stars from Torre

THE OUTSIDERS: THE POPULAR NOVEL AND FILM IS NOW A KILLER MUSICAL

By Roma Torre

★★★★☆ The S. E. Hinton classic gets the Broadway treatment courtesy of a gang of talented young guns led by director Danya Taymor.

https://nystagereview.com/2024/04/11/the-outsiders-the-popular-novel-and-film-is-now-a-killer-musical/

 

Three stars from Scheck

THE OUTSIDERS: LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!

By Frank Scheck

★★★☆☆ The classic YA novel, previously made into a hit 1983 film, has been unconvincingly adapted as a Broadway musical.

https://nystagereview.com/2024/04/11/the-outsiders-lets-get-ready-to-rumble/

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 9:01pm

Green in NYT is mixed.

Review: In ‘The Outsiders,’ a New Song for the Young Misfits

The classic coming-of-age novel has become a compelling, if imperfect, musical about have-not teenagers in a have-it-all world.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/11/theater/review-outsiders-musical.html

"It’s a strange paradox of Broadway that its bigness, when used humbly, can honor quite delicate ideas. Whether it can sustain them is another story. In “The Outsiders,” they are not sustained; the structural problems mean its achievements don’t stick. But they’re still achievements, and a show need not be for the ages to be for the moment. In that sense it’s fair, citing Frost, to call it golden — nature’s “hardest hue to hold.”"

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 9:04pm

B from Entertainment Weekly

The Outsiders review: S.E. Hinton's beloved novel transforms into glittering Broadway musical

Brody Grant and Sky Lakota-Lynch star as Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade, two Greaser kids who find themselves flung headfirst down a dangerous path. 

https://ew.com/the-outsiders-review-broadway-musical-8629965

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 9:05pm

Deadline is mixed

‘The Outsiders’ Broadway Review: Coming-Of-Age Classic Takes Stage With Energy And Growing Pains

https://deadline.com/feature/broadway-show-reviews-spring-2024-1235866317/

"While all the production’s elements seem to be in place — the cast, even when its acting chops falter, is, musically, a full-throated and easy-to-like ensemble — The Outsiders often feels like a musical that wants to hang with the grown-ups while unable to leave behind its adolescent earnestness and self-involvement. A more thoughtfully adult production might invent some credible consequences for a negligent, deadly arson, a fatal stabbing and a train derailment, all of which are presented, true to S.E. Hinton, as temporary glitches in the self-actualization of a 14-year-old boy."

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 9:07pm

Holdren in Vulture is positive.

https://www.vulture.com/article/theater-review-the-outsiders-broadway-musical.html

" in its new musical form — with a score and lyrics by the folk duo Zach Chance and Jonathan Clay, known as Jamestown Revival, along with Justin Levine — The Outsiders is taking a real swing at being the strongest entry in this season’s wave of singer-songwriter outings on Broadway. We’re living in a post–Sara Bareilles age: Ingrid Michaelson, PigPen Theatre Co., Shaina Taub, and Anaïs Mitchell are all currently waving at one other from around Times Square. But whether or not the same people who make catchy pop records can also craft a solid score is another question. Chance, Clay, and Levine can, and if The Outsiders sometimes traffics, perhaps unavoidably, in cliché, it makes up for it with the tenderness and muscle of not just its songs but its staging and performances."

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 9:08pm

Three stars from The Guardian:

The Outsiders review – ’60s-set classic makes for a solid, if unspectacular, Broadway musical

Bernard B Jacobs Theatre, New York

SE Hinton’s novel, which was adapted by Francis Ford Coppola for film, makes for a competent yet forgettable stage show

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/apr/11/the-outsiders-broadway-review

[theatretenor2]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 9:09pm

MemorableUserName said: "Green in NYT is mixed.

Review: In ‘The Outsiders,’ a New Song for the Young Misfits

The classic coming-of-age novel has become a compelling, if imperfect, musical about have-not teenagers in a have-it-all world.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/11/theater/review-outsiders-musical.html

"It’s a strange paradox of Broadway that its bigness, when used humbly, can honor quite delicate ideas. Whether it can sustain them is another story. In “The Outsiders,” they are not sustained; the structural problems mean its achievements don’t stick. But they’re still achievements, and a show need not be for the ages to be for the moment. In that sense it’s fair, citing Frost, to call it golden — nature’s “hardest hue to hold.”""

The structural problems were my biggest nit as well but I still enjoyed the show overall.