Playhouse Square’s Touring ‘The Outsiders’ defines the word ‘intense’

It is 1967 in Tulsa, Oklahoma and trouble is brewing. Just like the Montagues and Capulets of R & J fame and the Jets and Sharks from West Side Story, tensions have reached a boiling point. The Greasers from the poorer section east across the railroad tracks and the Socs (Socialites) who inhabit the affluent west side of the city have been battling it out for years. The Socs as a group have been repeatedly attacking lone members of the Greasers beating them senseless.

Thus the tone is set for the brilliant Broadway musical “The Outsiders” by Jamestown Revival’s Johathan Clay, Zach Chance with Justin Levine (music and lyrics) with book by Adam Rapp and Justin Levine. The musical is taken from the 1967 book by S. E. Hinton and the Francis Ford Coppola 1983 film. The musical was nominated for 12 Tony Awards winning four including Best Musical.

Fourteen year old Ponyboy Curtis (Nolan White) is found writing in a notebook as he introduces us to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1967. We meet his eldest brother Darrel Curtis (Travis Roy Rogers) who has assumed the role of older brother and parent following the recent tragic death of their parents in a car/train accident. Darrel had tremendous potential as a football star but gave it up to rear his two siblings. The middle brother, Sodapop Curtis (Corbin Drew Ross) has recently had his heart broken and spends most of his time at home watching cartoons.

In spite of his young age, Ponyboy hangs out with a group of young men known as the “Greasers” who are the counterparts of the upper-class Socs who come from the higher class families of Tulsa. His best friend is Johnny Cade (Bonale Fambrini) was recently jumped by a group of Socs leaving him with a pronounced limp both physically and mentally.

While walking home alone from a movie theater in Soc land, Ponyboy is jumped by the same group who had attacked Johnny. The Socs threaten Ponyboy of invading their “turf” and decide to make Ponyboy an example. Their ringleader Bob (Andrew Cekala) tries to cut Ponyboy’s hair in an attempt to make him look more like a Soc. Ponyboy bites Bob’s hand and is knocked unconscious. He comes to as his two brothers are cleaning him up. Dallas Winston, aka Dally (Tyler Jordon Wesley) is admired by Ponyboy and Johnny partly because he spent time in county lock-up but mostly because Dally listens to them and gives them advice.

Dally tells Ponyboy that having survived the attack he is now officially a Greaser. Darrel worries that Ponyboy is making bad choices by becoming a Greaser. As the gang gathers at the Curtis home, Darrel is full blown domestic folding laundry. Ponyboy arrives to ask if he can go to the Drive-In with Johnny, Two-Bit (Jaydon Nget) and Dally. Darrel allows him to go as long as he stays out of trouble and is back before curfew. That night, Ponyboy and Sodapop talk about their parents and the tough position it put Darrel. Sodapop asks what book Ponyboy is reading. It is “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens as Ponyboy reflects on the similarities between their lives and the characters in the book. Sodapop falls asleep as Ponyboy continues reading.

Dally finds Johnny outside his house as sounds of an argument spills out from the open window. It is Johnny’s parents and he is afraid that his father will kill his mother. Dally offers to go inside the house but Johnny stops him. Dally gives Johnny a cigarette, a Hershey Bar and a switchblade knife, showing him how to use it “just in case”.

The next evening at the Drive-In Dally, Johnny, Two-Bit and Ponyboy arrive and find it overrun by Socs. Dally tries to put the moves on Bob’s girlfriend, Sherri “Cherry” Valance (Emma Hearn) as Ponyboy tries to step in. Dally pushes until Cherry throws a coke on him. Dally leaves and Cherry and her friend Marcia (Katie Riedel) invite the two to sit with them. Cherry asks Ponyboy to escort her to the concession stand. As the two talk they realize that they are more alike than they thought as the stereotypes fall to the wayside. Cherry has to deal with overly demanding parents and orphaned Ponyboy loves to read and watch sunsets.

Bob storms in breaking up the revelry between the two, telling Cherry not to talk to Greasers. A near fight breaks out between Bob and Two-Bit but Cherry steps in to break up it up and ends up breaking up with Bob because he is drunk again. Bob threatens Ponyboy as everyone leaves. As Cherry passes Ponyboy she apologizes for not saying hello to him at school.

Ponyboy and Johnny arrive late (after curfew) at the Curtis home and an enraged Darrel starts shouting at his younger sibling. Ponyboy fights back and gets slapped hard. Ponyboy and Johnny run from the house and contemplate running away. The Socs come across the two youths and soon a fight breaks out as Bob wants revenge for Cherry breaking up with him.

The Socs try to drown Ponyboy in the water fountain as Johnny breaks free stabbing Bob with the switchblade, killing him. Ponyboy and Johnny run to Buck Merril’s Bar where Dally works. Dally gives them money and directions to an abandoned church where they can hide. The two boys jump on a freight train as they head to their hiding place.

The acting is absolutely superb. Nolan White as Ponyboy is exceptional as the wiser than his age youth searching for identity. Bonale Fambrini as his sidekick Johnny is his equal in stage presence. Travis Roy Rogers as Darrel plays the part of brother/father/mother to the wayward youths extremely well. Tyler Jordan Wesley as Dally fills the part to perfection. Corbin Drew Ross as Sodapop is perfectly cast as the slightly damaged brother. Emma Hearn as Cherry shows fortitude and courage against strong odds and Andrew Cekala as Bob is the man you love to hate with his bravado and demeaning attitude.

The stage set (scenography) is by AMP and features Tatiana Kahvegian who uses basic props such as cinder blocks, old tires and boards in ingenious ways. There is a beater car at the Curtis home that is continuously being worked on and Bob arrives in a pristine 1967 Corvette Stingray giving further weight to the differences between the social classes. Sarafina Bush’s costumes further emphasize the class struggle with the Greasers outfitted in throwaway garbs and the Socs in 60s preppy. Brian MacDevitt’s lighting design is a star in its own right adding high drama to and already fierce environment. The stop action work is fantastic. Cody Spencer handles the sound design taming the Connor Palace space. Hana S. Kim adds atmosphere with the projection designs. The spectacular special effects are from Jeremy Chernick and Lillis Meeh. The show is ably directed by Danya Taymor. The ten piece orchestra under the direction of Remy Kurs is nothing short of spectacular.

Everything about this show is gritty and intense (there is even gravel on the stage). The acting, music, dance, costuming and stage set all meld into a mosaic of grimness that speaks truth of that time and city. The rumble scene unfolds with a fury that makes it the most piercing sequence ever performed live on stage complete with a full blown rain storm and stop action. This is theater at its best and most exciting.

The Playhouse Square touring production of “The Outsiders” will be on stage in the Connor Palace Theatre at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio through May 17, 2026. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.playhousesquare.org/ or call (216) 241-6000.