In Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967, the hardened hearts and aching souls of Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade and their chosen family of ‘outsiders’ are in a fight for survival and a quest for purpose in a world that may never accept them. A story of the bonds that brothers share and the hopes we all hold on to, this gripping new musical reinvigorates the timeless tale of ‘haves and have nots’, of protecting what’s yours and fighting for what could be. Adapted from S.E. Hinton’s seminal book and Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic film, THE OUTSIDERS features a book by Adam Rapp with Justin Levine, music and lyrics by Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay & Zach Chance) and Justin Levine, music supervision, arrangements & orchestrations by Justin Levine, choreography by Rick Kuperman & Jeff Kuperman and directed by Danya Taymor.
And in its new musical form — with a score and lyrics by the folk duo Zach Chance and Jonathan Clay, known as Jamestown Revival, along with Justin Levine — The Outsiders is taking a real swing at being the strongest entry in this season’s wave of singer-songwriter outings on Broadway. We’re living in a post–Sara Bareilles age: Ingrid Michaelson, PigPen Theatre Co., Shaina Taub, and Anaïs Mitchell are all currently waving at one other from around Times Square. But whether or not the same people who make catchy pop records can also craft a solid score is another question. Chance, Clay, and Levine can, and if The Outsiders sometimes traffics, perhaps unavoidably, in cliché, it makes up for it with the tenderness and muscle of not just its songs but its staging and performances.
The infatuation between Ponyboy and Cherry (Emma Pittman), which produces a couple of serviceable duets, feels perfunctory and fades into a melange of other conflicts. Hinton’s novel gallops with the muscular first-person voice of a tortured narrator, grabbing readers by the collar. “The Outsiders” musical takes a milder approach, peering under the hood of masculinity to the tune and pace of indie emo.
General Rush:
Price: $45
Where: Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre box office
When: Rush tickets are available at the box office on the day of the show when the box office opens at 10 AM Monday-Saturday, 12 PM Sunday.
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Subject to availability.
30 Under 30:
Price: $45
Where: Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre box office
When: $30 Under 30 tickets are available at the box office on the day of the show when the box office opens at 10 AM Monday-Saturday, 12 PM Sunday.
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Subject to daily availability, the production will make available a limited number of tickets for anyone 30 years of age and under.
Digital Lottery:
Price: $49
Where: https://rush.telecharge.com/
When: The digital lottery opens at 12AM ET one day before the performance closing at 3 PM the day before the performance. Winners will be notified by email shortly after each drawing and have six hours to claim and purchase tickets online. Tickets will be emailed.
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Winners are drawn at 10AM ET and 3PM ET that same day. While every effort will be made to seat pairs together with a full view, there is a chance that pairs may be split up and that your seat may have a partial view of the stage.
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