Adam Rapp
SPRING AWAKENING Original Broadway Cast: Where Are They Now? (Apr 11, 2026)
THE OUTSIDERS National Tour is Coming to Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre (Apr 9, 2026)
THE OUTSIDERS Will Celebrate Two Years on Broadway at the Museum of Broadway (Apr 1, 2026)
BIO
Adam Rapp is an award-winning playwright and director. He is the author of numerous plays, which include Nocturne (American Repertory Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, The Almeida, London, The Traverse, Edinburgh), Faster (Rattlestick), Animals & Plants (A.R.T.), Finer Noble Gases(26th Humana Festival, Rattlestick, Edinburgh Fringe, The Bush, London), Stone Cold Dead Serious(A.R.T., Edge Theatre), Blackbird (The Bush, London; Edge Theatre), Gompers (Pittsburgh City Theatre, The Arcola, London), Essential Self-Defense (Playwrights Horizons/Edge Theatre), American Sligo(Rattlestick), Bingo with the Indians (The Flea), Kindness (Playwrights Horizons), The Metal Children (The Vineyard), The Hallway Trilogy (Rattlestick), The Edge of Our Bodies (36thHumana Festival), Dreams of Flying Dreams of Falling (The Atlantic), Wolf in the River (The Flea), The Purple Lights of Joppa Illinois(The Atlantic), and Red Light Winter (Steppenwolf, Scott Rudin Productions at Barrow Street Theatre), for which he won Chicago's Jeff Award for Best New Work, an OBIE, and was named a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize.
In addition to helming his own work, he directed the world premiere of Karen O's psycho opera, Stop the Virgens, for The Creators Project at St. Ann's Warehouse, which was then selected for The Vivid Live Festival, where it sold out the Sydney Opera House for six performances. He also directed Sam Shepard's True West at Actors Theatre of Louisville, which went on to be named one of the 2012 Best Moments in Culture by Louisville's N.P.R. affiliate, WFPL. His production of Finer Noble Gases garnered a Fringe First Award at the 2006 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where he received The List's Best Newcomer Prize.
His playwriting honors include Boston's Elliot Norton Award, The Helen Merrill Prize, The 2006 Princess Grace Statue, a Lucille Lortel Playwright's Fellowship, The Benjamin H. Danks Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation Award.
Productions
Writing
Awards and Nominations
Adam Rapp, The Outsiders
Adam Rapp, The Sound Inside
Adam Rapp, Essential Self-Defense
winner
Adam Rapp
winner
Adam Rapp, Red Light Winter
Adam Rapp, Red Light Winter
Adam Rapp., Red Light Winter
Adam Rapp, Red Light Winter
Videos
Video: The New Group Kicks Off New Season from It's New Home at The Theater at St. Clement’s
by Nicole Rosky - 2026-03-25 14:02:07
Video: P!nk Performs 'Hopeless War' From THE OUTSIDERS with Daughter Willow
by Josh Sharpe - 2026-03-02 17:20:32
Video: Anthony Rapp & Adam Pascal Sing 'What You Own' at BroadwayCon
by Joshua Wright - 2026-01-25 16:15:31
Video: Danya Taymor and Emma Pittman Talk THE OUTSIDERS on Good Morning America
by Blair Ingenthron - 2025-01-04 14:12:51
Video: THE OUTSIDERS Cast and Composers Perform 'Far Away From Tulsa' on JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!
by Stephi Wild - 2024-12-12 09:07:16
Video: Watch the 'Hoods Turned Heroes' Music Video From THE OUTSIDERS
by Michael Major - 2024-10-15 10:52:16
Video: Brody Grant & Emma Pittman Sing 'I Could Talk to You All Night' from THE OUTSIDERS
by Nicole Rosky - 2024-08-09 14:26:28
Video: Joshua Boone Records 'Little Brother' from THE OUTSIDERS
by Blair Ingenthron - 2024-07-14 15:18:24
Exclusive: How THE OUTSIDERS Went from Great Book to Great Musical
by Nicole Rosky - 2024-06-08 16:00:20
Video: Watch Emma Pittman and Trevor Wayne Perform 'I Could Talk to You All Night' from THE OUTSIDERS
by Josh Sharpe - 2024-05-23 13:32:54
Video: Jeremy Strong Talks Theatre Roots and ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE on CBS SUNDAY MORNING
by Blair Ingenthron - 2023-05-14 10:54:58
VIDEO: Watch the Trailer for AMERICAN RUST, Coming Soon to Showtime
by Sarah Leiber - 2021-07-23 11:45:35
VIDEO: Jimmy Fallon Was Offered a Cameo in ALMOST FAMOUS on Broadway
by Sarah Leiber - 2019-10-23 20:19:46
TV: Go Inside Opening Night of THE SOUND INSIDE with Mary-Louise Parker, Will Hochman & More!
by TV - Opening Night Special - 2019-10-18 12:31:00
News
by Sidney Paterra - Apr 11, 2026
Two decades after Spring Awakening first premiered on Broadway, BroadwayWorld is taking a look back at what the cast of this era-defining musical, including Lea Michele, Jonathan Groff, and more has been up to.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 9, 2026
The Tony Award winning Best Musical, The Outsiders, based on the seminal novel by S.E. Hinton and Francis Ford Coppola’s film, will return to Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre this summer, August 4 – 16, 2026.
by Stephi Wild - Apr 1, 2026
The Outsiders will be celebrating two years on Broadway with a special panel at the Museum of Broadway. The event is set to take place on Wednesday April 8 at 5:30pm.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 31, 2026
The Bushnell has announced its 2026-2027 Broadway Series, showcasing a lineup of new Broadway hits alongside award-winning musicals. The series aims to attract theatergoers with a diverse selection of performances.
by Alex Freeman - Mar 30, 2026
This week's theater news spans the globe, from a massive outdoor Phantom of the Opera making history on Sydney Harbour to Shakespeare's birthday celebrations in Chicago, a landmark West End awards night in London, and a new home for one of New York's most celebrated Off-Broadway companies. Closer to home, Broadway is reporting record-breaking grosses and attendance even as international tourism dips, while one of the Theatre District's most beloved institutions — Sardi's — prepares for a temporary farewell as it changes hands. And as the world marked World Theatre Day on March 27, the stories this week serve as a fitting reminder of just how alive and far-reaching the art form remains.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 30, 2026
The first non-English language replica production of The Outsiders is set to premiere at The GS Arts Center in Seoul, South Korea in August 2027, produced by Seensee Company.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 26, 2026
The Outsiders has released a new block of single tickets for performances through January 31, 2027 at Broadway’s Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Learn more about how to get tickets here!
by Nicole Rosky - Mar 25, 2026
The New Group officially has a new home! The off-Broadway institution inaugurates its new space at The Theater at St. Clement’s with The Adding Machine by Elmer L. Rice with revisions by Thomas Bradshaw, directed by Scott Elliott. Watch in this video as The New Group team celebrates this special homecoming.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 25, 2026
Broadway in Indianapolis has announced its 2026/2027 season, featuring a lineup of acclaimed shows set to captivate audiences in Indianapolis. Learn more here!
by Paul Batterson - Mar 18, 2026
There appeared to be a serious breach of theatre etiquette in the March 17 production of THE OUTSIDERS at Ohio Theatre (37 E. State Street in downtown Columbus).
by Jennifer Broski - Mar 18, 2026
The Outsiders welcomed new cast members beginning on Tuesday, March 17 at the Jacobs Theatre. BroadwayWorld was there to capture the cast taking their first bows. Check out photos here
by Stephi Wild - Mar 11, 2026
Broadway San Diego has announced its 49th Season, bringing Broadway's current productions direct from New York City to San Diego. Learn more about the lineup here!
by Stephi Wild - Mar 5, 2026
The 2026-27 season has been announced for Broadway in Hollywood, which will feature seven Los Angeles premieres direct from Broadway, a rock theatrical classic, and the return of two Broadway blockbusters.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 4, 2026
xSteppenwolf Theatre Company has unveiled its 2026/27 Season. The 51st Season features five Steppenwolf Membership Series productions: two world premieres, a Chicago premiere, an English-Language premiere and a modern masterpiece.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 3, 2026
ASU Gammage has announced its 2026–2027 Desert Financial Broadway Across America-Arizona Broadway season with a dynamic blend of Tempe premieres, beloved classics, and acclaimed new hits.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 3, 2026
Wharton Center has announced a lineup of shows that will entertain and inspire audiences for its 45th season. Learn more about the upcoming lineup here!
by Josh Sharpe - Mar 2, 2026
This week, P!nk is guest-hosting The Kelly Clarkson Show, and to kick things off, she took the stage to perform 'Hopeless War' from Broadway's The Outsiders alongside her daughter Willow Sage Hart. Watch the special edition of Cameo-oke now.
by Joshua Wright - Feb 25, 2026
BroadwayWorld has a first look at the North American Tour of The Outsiders. Check out all-new video of the touring cast in action.
by Stephi Wild - Feb 25, 2026
ATG San Francisco has unveiled the lineup for its 2026/27 Broadway season, bringing six acclaimed Tony Award-winning Broadway productions to San Francisco's historic Orpheum Theatre (1192 Market St.).
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 25, 2026
ATG San Francisco has announced its 2026/27 season lineup, which includes several Broadway hits and highly anticipated productions set to captivate audiences.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Adam Rapp has written 12 shows including Nocturne (Playwright), Faster (Playwright), Red Light Winter (Playwright), The 24 Hour Plays 2006 (Playwright), Essential Self-Defense (Playwright), Kindness (Playwright), Dreams of Flying Dreams of Falling (Playwright), Through The Yellow Hour (Playwright), The Purple Lights of Joppa Illinois (Playwright), The Edge of Our Bodies (Playwright), The Sound Inside (Playwright), The Outsiders (Book).
Best Book of a Musical (Tony Awards) for The Outsiders, Best Play (Tony Awards) for The Sound Inside, Outstanding Music for a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Essential Self-Defense, Voice Judges (Obie Awards), Special Citations (Obie Awards) for Red Light Winter, John Gassner Playwriting Award (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Red Light Winter , The Pulitzer Prize for Drama (The Pulitzer Prize) for Red Light Winter and The Pulitzer Prize for Drama (The Pulitzer Prize) for Red Light Winter.
Adam Rapp has won the Obie Awards for Voice Judges and received Special Citations for his work on Red Light Winter.
Videos