The Outsiders on Broadway: Blood & Brotherhood
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Spoilers Ahead!
The Outsiders is truly an incredible show. Like many others, I first read the book in eighth grade and really liked it, for the story though very unrelatable I found joy getting to feel like I was experiencing brotherhood secondhand. Each character is distinct, and I remember diving into each of their descriptions in class. The way they are introduced in the musical mirrors the novel’s style. In the opening number, Ponyboy begins telling his story, introducing each character one by one as they appear through the scrim, painting the scene before the narrative unfolds.
Johnny’s death leads into one of the show’s most gut-wrenching moments: the song “Little Brother.” This number broke me, and it was a showcase for why Joshua Boone was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. While the book focuses heavily on Ponyboy’s grief, the musical shifts emphasis to Dallas, a change I found incredibly effective. The one moment I wished had been handled differently was Ponyboy’s narration interrupting Dally’s breakdown—I felt silence would have been more powerful.cter one by one as they appear through the scrim, painting the scene before the story unfolds. The whole musical pays great homage to the book, being told like one, Ponyboy is narrating and writing his story, but also playing himself in his words.
Everyone in our 80+ group of attendees agreed that the production’s visuals were stunning—the best I’ve ever seen. The lighting was incredibly powerful, hitting perfectly every time and enhancing the emotional weight of each scene. The Outsiders won Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design at the Tonys this past year, and it’s no surprise why. I’ve enjoyed watching more recent Broadway productions that incorporate cutting-edge technology (like MJ at the Orpheum last spring) and The Outsiders proves that these advancements continue to elevate theater. As a stage manager, I deeply appreciate the precision of perfectly called cues, especially when they sync seamlessly with sound or musical moments.
One of the most striking sequences was an early fight scene, captured through a masterful slow-motion effect. The music slows, the lights black out, and when they return, the actors are frozen in different positions, continuing the fight. This pattern repeats—blackout, reveal—with each transition escalating the tension: Ponyboy is suddenly bloodied, Johnny wields a knife, and finally, Bob lies face-down in the pool, dead. The collective gasps from the audience were the perfect punctuation to this breathtaking scene.
Another aspect that made The Outsiders so enjoyable for me was the soundtrack. I love a musical with strong, meaningful lyrics, and this show delivers in every way. The songs are incredibly creative, giving each character depth and providing essential information in a way that feels natural and immersive. This soundtrack has been so fun to memorize with my sister, and I’ve occasionally listened to it straight through in one sitting just to experience it again. Unlike some other cast recordings, this one truly allows me to relive the full production, making every listen feel like stepping back into the theater. I think rewatching the musical or going into it already knowing the songs makes the experience even richer, though seeing it blind for the first time is still an amazing experience.
When I saw The Outsiders last summer, understudies played both Ponyboy and Johnny Cade, and they were incredible. However, seeing Sky Lakota Lynch in the role of Johnny this time was a revelation. Casting for this production was clearly a thoughtful process, particularly in terms of race. The conversation around color-conscious versus color-blind casting is complex—one I once discussed in a Spotlight workshop with Vanessa Brooke Agnes and Brittany Marie Wilson on being BIPOC in the theater industry. An article Vanessa shared from Backstage delves into this topic, highlighting that while color-blind casting ignores race, color-conscious casting acknowledges it and its impact on a story. Neither approach is inherently better, but both require consideration, particularly when reinterpreting older works. I also have to applaud the follow spot operators, whose work was so seamless you wouldn’t even realize how much effort went into it. The show makes frequent use of flashlights onstage, and the follow spotlights had to perfectly time their movements to match the shifting beams of light. It was executed so flawlessly that it felt entirely natural, a testament to just how well-rehearsed and technically sharp this production is.
S.E. Hinton’s novel doesn’t specify the race of all its characters, though the book’s original cover and setting lead readers to assume they were white. The 1983 film reinforced this perception, and I never questioned it. However, in the musical, Dallas Winston is played by Alex Joseph Grayson (OBC: Joshua Boone), a Black actor—an intentional and now required casting choice (for this production). This decision adds a powerful new layer to the show, particularly in his interactions with Darrel. In a heated exchange, Darrel accuses Dallas of being a bad influence on Ponyboy, while Dallas fires back, “I see the way you look at me. Out the side of your eye. Like I don’t belong here. Like I’m beneath you. You think I don’t feel that?” While Dally was already treated as an outsider in the book due to his poverty and criminal record, his race intensifies this alienation.
Watching the show again with Sky Lakota Lynch in the lead made me realize how much his race influences the story as well. He, too, is BIPOC, and his close bond with Dally suddenly carried even more weight. While all the Greasers share a sense of being outsiders, Johnny and Dallas are even more isolated—not just because of their socioeconomic status but also because of the racial barriers they likely face in their world. The way they gravitate toward each other, finding solace in their shared struggle, adds another dimension to their brotherly bond. Their relationship feels distinct from the rest of the group, not just because Dally takes Johnny under his wing, but because they see each other in a way the others don’t fully understand.
One of the most powerful scenes occurs early on when Johnny listens to his father beat his mother, refusing to leave because he’s “afraid he’s gonna kill her.” Johnny barely speaks, yet his silence is deafening. In this moment, Dally is the only one who truly sees Johnny’s pain and doesn’t just sympathize—he understands. His concern isn’t performative or just a protective instinct; it’s the raw, unspoken connection of two people who know what it’s like to be pushed aside and treated as lesser. This moment solidifies their bond, which makes the second act even more devastating.
Johnny’s death leads into one of the show’s most gut-wrenching moments: the song Little Brother. This number broke me, and it was a showcase for why Joshua Boone was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. In the book, much of the emotional weight is placed on Ponyboy’s grief, but the musical shifts its focus to Dallas a lot sooner, and in my opinion rightfully so. Johnny meant so much to Dallas, he was the one person he cared for beyond himself. Seeing his pain laid bare in Little Brother was heartbreaking. This shift in focus was one of the most powerful changes from page to stage, and I found it incredibly effective.
One major change from the book is the manner of Dallas’s death. Instead of robbing a store and provoking the police into shooting him, he jumps in front of a train. Ponyboy reflects on this, saying, “The train derailed shortly after the collision. You’d figure the body of a boy wouldn’t cause a big mighty freight train to do that, but it did, cuz Dally wasn’t just any boy.” My director, who saw the show with us, found this line particularly thought-provoking: Can one person really derail a train? How does this metaphor apply to injustice—both in the story and in our world today? Whether this change was made for these reasons or simply for a more effective stage portrayal, I appreciated the choice. It was also refreshing to see a show without gun violence.
I can’t finish this review without talking about the Rain Scene. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed, and every time I think theater can’t get more immersive, it does. The choreography is razor-sharp, perfectly in sync with the sound and lighting. At the point right before the fight breaks out, the orchestra cuts out entirely, and suddenly the pouring rain, fists connecting, and muffled yells. Then, everything slows. The scene plays out in slow motion, each movement precise and gripping. The final blackout is chilling. The audience, like the Greasers, feels a shared adrenaline rush—one that is immediately shattered as we return to Johnny’s pain in his hospital bed. I can’t imagine how grueling the technical process was for this scene, but the result was flawless and absolutely deserving of the accolades it received.
The Outsiders is a rare production that blends technical brilliance with raw emotion. It captures the heart of the novel while expanding on its themes in fresh, thought-provoking ways. This show reminds us why live theater remains such a powerful medium—it moves us, surprises us, and, in the best cases, stays with us long after the curtain falls.
Now unfortunately it isn’t scheduled to tour in Minnesota (yet), so if you can’t see the best I can recommend you is the 2024 Tony Performance Video (it has the rain scene!), and if you are scheduling a trip to NYC, GO SEE IT. Or listen to the soundtrack!
