Review: THE OUTSIDERS at Des Moines Performing Arts

On February 27, 2026, I made the drive from Minneapolis down to the Des Moines Performing Arts Civic Center to catch the national tour of The Outsiders. I’d been hearing a lot of buzz about the show, and since it hasn’t made its way up to Minnesota yet, I figured it was worth the road trip to see it early. Turns out, it absolutely was.

The Outsiders is one of those stories that a lot of us were introduced to in school. I remember reading the book by S. E. Hinton in high school and then watching the movie adaptation directed by Francis Ford Coppola not long after. It’s one of those stories that sticks with you—Ponyboy, Johnny, the Greasers, the Socs. Even if it’s been years, you still remember the big moments.

Seeing it brought to life as a musical is a different experience, but the heart of the story is still very much there.

Nolan White plays Ponyboy Curtis, and he really carries the show. He captures that thoughtful, slightly quiet side of Ponyboy—the kid who’s a little different from the rest of the Greasers and who sees the world a bit more deeply than most people around him. His performance feels natural and grounded, which helps keep the story from feeling overly dramatic.

Bonale Fambrini as Johnny Cade is honestly heartbreaking in the best way. Johnny is such a fragile character in the story, and Fambrini really leans into that vulnerability. The friendship between Ponyboy and Johnny is the emotional center of the show, and their scenes together were some of the strongest moments of the night.

Tyler Jordan Wesley brings a lot of intensity to Dallas Winston. Dallas is supposed to be unpredictable and a little dangerous, and Wesley definitely delivers that energy. But you also get glimpses of the pain and loyalty underneath all that toughness, which makes the character more interesting.

The Curtis brothers also stand out. Jackson Reagin gives Darrel Curtis a lot of weight—he really feels like someone trying to hold everything together after being forced into the role of parent. Meanwhile, Corbin Drew Ross’s Sodapop Curtis brings warmth and charm to the stage. Sodapop has always been the heart of that family, and Ross plays him with an easy likability that makes those family scenes work.

Jaydon Nget’s Two-Bit gets a lot of laughs from the audience and keeps things from getting too heavy when the story gets dark. Emma Hearn as Cherry Valance also brings a thoughtful presence to the show, showing that not everyone on the Soc side fits neatly into the “enemy” category.

The show itself looks great on stage. The set design by AMP featuring Tatiana Kahvegian keeps things moving quickly, shifting between locations without slowing the story down. The lighting by Brian MacDevitt and projections from Hana Kim help create the atmosphere of Tulsa at night—the kind of world where these kids are constantly on edge.

The music, written by Justin Levine along with Jamestown Revival, has a rootsy rock feel that fits the story well. It doesn’t try to be flashy Broadway pop. Instead, it feels a little rough around the edges, which actually works in the show’s favor.

One of the best parts of the night was the audience reaction. You could tell a lot of people in the theater knew the story already. There were quiet reactions during some of the tougher scenes and big applause after several of the musical numbers. It felt like everyone in the room was really invested in what was happening on stage.

Driving back to Minneapolis afterward, I kept thinking about how cool it was to revisit a story I first encountered in high school in a completely new way. Making the trip down to Des Moines felt a little like chasing something familiar—but seeing it performed live gave it a whole new energy.

If this production heads north later this year, it’s definitely worth checking out. For fans of the book, the movie, or just a good piece of theater, this version of The Outsiders proves that Ponyboy’s message still holds up.

Stay gold.

For more information on the Outsiders tour, click the ticket link button below.