I caught the tour in Durham last night. I’ve never read the original novel, but I remember hearing about it when I was in middle school. Especially the fun fact that it was written by a teenage girl. I have seen the movie, which I thought was pretty good. So what do I think of the musical?
Director Danya Taymor’s staging is not only cinematic, but also very creatively done on an inventively used set designed by AMP & Tatiana Kahvegian. Not to mention that she also crafts such striking images throughout the show. Brian MacDevitt’s effective lighting and Hana S. Kim’s stunning projections also play a large part in that. A good majority of the cast each gives strong performances.
Standouts to me were Nolan White as Ponyboy Curtis, Corbin Drew Ross as his brother, Sodapop, and Travis Roy Rogers as his other brother, Darrel (pun intended). I also did quite like Bonale Fambrini as Ponyboy’s best friend, Johnny Cade, Tyler Jordan Wesley as fellow greaser Dallas Winston, and Mark Doyle as Bob, the leader of the Socs. The choreography by Rick & Jeff Kuperman is very precised, stylized, and athletic. It’s especially impressive in the big rumble in Act II, where it literally rains on stage.
Among the Tonys The Outsiders did not win was for the score by Jamestown Revival & Justin Levine. If you ask me, it’s easy to see why. I actually have listened to the original Broadway cast recording a few times prior to attending. Even after seeing the show itself, I still feel the same about the songs. They’re enjoyable in the moment, but fail to leave a lasting impression. Although the ‘Great Expectations’ number in Act I is definitely an emotional highlight. The orchestrations by Justin Levine & Matt Hinkley are certainly authentic to the overall setting.
Now to be fair, it’s much more forgiving for a musical to have a strong book, but weak score as opposed to the other way around. Yet the book for this one by Adam Rapp & Justin Levine still isn’t great. For one, a key ingredient for any great musical is to have an active protagonist the audience is supposed to root for. Even in Sweeney Todd, we root for the titular murderous barber on his journey as he plots his revenge on the man who took his whole life away from him. However, I’m not sure if this story lends itself to the medium of musical theater as it doesn’t appear to have an active protagonist.
We basically follow Ponyboy as he writes in his notebook the events of what’s happened to him and his friends. There’s also several times where he narrates directly to the audience. That tactic can be a very effective tool in theatre. Even musicals like Ragtime and Jersey Boys use it very well. However, what those two shows have is a distinct narrative style, which this one lacks. During intermission, I was talking to a friend who wasn’t enjoying it as they personally find the story to be dated. I can easily see that as the creative team appeared to have focused more on staying true to the novel that they forgot to find ways of approaching it with more modern sensibilities.
The Outsiders may have won Best Musical, but it was in a season with a bunch of contenders that didn’t spark a ton of enthusiasm. I don’t flat out dislike the show itself. There’s certainly several aspects to admire about it. I was emotionally moved at certain points. There’s a few nice moments of comic relief. Yet I was also pretty bored throughout. On the whole, the show is largely just OK. I have no regrets seeing it as I at least get to chime in with my two cents on it.
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Updated On: 12/4/25 at 04:36 PM
