The Outsiders!

 The touring company of the Outsiders has come to Omaha before launching nationally next week. They call this a "try out" stay where the kinks and any other problems are dealt with before going national. You'd never know judging from this musical performance tonight.

Based on the S E Hinton novel and the 1983 movie, the story involves 1967 Tulsa where the city is divided by East, where the greasers live, and the West where the "soc's" or rich kids live. Whenever they catch the other on their side of town, fights ensue.

The main characters include Pony Boy (a fantastic Nolan White), his love struck kinda dumb brother Soda Pop (Corbin Drew Ross as a great straight man) and the oldest brother Darell (the glue of the play Travis Roy Rogers), Pony Boy's best friend Johnny Cade (Bonale Fambrini in a great understated role), the New York bred Dallas Winston (Tyler Jordan Wesley in another great performance) and Cherry Valance, the soc with a brain and a heart (a wonderful Emma Hearn).

The story is familiar. The greasers, the poor kids made fun of by the soc's, just want to be left alone to go to movies and malls on the west side but cannot because they get attacked if they are found. Johnny Cade is beaten to a pulp and seems to know his days are numbered. Pony Boy tries to keep him together while at the same time making an attempt to keep his brothers supportive. But Pony Boy is wracked with guilt over his parents' deaths he feels he could have prevented. The play involves this guilt turning to rage and the killing of the main soc, a brutal rich kid, by Johnny. The run from the law, the turning the kids into heroes saving children from a fire, resulting in the death of Johnny. There is no redemption here as in the opening song states, this is the way its always gonna be.

The music is good but there is a lot of copying from other musicals here. I heard Hamilton, Hadestown and Grease type music which does come together. The songs are good, the lyrics are great, and the stage presence is phenomenal. There is a scene of a rumble in a park, done in slow motion with rain pouring down, with bright lights signifying what's it like being knocked out. Its superb choreography, maybe the best I've seen in years. Another scene when the soc's try and drown Pony Boy, complete with sound effects and the sense of drowning onstage is also so great. 

But the truly great moment in the Tony Award winning musical is the goodbye song of Dallas Winston. Tyler Wesley knocks this moment out of the park. But it's ended and Pony Boy's narration takes over, denying Wesley of any applause. That was awkward but he got his due during the curtain call.

The first act is very good. The second act is great. A solid two hours of fun, sadness and wonder. This cast of young up and comers, many making their touring debuts, have no weak spots. They all act and sing like wily veterans. 

On the negative side. Not much, but when Pony Boy bleaches his hair blonde and they tell him he looks like Burt Lancaster in Elmer Gantry, sorry but as Max's Mom pointed out, he looks more like Beavis. Thats all the bad I got.

In conclusion, if you get the chance by all means attend this awesome musical. I expected not much and got more than I expected. That is the definition of a great experience.

Bravo! And stay gold Pony Boy.