The Outsiders musical celebrated its two-year anniversary on Broadway this month! Even if you’re not a Broadway fan, you’ve undeniably heard of the iconic 1967 novel by S.E. Hinton. Based upon the events of the book, the musical tells the timeless story of two rivaling groups in Tulsa, Oklahoma: the East Side Greasers and West Side Socs. In March, many of the original Broadway cast members left the show, so most of the central characters have now been replaced by new actors. I saw the musical for the first time on one of its earliest nights with the new cast, so here’s my review!
The show starts with Ponyboy Curtis, the lead character now played by Noah Pacht, sitting on a tire at the edge of the stage, deep in thought as he scribbles in a notebook. As the first song begins, Ponyboy reads out the opening line of Hinton’s original novel: “When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home.” This line immediately brought me back to my seventh grade English class, where I read the book for the first time. Though I’d forgotten most of the details of the story, I remembered the gist: Ponyboy’s strained relationships with his two brothers, the vicious conflicts between the Greasers and Socs, and the tangled mess of events that unfolds for Ponyboy and his best friend, Johnny Cade. Each scene had me riveted, waiting for what would happen next, and I wasn’t bored for a second.
I had never heard any of the soundtrack before I watched the musical, but I thought the vocal performances by the cast were incredible. Every song was catchy, especially the upbeat numbers earliest in the show. On top of that, the choreography was flawless. The scene with the rumble between the Greasers and Socs was so well-orchestrated, with striking audio effects, lighting, and patterned movements by the battling performers. As time went on, the songs became more contemplative and filled with emotion. “Throwing in the Towel” was one of my favorites, as well as “Stay Gold,” which was possibly the most heart-wrenching of them all. I’ve been listening to the original cast soundtrack on repeat since seeing the musical, and I’ve enjoyed getting to learn the words and better familiarize myself with the songs.
During the last number, Ponyboy’s actor procures a physical copy of The Outsiders, representing the product of all the writing Ponyboy had done throughout the show and implying that the whole story was written by Pony himself. He then hands the book to a viewer seated in the front row. It was so cool to see the actor “breaking the fourth wall” in this way, and it was an exciting moment to witness in the final minutes of the show.
At the end of it all, the emotional conclusion is what I feel makes the story so powerful. You will truly walk away with a freshened perspective on privilege, friendships, and life as a whole. For all the fans of the original Broadway cast, I can attest that the show is in extremely safe hands with these new cast members. I cannot recommend this musical enough, and I hope to get to see it again sometime in the future. If you decide to make the trip to Broadway too, have an amazing time—and of course, stay gold.