May 25, 2026 by Sarah Pipino (‘26)
Thursday night, I had the absolute pleasure of going to see The Outsiders at Proctors Theater in Schenectady, a musical with 4 Tony awards to its name and my personal favorite show. This show is an adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s famous novel and Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic movie starring ’80s hotshots like Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, and Rob Lowe.
The story of The Outsiders is not a happy one, but it is an important one. Set in 1967 Tulsa, Oklahoma, this story follows Ponyboy Curtis and a gang of greasers as they live as best they can with the hands they were dealt. Ponyboy and his brothers became orphans at a young age, causing immense stress to the eldest, Darrel, as he was forced to grow up too quickly to take care of his brothers. Ponyboy and Darry clash heads often, and Sodapop (the middle brother) just wants to keep what family he has left functional.
Accompanied by their gang of friends – Johnny Cade, a sweet yet traumatized boy and Pony’s best friend; Dallas Winston, the “tuffest” greaser from NYC with a cold and hard exterior; Two-Bit Matthews, a mischievous joker with an alcohol problem; Steve Randle, Sodapop’s best friend who loves cars and does not love Soda’s kid brother – these brothers live in a world separated by class, where rich “Socs” from the West Side are a constant looming threat. After Ponyboy and Johnny get involved in a fight that ends with a Soc dying, they have to escape their crime, leaving the rest of the gang to die with the aftermath. I won’t spoil everything that happens next for the sake of not spoiling the entire book, but I will discuss some aspects of the plot while reviewing the show.
The aspect that sets apart this show from others is the staging and choreography, by far. The music is good but repetitive and wordy, as it is mostly used for narrative purposes. However, the choreography of this show was absolutely incredible and had me sitting with my jaw dropped the entire time. The choreographers and set designers of this show were truly geniuses – the use of a car off to the side and a tire onstage, among other things gave the whole set a playground feel, and the dances played off of the levels and unique opportunities provided by the set well. There was no one cast member who lacked in the dance department. Every twirl, spin, jump, and slide was perfectly executed and brought dynamics to the show that the music lacked.
Additionally, I loved the small details that set apart how the greasers danced versus how the Socs danced. The Socs had a more traditional ballet-style, with pointed feet, long lines, and grace, while the greasers went more hip-hop, kicking the gravel on the stage, spinning low to the ground, and showing off their strength. These little details helped establish a divide onstage between the East and West side. I would say that the best choreography in the show was during Grease Got A Hold and Friday at the Drive-In.
The other part of the show that stood out to me most was the acting. This story is not an easy one, and every character has a unique set of challenges and mannerisms that are necessary to move the plot forward. Every greaser, and almost every Soc, played their part so well that I was drawn into the scene as if it was actually happening in front of me.
The most special actors, in my opinion, were an understudy who played Darry that night, Jackson Reagin, and Corbin Drew Ross, who played Sodapop. Their scenes together with Nolan White (Ponyboy) were electric. Reagin played Darry with a depth I’ve never seen before, truly communicating to the audience the weight of the world that plagues his character and how that manifests in his treatment of Ponyboy. Ross, on the other hand, perfectly balanced out Darry’s intensity with Sodapop’s joyful and funny demeanor, while also portraying how Soda secretly struggles keeping the peace between his two brothers. Of course, all the other actors were insanely good, but these two were the ones that consistently drew my eye to them during scenes.
Every character was strong in acting, singing, and dancing, and every small part of the show came together to create a life-changing experience. I am so incredibly grateful I got to see this show, and I will not be forgetting it anytime soon!
Last photo source: Hollywood reporter.com