Review: THE OUTSIDERS First National Tour Presented by Broadway in Chicago

THE OUTSIDERS presents an original and vibrant stage adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s classic 1967 novel about the conflict between Tulsa teen gangs the Greasers and the Socs (short for socialites). The musical — and particularly director Danya Taymor’s inventive and visually dynamic staging — pulses with youthful energy, but the material doesn’t feel juvenile. Instead, the show teems with life, but maintains its core identity as a show about teens (only one adult character appears on stage...and he’s a cop). This is an emotionally resonant and highly engaging musical journey — the show’s creativity and contemporary feel make clear why it earned the 2024 Tony for Best New Musical. 

Like the original novel, 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis (Nolan White) narrates the action — often in first person. He’s a Greaser, but he’s also a smart and sensitive soul — he loves staying up late reading Charles Dickens by flashlight. Ponyboy lives with his older brothers Darrel (Travis Roy Rogers) — forced to become a surrogate parent overnight when the Curtis boys’ parents die in a car accident — and Sodapop (Corbin Drew Ross) who’s heartbroken and not the sharpest tool in the shed— but who adds a much needed sense of humor and lightness. 

While the relationship with his brothers might be complicated by tragedy, Ponyboy also has unfailing loyalty to his soft-spoken best friend, 16-year-old Johnny Cade (Bonale Fambrini). Along with the other Greasers, Ponyboy and his friends have energy that recalls the Jets in WEST SIDE STORY— down to the inclusion of Ace (Justice Moore), an Anybodys-like stand-in — and their leader Dallas (the powerful-voiced Tyler Jordan Wesley), who rallies the group in the lively “Grease Got A Hold.” The similarities between THE OUTSIDERS and WEST SIDE STORY, however, don’t make the musical feel like a carbon copy. Rather, it feels like loving homage to another period piece musical. 

Likewise, THE OUTSIDERS also posits that there are no real winners when it comes to warring gang teen violence. The Socs might have it made as the rich kids of Tulsa, but the show makes clear that the fighting between the Greasers and the Socs is a losing battle. 

Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine have infused THE OUTSIDERS with a folk-pop-rock score that’s of a piece with contemporary Broadway scores but also feels new. The lyrics are crisp and straightforward — occasionally too much so. But the show’s economy of language and plain lyrics seem aligned to the source material. Adam Rapp and Justin Levine’s is likewise lean and economical in its use of dialogue — the show is mainly sung through.

Ponyboy’s big solo “Great Expectations” is one of the most sophisticated songs of the bunch — it’s fully realized and a gorgeous voicing of the pressure Ponyboy feels on his journey to find his identity and place in the world. Ponyboy’s grandiosity also contrasts nicely with Darrel’s solo “Runs in the Family,” in which he expresses clear and deeply felt frustration at the need to care for his brothers — and the immense responsibility. 

White, who recently finished his freshman year at Michigan, is a phenomenal Ponyboy. He has an immensely powerful voice, but he also captures Ponyboy’s contemplativeness and optimism against the odds.

THE OUTSIDERS is a beautiful homage to boyhood and friendship. Of course, the show has a clear focus on Greaser friendships on the whole. But I think this touring cast particularly nails the brotherly love — and friction — between Ponyboy, Sodapop, and Darrel. Rogers has a rich singing voice, and he captures Darrel’s deep frustration nicely. Ross has engaging comedic timing as Sodapop — he brings a nice sprightlyness to the character. And when he sings “Soda’s Letter” in the second act, he also shows off his a buttery voice.
 

Justin Levine’s arrangements are captivating on the whole. The ensemble often serves as a backing chorus for core characters during their songs, giving the numbers a fullness of sound and a sense that they’re wrapping the audience completely in the music.

THE OUTSIDERS is visually striking. AMP featuring Tatiana Kahvegian’s scenography captures the ferociousness of the original Broadway set — down to the bits of rubber gravel lining the bottom of the stage.

While THE OUTSIDERS effectively uses songs as narrative devices, Taymor and choreographers Rick and Jeff Kuperman tell one of the musical’s most pivotal moments through movement. The wordless act two rumble between the Greasers and the Socs is genuinely breathtaking. I don’t want to spoil details, but it’s a powerful and inventive sequence that toes the line between beauty and brutality.

The songs and storytelling are mostly tight, though a few cuts could be made. In particular, the second act solo for Cherry Valance, a Soc girl who has a budding crush/friendship with Ponyboy, comes to mind. The number’s called “Hopeless War,” and the lyrics are entirely on the nose. The song doesn’t reveal anything the audience doesn’t already know.

On the whole, when the score strikes gold, it really strikes gold.As with “Great Expectations," Johnny’s 11 o’clock solo “Stay Gold” places emphasis on one of THE OUTSIDERS’ most iconic lines, but it’s also a beautiful emotional journey. I absolutely cried during this number, especially because Fambrini infuses it with so much heart.

THE OUTSIDERS is original and thrilling, and this first national tour captures all the richness and power of the Broadway production. Even though the story is invariably dark, I left the theater feeling energized. This show belongs to the Greaser teens — but the emotional richness and creativity make it a treat for all musical lovers. 

THE OUTSIDERS plays Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theater, 151 West Randolph, through February 22, 2026. Tickets are $69-$200.

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