THE OUTSIDERS Opening Night Critics’ Reviews- Page 4

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 4/14/24 at 9:41am

Hope Brody is okay and back soon. Looking forward to seeing him.

[Musigamist]

Posted: 4/15/24 at 11:58am

If you were choosing to sit in one of the side orchestra sections, would you choose house left or right?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/15/24 at 12:57pm

Probably house right, but either would be fine. 

[Dkinny23]

Posted: 4/15/24 at 1:05pm

If you're up in the mezzanine, I don't think it matters as much, if you're in the orchestra, I've heard house right is better.

Opt for middle if you can :) Center mezz 4 rows from the back had a perfect view. I think some of the choreography (the rumble scene) is slightly better appreciated from the mezzanine, although I'm biased cause that's the only place I saw it. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/15/24 at 1:12pm

No, you’re right. The Rumble works great from the orchestra but is even more effective from the mezz. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/15/24 at 1:13pm

I saw Brody was out yesterday. Curious if anyone goes tomorrow, if he’s back. 

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 4/15/24 at 1:45pm

I saw the show on Saturday evening and it was really fantastic. 

I had friends who showed up a little earlier than me who found out that Brody was out, but because I really wasn’t too familiar with the cast, it didn’t make a big difference to me. They held the house for a while presumably to give Trevor some time to work through some of the beats of things since he hadn’t had a rehearsal or put in yet. They let the audience in around 7:55-ish and the show started around 8:25/8:30-ish and when Trevor came down the aisle, the love for him was really special to see. I also happened to be seated amongst many of Kevin William Paul’s friends and family all wearing We Heart Bob #TeamSoc t-shirts which was really adorable. 

Trevor did a fantastic job as Ponyboy and obviously I haven’t seen Brody, but you truly wouldn’t have known this was his first time stepping into the role especially with surely what limited time he had that night to prepare. A lovely voice, and the right mix of softness and grit that Ponyboy requires. 

The whole cast is incredibly talented - Jason Schmidt (who I loved on Rise of the Pink Ladies - RIP) and Brent Comer do a wonderful job as Ponyboy’s older brothers. Joshua Boone is a commanding force on that stage and I can’t imagine a world where he doesn’t get nominated for many awards. Emma Pittman does such a wonderful job with Cherry and her sweet connection with Ponyboy only makes the events of the story that much sadder. Sky Lakota Lynch reminded me a lot of Moritz from Spring Awakening with Johnny being such a broken and troubled character, but his heart in such a good place. His “Stay Gold” was gorgeous. He and Trevor had such wonderful chemistry which is so important. The whole ensemble of both Greasers and Socs are so committed to this material and you can feel it in every movement and every breath. 

The score has some really beautiful moments - I wish I could live in the harmonies of Great Expectations - but once again falls into the trap a lot of scores this season have in that after a while the songs start to sound the same. That being said, I can’t wait for a cast recording, because I really did enjoy the score. It falls in the middle for me - not nearly as pretty but boring as The Notebook but not nearly on par with the louder and more bombastic Here Lies Love or Great Gatsby. 

The Rumble sequence is truly a sight that needs to be seen to be believed. It is truly the perfect blend of all of the elements of a number firing at all cylinders. I have said for so long that years from now people will be talking about the sheer perfection of a number like Battle of Yorktown from Hamilton and how it is truly a perfectly executed number from top to bottom. I feel like The Rumble is very much on par with that. 

At curtain call, the entire cast gave Trevor so much love during his bow, which was really sweet to see. 

If the stage door is your thing - it was kind of a zoo, but it looked like a lot of them came out to sign/take photos. I stayed a bit away from it all, but was able to catch a couple folks for a signature and photo. 

This show has a lot going for it and I am rooting for it to find success and I can’t wait to come back at some point soon.

[bwayobsessed]

Posted: 4/17/24 at 10:47pm

I saw the show last night. I was sitting behind a high school class and so many of them were crying at the end and seeing high schoolers really connect with a show was really powerful for me.

I enjoyed it. I thought the directing was very cool. I don't think any of the songs aside from Great Expectations really stand out tho... It's an extremely emotional story and it works. The bond between the brothers I thought was particularly well played.

I presume there were two debuts last night (Darryl and an ensemble member) as during curtain call their fellow cast mates were exuberant for them. They all stayed onstage cheering each other on after the house lights were up and seeing that enthusiasm was so nice. 

[seussical93]

Posted: 4/19/24 at 9:57am

Have been entering the lottery quite often for this but have noticed that there hasn’t been one on telecharge. I guess they’re only doing the lotto when they need to fill the seats? Or are they just doing weeknights or something? Anyone have any insight? thanks!

[DroughtofApathy]

Posted: 4/19/24 at 11:59am

I saw this show last night, and I had some issues with the bland book and expositional score, but that's neither here nor there. The one question that has plagued me ever since: why were the three "Soc" girls costumed like the Powerpuff girls. Sure, I could believe blue-dress-blonde-hair is just a coincidence because that's a normal color combo, but all three having corresponding dress-hair combos? The one dressed like Blossom (pink dress-red hair) is named Cherry, for pity's sake. It's too blatant to be accidental, but why are we making this reference in a 1967 setting, from a 1983 book? Can someone explain what I'm missing, or have any insight on the costume designer's thought process here?

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 7:47pm

this is a really solid production with some beautiful performances. its overly earnest and devoid of any levity/humor, but having made that choice, they do a pretty good job with it. i was certainly moved, though im not entirely sure why they chose to tell this particular story, as its pretty bleak and not exactly ripe for dramatic interpretation. 

i guess the most surprising element here is Adam Rapp's book, which is not good, but the direction makes you forget, the same way the voices/charisma make you overlook the repetitive (though lovely) songs. i think Johnny Cade is glaringly underwritten in Act 1, which puts that entire arc out of whack in act 2, and the Good Guys Are Perfect next to the Bad Guys Are Pure Evil is a bit much- but the show seems to be very insistent on this tone/perspective, so once you accept that, its an enjoyable ride.

i assume Brody Grant and Joshua Boone will be in discussions come awards season in a few weeks, both were highlights in a uniformly excellent case. (Brent Comer and Emma Pittman also standouts). these guys seem like a real crew of close friends, a camaraderie oozes off the stage (someone made their debut today, and the celebration during bows seemed so fresh and genuine) which goes a long way to selling it. the rumble was indeed breathtaking, the choreography and direction were just top notch here. 

packed house today. no bad sightlines, i dont think. 

[berniesb!tch]

Posted: 4/22/24 at 11:29am

I saw this yesterday and wow - I loved it. Probably my favorite new musical of the season so far besides Here Lies Love (I still have HK, HR&R, and Gatsby to see). Everything about this show is pretty flawless besides the book, but the other elements are so top notch, they make up for it. The Rumble was absolutely thrilling. The song Great Expectations was another major highlight. 

I really hope this gets Tony love. 

[Miss10036]

Posted: 4/23/24 at 11:42pm

I went over the weekend and enjoyed this!

Between The Outsiders and Jonah, this season has really made me a fan of Danya Taymor's. She gives us some memorable and inventive staging here while drawing thoughtful performances out of the cast. The rumble choreography is a knockout, and I loved the sound and lighting.

The cast has great chemistry together and it feels like they're very settled into their characters. The bond between Ponyboy and his two brothers feels real and lived-in, and there's a lot of tenderness with how the characters interact. It's a solid ensemble across the board. Joshua Boone is a standout and I'd love to see him get a featured nom out of this, and Brent Comer adds layers to what could have been a thankless, overburdened older brother role. I wonder if Brody Grant will slip into one of the leading actor slots... he gives a more understated performance, and I thought he was lovely.

The score is strong and I liked the folksy sound of it, though a sameness sometimes settled in and I wish the lyrics had more zing. The prevailing mood of the show felt rather dour to me (I was happy to sit in that, but I could see people disengaging because of it) and I was surprised there wasn't more spark or angst/anger given what these boys go through. You get a brutal rumble, but the show doesn't put across the tension and sizzle leading up to it.  It's more like the Greasers are drawn to rumble because they want to support their buddy, and they aren't that mad that they keep getting beat up.  The dark lighting adds to the ennui, too.  Boone gives a more visceral performance than the others, but the consistently sadder tone makes the show feel a tad sluggish at times. I'm one of the few people who never had to read this in an English class though, so maybe that's the tone of the novel.

This is a well-directed show where the characters and their relationships are front and center, and that's my cup of tea.  I don't need the show to be "pulse-pounding."  I haven't seen Illinoise yet and I have high hopes for it, but of the new musicals this season that I've seen so far, this is near the top.

[East Village]

Posted: 5/6/24 at 11:25am

I don’t mind telling you I loathe children but it was so inspiring to see an audience full of mature, young people absolutely transfixed in the theater. Equally refreshing at a time when critics seem to only be singling out shows that preach politics, gender, race in your face, to see a show like The Outsiders accomplish that by simply telling a great story. Definitely my pick for Best Musical and Brody Grant for Best Actor. I wasn’t expecting that — wishing it a good long run 

Updated On: 5/6/24 at 11:25 AM

[denali.fire]

Posted: 5/7/24 at 3:30pm

I saw this 3 weeks ago and know I shall end up going back.  I think after music streams.

But Im seeing Illinoise tomorrow so Ill see how that stirs me and maybe do a doubleheader some Wed.

Updated On: 5/7/24 at 03:30 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 7:09am

DroughtofApathy said: "... why are we making this reference in a 1967 setting, from a 1983 book?"

Hate to break it to you, the novel was published in '67. Did you mean a movie from 83? Personally, I didn't make any connection to the Powerpuff Girls.

 

Ok, caught this last night (Tues) from house right of the mezz, row A, seat ten. No problems seeing or hearing anything. Another show I didn't fall in love with. I mean there are elements that are good, damn good, but it still fell short for me. 

The overall book is quite good; story pacing, editing, character development, etc. But the actual script? Oof...often stiff and unnatural, and some of the choices of where to narrate instead of SHOW? You're gonna tell us Johnny gets hurt without dramatizing it? We need to see something, hear something. And in one sentence you tell us there are kids around and moments later they're in mortal danger? Felt like an after school special, for those of you that member those.  Direction: some of it excellent, some of it sophomoric....Because so much YELLING. I also felt there were many unearned moments...the fight between Darryl and Dallas, Dally being so broken up over the loss of Johnny, in the book, for example, doesn't Dally go back in to GET Johnny? (I could be wrong, it's been a long ass time since I've read this.). Alternatively I thought many of the stage pictures were gorgeous and the evenings tempo were spit on. 

I liked the choreo throughout, very much - glad to it recognized. The score? Pretty good, certainly in comparison to the rest of the season. I look forward to giving it another listen, though strongly doubt I'd watch a second time.

The house seemed sold out, or nearly so. And the audience was on their side, certainly. Definitely felt as if this show already has its groupies that will scream, cheer for everything and anything. 

And are you kidding me? They blocked off the entire sidewalk for stage door? What a cluster f*ck that was to get around. 

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 7:30am

I also saw the show last night and thought it was beautiful. The sound was off a little during the opening number (had no clue what anyone was saying due to the loud orchestra- I was in the third row). The cast was excellent not a weak person in it.
Emma and Brody were amazing. She’s going to make a great Glinda one day. Act two was alittle slow until the rumble. The score is also stunning. 

Is it the best musical I’ve seen in years? Nah. I would def give it a chance.

I really think they should of opened in a smaller theater like the Booth. There’s ton of empty space on that stage. 
 

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 9:48am

I was there last night as well. I thought it was a powerful production with several memorable performances, enjoyable and occasionally thrilling choreography, and a strong score, that was let down by a weak script. There were too many plot points that felt either cringey or false. I don't want to fill the thread with spoilers, so I'll focus on the one I can't get past.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

A major turning point in the story is when Cherry clears Ponyboy and Johnny by talking to the police. But what did she tell them? She wasn't at the scene. All she can do is talk about the conflict leading up to the event. That provides some context for the struggle, but says nothing about what actually happened.

(If I miss something obvious ... maybe she was hiding behind the omnipresent car ... please educate me.)

I did not mind ... Better I should say I liked the way the story was told. I assumed that when Ponyboy speaks directly to the audience he is narrating the book he will eventually write. I thought this was an effective framing device.

All in all, I enjoyed and recommended while being dissapointed by the show. What's frustrating is that many of the flaws in the script could have been fixed fairly easily.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/8/24 at 9:55am

I think that's lifted right from the book as it's all told through his voice, so he wouldn't know what she said as he wasn't there, correct?

[broadway86]

Posted: 5/10/24 at 11:37am

Saw the show last night, full cast was in except for an ensemble track. I went with zero expectations, read the novel early in my teens but never saw the movie. I thought it was pretty spectacular theatre, shocked by how much I enjoyed it. The story still resonates, especially now with such division in the US and the atrocities overseas. There is nothing biological that separates us, the affluent from the impoverished, the haves from the have-nots. It is only by chance - a perfunctory turn of fate - that we find ourselves born into one situation or another. And sometimes, it is only the safeguarding of innocence and hope that can save us.

The folk-tinged score by Jamestown Revival is beautifully crafted. One thing that has bothered me in recent Broadway musicals is the lack of memorable compositions. Not the case here, really lovely melodies that stick, with lyrics that move the story forward and illustrate character. The performances are pure and poignant in their honesty. Brody Grant has the presence, vulnerability, charisma, and powerhouse voice to be a star. In fact, the vocals from everyone gave me chills and put tears in my eyes multiple times. My favorite supporting performance has to be the Brent Comer as Darrel, he gave so much to the role that didn't seem to be on the page. The direction and technical aspects are jaw-dropping, especially at specific points I won’t reveal here. Were it not for Illinoise, I would say this is my favorite new musical of the season.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/19/24 at 8:44pm

I’d just been thinking a lot about this show all week, so went back this afternoon. I hadn’t been there since late previews and man, this show has only gotten stronger in the past five weeks. Every single cast member bas grown into their roles and is better than the last time I saw them but special shout outs to Brody Grant and Jason Schmidt who have truly settled into those roles and are now just perfect.

But everyone on that stage continues to impress me and the score grows on me more and more - I truly can’t wait for the cast recording.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 5/20/24 at 12:43am

Jordan Catalano said: "I’d just been thinking a lot about this show all week, so went back this afternoon. I hadn’t been there since late previews and man, this show has only gotten stronger in the past five weeks. Every single cast member bas grown into their roles and is better than the last time I saw them but special shout outs to Brody Grant and Jason Schmidt who have truly settled into those roles and are now just perfect.

But everyone on that stage continues to impress me and the score grows on me more and more - I truly can’t wait for the cast recording."

 

Love hearing this as we are seeing it Tony week!

[MezzA101]

Posted: 5/25/24 at 3:27pm

Throwing in the Towel (Official Music Video) from The Outsiders: A New Musical - YouTube

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaIaGA61A9A

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/25/24 at 3:40pm

I caught this earlier this week for the first time, so I'm a little late to the party here. I certainly liked this, but I didn't love it. There is plenty to admire - the performances, design, choreography, and some of the direction and storytelling devices used are interesting. The first act didn't really pick up for me until the last ten minutes. The second act is definitely more interesting, but I was still left a little cold and indifferent by the end of the show. It's certainly better than a lot of other new musicals this season, and I'm glad I saw it. That being said, this was definitely a "one and done" for me - I feel no need to see it again. However, I am enjoying some songs on the cast album!

Updated On: 5/25/24 at 03:40 PM

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 5/28/24 at 11:11pm

Saw the show to tonight and have echo all the raves, I really loved so much of it. While I can definitely understand how it drags a bit as it has to go through certain plot points, overall it's just so beautifully sung, danced, fought, acted, it's probably my favorite new musical of the season. Where did this Brody Grant come from? He can pull off 14 but sings with such clarity and soul, I could listen to him sing the phone book. And everyone else is such so damn good, I wish I could curse on here because when some of this folks sing it takes me away. (Kudos to Wonza Johnson, who was on for Dallas, maybe first time?) And I'm so glad I waited to listen to the score, because while it does get samey at times, the musical and voice arrangements are stunning. And the choreography! Not even counting the rumble, it's all just so imaginative and propelling. Wow. 

Okay so I saw Illinoise on Saturday and also loved it, and I'm kind of upset it'll take Tonys away that Outsiders should've gotten had it not swooped in last-minute.