“The Outsiders,” the 2024 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, has debuted its North American tour with a premiere at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. The production is an adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s seminal young adult novel set in 1967 Tulsa, Oklahoma, focusing on the conflict between two rival teenage groups, the working-class Greasers and the affluent Socs.
The musical, which first premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2023, retains much of the original production’s poignant indie folk-rock score composed by Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine. This soundtrack captures the yearning and frustrations of the divided teen community, notably highlighted in “Great Expectations,” performed by the protagonist Ponyboy Curtis, that evokes the emotive qualities reminiscent of “Spring Awakening.”
Direction and staging by Tony winner Danya Taymor remain a central strength of the show. Her fluid, inventive approach to choreography and design is highly evident in the Pantages production, where lighting, movement, and scenic elements coalesce to intensify the storytelling, particularly during the climactic gang fight sequences in the second act. The choreography by brothers Rick and Jeff Kuperman has received praise for its ability to convey violence with impactful stylization that avoids glamorizing the brutality.
The cast, however, displayed a mixed performance on the opening night. Jordan Deandre Williams portrayed Ponyboy Curtis, the introspective and sensitive 14-year-old narrator navigating familial loss and social divides. Williams’s vocal delivery powerfully conveyed Ponyboy’s inner turmoil, but his dramatic portrayal was seen as less assured in capturing the character’s struggle for identity amid rigid social hierarchies. Christian Arredondo, who originated the role, is scheduled to return shortly.
Supporting performances included Jackson Reagin as Sodapop Curtis, Ponyboy’s peacemaker brother, and Travis Roy Rogers as Darrel Curtis, the eldest sibling burdened with parental responsibility. While the cast showcased vocal strength, critics noted a lack of cohesion and chemistry within the ensemble, affecting the emotional resonance of key relationships. For instance, the pivotal encounter between Ponyboy and Soc girl Cherry Valance (Emma Hearn) lacked the subtlety and tension expected from the source material, diluting the social stakes embedded in the narrative.
Among individual highlights were Bonale Fambrini as Johnny Cade, Ponyboy’s loyal friend facing relentless hardship, and Tyler Jordan Wesley as Dallas Winston, whose tough exterior masks vulnerability and fierce protectiveness. The musical’s emotional core is sustained by these portrayals alongside the evocative score and dynamic staging.
The final act, while visually and musically compelling, was criticized for uneven character development, which slightly hampered the narrative’s emotional impact. Nonetheless, the penultimate song, “Stay Gold,” inspired by Johnny’s final words to Ponyboy, poignantly underscores the enduring innocence striving to survive within a harsh environment, reflecting the novel’s lasting legacy.