THE OUTSIDERS Broadway Previews

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 3/11/24 at 11:05am

THE BELOVED STORY THAT DEFINED A GENERATION, REIMAGINED AS A GROUNDBREAKING NEW MUSICAL.

FIND WHERE YOU BELONG.

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967, Ponyboy Curtis, his best friend Johnny Cade and their Greaser family of “outsiders” battle with their affluent rivals, the Socs. This thrilling new Broadway musical navigates the complexities of self-discovery as the Greasers dream about who they want to become in a world that may never accept them. With a dynamic original score, THE OUTSIDERS is a story of friendship, family, belonging… and the realization that there is still “lots of good in the world.”

Adapted from S.E. Hinton’s seminal book and Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic film, THE OUTSIDERS features a book by Adam Rapp with Justin Levine, music and lyrics by Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay & Zach Chance) and Justin Levine, music supervision, orchestration & arrangements by Justin Levine, choreography by Rick Kuperman & Jeff Kuperman and directed by Danya Taymor.

Previews will begin at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on March 16 prior to an official opening April 11.

[theatretenor2]

Posted: 3/11/24 at 2:19pm

Going to first preview Saturday. Will be my first time seeing a first preview since I saw and fell asleep to The Band's Visit. Hopefully this will not drag as much in its preview.

Seeing this, The Notebook, Days of Wine and Roses and Merrily (in that reverse order).

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/14/24 at 10:16am

This show will have a $49 digital lottery, $45 in-person rush, and a special $30 under 30 rush.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/15/24 at 12:00am

Stay gold, Ponyboy.

The new musical The Outsiders begins Broadway previews tomorrow night (March 16) at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, before an April 11 official opening. It arrives in New York with great expectations, on the heels of the seminal S.E. Hinton young adult novel of the same name (which inspired a Francis Ford Coppola motion picture) and a promising tryout production in San Diego last spring. The diverse principal cast of Greasers and Socs includes Brody Grant, Sky Lakota-Lynch, Joshua Boone, Brent Comer, Jason Schmidt, Emma Pittman, Daryl Tofa, Kevin William Paul, and Dan Berry.

Who else is ready to rumble?

[CathyM3]

Posted: 3/15/24 at 10:29am

So hope they fixed this since it showed in LaJolla. There was lots of spectacle and not enough substance for this iconic story. It was a weird mix of “West Side Story” meets “Pippin”.  Still, I saw the potential. The cast was great, especially the actor playing the older brother and the one who provided much needed comic relief. The LaJolla version was so very dark (physical lighting as well as tone of the storytelling). Strange for a story that is ultimately about hope for the future. Crossing my fingers Broadway is better! 

[Musigamist]

Posted: 3/15/24 at 12:05pm

Music video for "Stay Gold" is up and the single is available on streaming platforms now.

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

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/15/24 at 1:40pm

With all due respect, THIS is the only version of “Stay Gold” - the theme to the 1983 film adaptation, sung by Stevie Wonder.

 

[veronicamae]

Posted: 3/15/24 at 11:34pm

Was at invited dress tonight. I absolutely loved it. 

The stage is so incredibly unique, and they had a wonderful rain scene. The show is also INCREDIBLY physical. Those young folks must be exhausted.

I wasn't sure what a musical based on this book could be, but I loved how it was adapted.

[jakethesnake]

Posted: 3/16/24 at 12:38am

CathyM3 said: "So hope they fixed this since it showed in LaJolla. There was lots of spectacle and not enough substance for this iconic story. It was a weird mix of “West Side Story” meets “Pippin”. Still, I saw the potential.The cast was great, especially the actor playing theolder brother and the one who providedmuch needed comic relief. The LaJolla version was so very dark (physical lighting as well astoneof the storytelling). Strange for a story that is ultimately about hope for the future. Crossing my fingers Broadway is better!"

FYI, the older brother in the La Jolla production was Ryan Vasquez, who instead chose to do The Notebook. He actually also originated the lead role in Water For Elephants in Atlanta, the role Grant Gustin is now playing.  Pretty amazing to be the lead in 3 Broadway-bound musicals and have to choose.  

[CathyM3]

Posted: 3/16/24 at 8:24am

He was amazing! Sad to hear he won’t be in “The Outsiders” but gives me a reason to see “The Notebook”!   

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 3/16/24 at 2:50pm

veronicamae said: "Was at invited dress tonight. I absolutely loved it.

The stage is so incredibly unique, and they had a wonderful rain scene. The show is also INCREDIBLY physical. Those young folks must be exhausted.

I wasn't sure what a musical based on this book could be, but I loved how it was adapted."

Thank you for sharing! Excited to read more reports!

Online merch shop: https://aracaeventmerch.com/collections/ots-shop-all

Updated On: 3/16/24 at 02:50 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/16/24 at 11:13pm

I couldn’t find a runtime on the show’s website or on Telecharge, but TodayTix says 2:30 including a 15-minute intermission. 

[BentleyB]

Posted: 3/16/24 at 11:39pm

Just got back to our room after the show.  Started late, but about 2:30 total length.  I would have never guessed that it was the first preview.  Other than being disappointed in another stripped down/representational set, but it worked and the barn scene and rumble were incredible.  I pretty much loved every moment of the show and the crowd (populated by several school groups) went insane over it.  Of all the shows I have seen that have opened, just hand them the Tony now.  The cast was overjoyed after curtain call walking off stage, which made this one even more special.

[theatretenor2]

Posted: 3/17/24 at 12:19am

The line wrapped around two blocks, so it got a late start at 8:13 p.m. and let out around 10:45. They had "Stay Gold" patches on the arms of all seats.

This was a pretty good first preview and it was a lot of fun. Of the three newest movie musicals now on Broadway (Water for Elephants, The Notebook, The Outsiders), I feel like this one has the strongest, most memorable music and could be a contender for best score with some trimming imho. I personally think that "Great Expectations" should be the Act I closer, and it could work narratively. The lyrics about Darrell and Johnny don't work as well where it is currently because we haven't learned enough about Darrell's past and Johnny hasn't committed a crime yet. It feels like musically, that's the peak of the production and it would be a better closer than "Run Run Brother." Ponyboy can be reading the book to Johnny instead of Sodapop. Darrel's songs have the weakest lyrics, especially "Throwing in the Towel," and a song about Sodapop watching cartoons, both of which I think can be cut without losing much of the story. "Hopeless War" feels out of place and the lyrics are a bit contrived. There are some seriously catchy tunes in this one though, so I'm looking forward to a recording at some point. One more thing on the music. I didn't like Tulsa 1967 when the video came out a couple weeks back, but it has so much energy live and then the blend of that and Stay Gold for the finale is so catchy and a great closer.

I thought the simplistic set design worked beautifully, though they went a little too far at times using the tires and planks. I think the scenes in the hospital weren't as impactful because of the way they were staged. A little more realism in the hospital scenes would really give those moments more weight. The fight choreography was a lot of fun, and in all that rain! I saw The Notebook this afternoon, and The Outsiders did rain better.

The church fire scene was really cool to watch with shadow choreography and pyrotechnics, though those unfamiliar with the story might miss what was happening. We were with my mom and aunt, and they didn't realize the kids were in the church. There was one line about kids being down the hill a few minutes earlier, so I get why it could be confusing.

Aside from the sound mix, you wouldn't know this was a first preview. 

This has the energy of Newsies mixed in with some folksy pop and rock. 

Musical Numbers

Act I: Tulsa 67, Grease Got a Hold, Runs in the Family, Great Expectations, Friday at the Drive-In, I Could Talk to You All Night, Runs in the Family (reprise), Far Away from Tulsa, Run Run Brother. 

Act II: Justice for Tulsa, Death's at my Door, Throwing in the Towel, Soda's Letter, Hoods Turned Heroes, Hopeless War, Trouble, Little Brother, Stay Gold, Finale 

 

 

 

Updated On: 3/17/24 at 12:19 AM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/17/24 at 6:45am

Kudos to whomever designed the merchandise. I never buy any show merchandise and this will be the first time I’m buying a few things prior to seeing a show. The t-shirts/sweatshirt designs to even the denim tote bag are things one would actually want to use. Beyond stoked to see this musical adaptation. 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 3/17/24 at 9:47am

Those are not “movie musicals.”  They are musicals that are based on novels. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/17/24 at 9:53am

Broadway Flash said: "Those are not “movie musicals.” They are musicals that are based on novels."

Exactly.  THE OUTSIDERS is based on the original 1967 novel by S.E. Hinton, not the 1983 film adaptation of the novel. Both use the same source for its material, that's all.   

[BETTY22]

Posted: 3/17/24 at 10:45am

I am excited to see this show.

Mixed reviews out of town, but hoping for the best on Broadway. 

[the.hard.part]

Posted: 3/17/24 at 11:59am

Set-wise would anything be missed from far sides or is it better to try for center?

[theatretenor2]

Posted: 3/17/24 at 12:18pm

I’d say yes. The jungle gym is stage right and the car is stage left. There are scenes on both extreme sides and I imagine you’d miss some of it. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/17/24 at 12:35pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Kudos to whomever designed the merchandise. I never buy any show merchandise and this will be the first time I’m buying a few things prior to seeing a show. The t-shirts/sweatshirt designs to even the denim tote bag are things one would actually want to use. Beyond stoked to see this musical adaptation."

The lead producer and the merchandising company are the same people (The Araca Group) so there may be a level of care and expertise put into these items not found at other shows.

[brodynky]

Posted: 3/17/24 at 12:49pm

Also saw the first preview last night and agree with a lot of theatretenor2‘s comments. I think this may be similar in popularity to Newsies as the young crowd last night was going absolutely nuts for this attractive young cast, during the show and also outside the theater both before and after the show with the cast members hanging out the theater windows. Sounded like a boy band concert. 
Curious about a small aspect. I read in comments about the La Jolla run that quite a few people thought “the hand holding” between Ponyboy and Cherry was too much/going too far. I paid attention during the drive-in scene and did not notice ANY hand holding. 
So I thought that might have been changed. However a song after that scene had characters singing about the hand holding. So did I miss it, or were the song lyrics not changed to go with the “no hand holding” change? 

[yyys]

Posted: 3/17/24 at 1:48pm

Majority of the scenes happen center stage.  The fight/rain scene is probably better from the mezzanine than orchestra.

the.hard.part said: "Set-wise would anything be missed from far sides or is it better to try for center?"

 

Updated On: 3/17/24 at 01:48 PM

[getatme]

Posted: 3/17/24 at 3:18pm

Was also at first preview last night and echo the previous reviews here. I thought it was pretty fantastic with some genuinely thrilling staging and direction from Danya Taymor. It's incredible raw and that cast is throwing themselves all over the stage, it's incredibly physical.

Score-wise occasionally it starts to sound a bit same-y, and I'm not entirely sold on some of the numbers that are sung conversations, the lyricists don't feel totally at ease there, but when the score nails it, it really nails it. There is some incredible singing in this show, especially from Brody Grant as Ponyboy. But a lot of the voices on that stage are really unlike any I've heard on Broadway before.

A huge standout, though, is Joshua Boone as Dallas, who I would not at all be surprised to see take home a slew of awards for his performance. Dangerous and scary while still injecting a huge amount of heart into the character. Really blown away by him.

Shoutout to Daryl Tofa, too, who I've seen in a few shows now and always exudes a level of joy in performing/dancing that is just infectious to watch. They have him dancing on the hood of the car during the opening number and he's got a few other moments to show off his skillset, he's just wonderful.

I agree that "Hopeless War" stuck out as rather weak, and I think Grant needs to settle into Ponyboy a bit more, he's a good anchor for the show but with so much narration, the actual development of the character felt a bit choppy to me.

Overall, though, really great first preview and the audience was just eating it up.

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 3/17/24 at 9:20pm

I was also at first preview and can't say I'm quite as big a fan as others in this thread. I found this show to be good, at times verging on great, but never reaching it. The performers were all excellent, especially Brody Grant as Ponyboy, I have absolutely no idea how he'll be able to maintain doing this role 8 times a week. Even when he's not in a scene, he rarely leaves the stage. The score has probably half a dozen great songs, but to me the rest of it was filler that all sounded the same. I also felt like the book writers made some unnecessary adjustments that didn't better serve the story and weakened character development and the stakes.

I love Danya Taymor's direction and the Kuperman's choreography, that paired with Brian MacDevitt's Lighting Design truly created some visually inventive and beautiful moments that were great ways of telling the story.  

In all the biggest problem for me is that it never hooked me in. I really went in wanting to love this, but I never felt the stakes of the piece. It definitely seemed to resonate with a lot of the teen audience, there was one girl audibly sobbing for an extended period near the end of the show. I still enjoyed it, but just feel it's not living up to the potential.

Updated On: 3/27/24 at 09:20 PM