
This year, the 8th grade classes read S.E Hinton´s coming of age story, The Outsiders. After the book became a New York Times bestseller, it was then made into a famous movie in 1983, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, that launched the careers of actors such as Matt Dilon, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, and others. Now, the beloved book and movie is a Tony-award winning musical that brings this amazing story to a new generation.
Quick Facts
Book (Script): Adam Rapp
Music and Lyrics: Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine.
Director: Danya Taymor.
Main Cast: Brody Grant (Ponyboy), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Johnny), Joshua Boone (Dally), Brent Comer (Darry), Jason Schmidt (Sodapop), and Emma Pittman (Cherry).
Broadway Opening:April 11, 2024 (originally premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California.
Celebrity Involvement: Angelina Jolie and her daughter Vivienne are producers
Awards & Reviews
The Outsiders is definitely an eye-catching musical. With phenomenal choreography and excellent vocals, it’s no wonder that critics and audiences think it’s a smash hit! Simon Parris from Man In Chair calls it ¨…a dazzling, thrilling, and moving achievement.¨ Eleanor Jacobs from nyunews.com says, “‘The Outsiders’ is a golden adaptation of a celebrated classic.” Nicole Serratore from exeuntnyc.com applauds the musical for its ¨…powerful visual vignettes.¨ The musical also has a very strong following on social media, including Reddit, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, with some adoring fans having seen it 7 or 8 times!
The musical is surely an award-winning masterpiece that was nominated for twelve Tony´s and won a total of four! The Outsiders won the most coveted award of the season, Best Musical, as well as Best Direction of a Musical, Best Lighting Design of a Musical, and Best Sound Design of a Musical. It is also nominated for the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album.
Best Parts Of The Musical
Every moment of the musical is an amazing one, but there are a few that stand out far beyond the rest. A well known part of the movie/book is the rumble scene. In this scene, the Socs and Greasers have a fight in the rain to determine who wins the blank. In the book and the movie, the rumble is shown to be a gruesome battle, and it’s mainly about the action. In the musical, theatrical elements and fierce dialogue are added that make it much more exciting and memorable.
During this scene, rain is pouring down the stage, and the gravel on the stage is kicked up a lot. There is a part where each Greaser grabs a Soc and they roll across the stage slowly, taking turns fake punching each other. There are sound effects that make the punch seem much more powerful. Another exciting moment during this scene is when
the cast is standing and they all shout ¨Ponyboy!”, then fall to the ground. This scene is so riveting and will give you chills! Another high-quality scene is when Ponyboy and Johnny get on the train to Windrixville. In the movie, this scene is done very simply, just showing Pony and Johnny run onto and then hide in the train. However, in the musical, it is much more action-packed! This scene takes place during the song, ¨Run, Run Brother¨. To make the train, cast members hold long boards with tires underneath and move them back and forth while Brody and Sky jump on. Not only does this part require special acrobatics from Brody and Sky, but it’s incredible to watch. These two scenes are some of the most amazing to see in the musical and make it such a memorable experience.
Part of the rumble scene
With so many new Broadway musicals, The Outsiders is definitely one worth seeing. It’s exciting to see a new generation of Outsiders fans be introduced to S.E. Hinton´s story through a different art form. So grab your tickets and your popcorn and go see the new hit Broadway musical, The Outsiders!
Works Cited
“life entertainment/local/art theater/read our stories about the tony award winning the outsiders musical/collection.” tulsaworld.com, https://tulsaworld.com/life-entertainment/local/art-theater/read-our-stories-about-the-tony-award-winning-the-outsiders-musical/collection_0eefdcb8-2cef-11ef-926c-57d91d52a05d.html#1.
Murphy, Mathew. “The Outsiders–The Rumble.” www.broadwaynews.com, 5 12 2024, https://www.broadwaynews.com/content/images/size/w1304/2024/05/12.-The-Outsiders—The-Rumble-01—Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-3.jpg.
“outsiders review.” nyunews.com, 10 9 2024, https://nyunews.com/arts/books/2024/10/09/outsiders-review.
“the outsiders review broadway.” simonparrismaninchair, 11 6 2024, https://simonparrismaninchair.com/2024/11/06/the-outsiders-review-broadway-2024.
Serratore, Nicole. “Review: The Outsiders at Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre – Exeunt Magazine NYC.” Exeunt NYC, 13 April 2024, https://exeuntnyc.com/reviews/review-the-outsiders-at-bernard-b-jacobs-theatre/. Accessed 15 January 2025.