Review: THE OUTSIDERS at Bass Concert Hall

S.E. Hinton was just fifteen years old when she began her now-seminal novel The Outsiders. Inspired by her experiences growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the book became a defining work of young adult literature and has been taught in middle schools across the country for decades. The groundbreaking novel saw a film adaptation in 1983 under Francis Ford Coppola’s direction, starring the now AARP-aged C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Ralph Macchio, Tom Cruise, and the late Patrick Swayze.

Author Hinton gave her blessing to the musical adaptation and offered insight into the characters and world of Tulsa, ensuring that the production stayed true to the heart and grit of the original novel. THE OUTSIDERS has now made its way to Bass Concert Hall here in Austin. The show made its Broadway debut in April 2024 after a successful run at La Jolla Playhouse.

This is a stunning and visceral production. Director Danya Taymor seems entirely at home in this milieu of stories about young adults and earned her second Tony nomination this year with JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN. Directing stories of youth and capturing the fire of teenage passion appears to be her gift. THE OUTSIDERS won four Tony Awards—Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Lighting Design, and Best Sound Design—during the 2024 Broadway season, and with good reason.

Taymor and her design team have made the superior lighting (Brian MacDevitt), sound (Cody Spencer), and choreography (Rick and Jeff Kuperman) so indispensable to this production that they could almost be considered characters themselves. While the score by Jamestown Revival and Justin Levine may not linger long after curtain call, the emotional storytelling and physical staging are so dynamic that it hardly matters. Taymor and this ensemble are especially adept at walking the thin line between authenticity and sentimentality. Remove any one element, and the whole of the production risks collapsing. It’s no wonder she received a Tony for this work.

It’s difficult to identify a single standout in this cast, as their work together forms a thoroughly synergistic ensemble. The cast is led by a wholehearted Nolan White as Ponyboy and Bonale Fambrini as his naïve Best Friend, Johnny Cade. Corbin Drew Ross provides much of the tension-breaking humor in this emotionally charged story as Sodapop. He bears a resemblance to Patrick Swayze, which can be momentarily confusing since Swayze played Darrell in the film. Travis Roy Rogers, who takes on Darrell here, channels genuine parental rage and unchecked resentment—at times making it seem as though Darrell is decades older than his brothers. Emma Hearn is excellent as the emotionally intelligent Cherry, and Tyler Jordan Wesley is exceptional as Dallas, whose portrayal as a generous father figure contrasts beautifully with Darrell’s controlling but well-meaning nature. If pressed to choose, Wesley’s performance was the most riveting of an already riveting cast. No surprise—both Hearn and Wesley are alumni of Texas State University, one of the finest drama schools in the world, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

My praise for this production of THE OUTSIDERS may seem effusive. Early reviews for the show were mixed, with concerns that have since been addressed so effectively that the production went on to earn its well-deserved Tonys. There are some shows worth seeing and others we simply shouldn’t miss. THE OUTSIDERS is the latter.

THE OUTSIDERS
Directed by Danya Taymor
Book by Adam Rapp and Justin Levine
Music and Lyrics by Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine
Choreography by: Rick and Jeff Kuperman

Bass Concert Hall
2350 Robert Dedman Drive
Austin, TX 78712