“The Outsiders” on Stage: Familiar Turf, Fresh Sparks

When “The Outsiders” hit the stage at Bass Concert Hall in Austin recently, I wasn’t sure what to expect — after all, adapting S.E. Hinton’s iconic tale of loyalty, loss, and class conflict is no small feat. As a lover of theatre, I hoped for innovation and the not-so-rare tearful applause that a good show can pull out of me. As an English teacher, I was skeptical, but did my best to curtail that lingering “the book is better” mentality. But this production, led by Nolan White (Ponyboy Curtis), Bonale Fambrini (Johnny Cade), and Travis Roy Rogers (Darrel Curtis), proved that sometimes, solid storytelling and committed performances are all you need to make an old story feel newly urgent.

(L-R) Bonale Fambrini, Tyler Jordan Wesley, and Nolan White in The Outsiders North American Tour. Photo by Matthew Murphy

White captured Ponyboy’s sensitive grit beautifully, and Fambrini’s Johnny was a heartbreaking mix of vulnerability and quiet resolve. Rogers anchored the trio with believable authority as the oldest Curtis brother. But make no mistake: Tyler Jordan Wesley’s Dallas Winston stole the show. With the presence of a man who’s seen too much and the voice of one who’s learned to sing through the pain, Wesley commanded the stage every time he appeared.

Vocally, none of the numbers stretched the cast to their limits — a choice that made the show feel safe when it could’ve soared. Still, “Great Expectations” packed an emotional punch, and the personal highlight for me was “Little Brother,” a smoky, brooding ballad that let Wesley’s smooth baritone and the show’s darker tone take center stage.

Nolan White and The Outsiders North American Tour Company. Photo by Matthew Murphy

As a whole, the musical doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It treads familiar ground but with flashes of ambition in its choreography, scenography, and lighting design, all of which suggest that the creative team is reaching for something grander. It may not be the next “Hamilton,” but between the rival gangs, forbidden romance, and a second-act rumble to settle the score, “The Outsiders” has the makings of a gateway musical — one that could ignite a love for live theatre in younger audiences.

Having spent the last four years teaching middle schoolers about Hinton’s novel, I can attest: this is exactly the kind of production that breathes life into the text, helping students see and feel what’s been living on the page — and stage — for decades.