Interview: Andrew Cekala of THE OUTSIDERS at Proctors

Prior to their stop here at Proctor’s in Schenectady, I had the opportunity to connect with Andrew Cekala, currently playing the role of Bob in the national tour of THE OUTSIDERS. Following the Broadway production’s success, the tour is introducing audiences across the country to this powerful adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s classic novel. Cekala, who made his Broadway debut as Theo in PIPPIN, now takes on one of the show’s most complex characters. In our conversation, he shared insights into life on the road, his journey as a performer, and what it’s like stepping into such a challenging role in a story that continues to resonate with new generations.

BroadwayWorld: Hello, Andrew! You’ve been with THE OUTSIDERS tour now for a few months. How is everything going?

Andrew: Joining the touring company of THE OUTSIDERS has been a dream and a whirlwind. I was hired in February and had about a week to learn the show before premiering as Bob/Cop at the Cadillac Palace in Chicago. I’d never learned a show that quickly, but the cast and crew couldn’t have been more supportive. There’s a real camaraderie you feel onstage and off. Touring a musical gets frenzied, so we do our best to be family.

BWW: We're excited to have you here in Schenectady at Proctors next week. Have you been upstate?

A: I’m so excited to explore Schenectady! I haven’t technically spent much time upstate; most summers growing up were in the Berkshires, not far from Albany. I grew up as a cellist, so I did summer programs at Tanglewood and earned an acting certificate from Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA. My longest stint upstate was one summer at Stagedoor Manor in the Catskills, where I sparked envy in my bunk as the only 11 year old cast in 13: THE MUSICAL. Big stuff.

BWW: You have been a performer from a young age, including your Broadway debut as Theo in PIPPIN in 2013! What first inspired you to start performing?

A: It’s hard to pinpoint what first got me into theater. I grew up between Massachusetts and Vermont, surrounded by nature, spending hours playing pretend and making up stories in the woods. With no real expectation of it becoming my career, my parents signed me up for children’s theater as an outlet, and when I was about 9 or 10, the late director David Wheeler cast me in LIFE OF GALILEO in Boston, my first professional job. From there I just kept going. In my twenties, the freelance world of performance definitely feels more like a job, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

BWW: Prior to THE OUTSIDERS, what have been some of your favorite roles?

A: As you mentioned, a standout role of mine was Theo in PIPPIN. I did the production at the American Repertory Theater directed by Diane Paulus, which transferred to Broadway. It was my Broadway debut, my first Tonys, my first cast album, so I’m eternally grateful. In fall 2024 I was in the world premiere of Empire Records: The Musical at the McCarter Theatre, directed by Trip Cullman, where I covered several characters, a tough but invaluable experience for picking up Bob in THE OUTSIDERS so quickly. I also played Ace, a queer, guitar-playing, sad-boy, front-man, in a workshop of Douglas Lyons’ musical BEAU. With a skillset and heart so close to my own, taking on the role was healing and deeply gratifying.

BWW: Let’s chat about THE OUTSIDERS. How familiar were you with the show before being cast? Had you seen it on Broadway? Did you know the book or the movie?

A: I was very familiar with THE OUTSIDERS before being cast. I didn’t read the book in middle school, but I knew the characters and the famous line, “Stay gold, Ponyboy.” However, as a musical theater student at the University of Michigan, once casting notices for the La Jolla run came out, nearly every boy in my department knew this would be the hot show! I’d auditioned for it a few times before, and three of my best friends from school — RJ Higton, Maggie Kuntz, and Wonza Johnson — were in the original Broadway company. I was in the audience at the first preview to cheer them on.

BWW: For people who aren't familiar with THE OUTSIDERS, how would you describe the show to them?

A: The Outsiders is an adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s iconic novel and is an emotional coming-of-age story about a group of young people trying to find identity and family in a town divided by class warfare. What makes this production feel so special is how visceral and grounded it is, between the country/folk music by Jamestown Revival and Justin Levine, dance and fight choreography by the Kuperman brothers, and Danya Taymor’s lauded direction, it feels both rooted in the legacy of the story and completely new for audiences experiencing it today.

BWW: Without giving anything away, you have a challenging role because Bob isn’t necessarily likeable. How do you approach playing him?

A: I hadn’t had the chance to play a villain like Bob before. To make a compelling antagonist, you remember that few people are evil for the sake of being evil; most are the hero of their own story. Bob is pompous, arrogant, and aggressive, but this stems from entitlement, deep insecurity, and an inability to express himself without anger or violence. There’s a powerful song early in the show, “Great Expectations,” where Pony sings about being a victim of circumstance, unable to see a world outside of himself; I think everyone in the show is, respectively, a victim of their own circumstances and ‘expectations.’

BWW: What’s your favorite moment in the show? Either performing or watching from backstage?

A: The now iconic Rumble sequence is my favorite part of the show. It’s the emotional peak, an epic dance/fight that still takes my breath away. I’m only onstage for about half of it, so I get to watch my friends shine, covered in sweat and dirt. With the set, effects, and choreography, it’s musical-theater spectacle and storytelling at the highest level. If you sit close, you might even get splashed with a little rain — get in on the action!

BWW: Last question: if you could give Bob any advice, what would you tell him?

A: “Watch your back!” (if you know, you know)

BWW: Andrew, thanks so much for making the time for this interview. Definitely looking forward to the show!

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