NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The show that won the 2024 Tony Award for best musical has arrived in Nashville, serving as a homecoming for the Middle Tennessean playing the starring role.

"The Outsiders: A New Musical" — adapted from S.E. Hinton's 1967 novel and Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 film — is a coming-of-age tale set in 1967 amid a classist struggle in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that grows increasingly violent over the course of the show.

The Tennessee Performing Arts Center said the thrilling musical features a book by Adam Rapp with Justin Levine; music and lyrics by Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Levine; music supervision, orchestration, and arrangements by Levine; choreography by Rick and Jeff Kuperman; and direction by Tony Award winner Danya Taymore.

"The Outsiders," according to TPAC, is "a story of friendship, family, belonging...and the realization that there is still 'lots of good in the world.'"

"The Outsiders" opens in a subtle manner, with 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis walking past the audience and sitting on the stage in his standard costume of a t-shirt, ripped jeans, and high tops, with a notebook and pencil. He then proceeds to introduce the setting for the show by breaking the fourth wall, a tactic he repeats throughout the show to provide narrative context.

Ponyboy lives with his two brothers: Darrel, a former football star who has basically taken over the role of father following the death of their parents in a crash, and Sodapop, who serves as the heart of the family, despite having his heart broken recently. The 14-year-old also explains how his best friend, Johnny Cade, was recently attacked by the affluent "Socs" -- short for socialites -- amid their ongoing battle with the working-class "Greasers."

Following the opening, Ponyboy also becomes a victim of assault by the Socs, leading to him officially becoming a Greaser. Following conversations that provide more depth to the familial struggles both Ponyboy and Johnny face, they end up going to the drive-in, where Ponyboy meets and bonds with a Soc named Sherri "Cherry" Valance.

From there, the musical takes an even darker turn, with Ponyboy and Johnny running off to the park after a fight with Darrel, only to end up in a brawl with Cherry's ex-boyfriend and his fellow Socs that turns deadly. Ponyboy and Johnny skip town, with help from the leader of the Greasers, Dallas Winston, and hide out in an abandoned church, where they experience existential crises before committing acts of heroism, redeeming themselves in Tulsa.

However, the feud between the Greaser and the Socs does not come to an end until more blood is spilled, forcing Ponyboy to lose a couple people for whom he cares deeply and learn how to hold onto those who remain.

The role of Ponyboy is played primarily by native Nolan White, described in his program bio as a Nashville native who recently completed his first year in the University of Michigan's Bachelor of Fine Arts musical theatre program.

White is a member of Ensworth School's Class of 2024. The school not only posted about White's casting back in July -- saying, in part, "Congratulations, Nolan! We can’t wait to see you shine on stages across the country" -- but it took out a full page in TPAC's program for the show to celebrate the Ensworth alumnus.

Poplar Grove Elementary School at the Franklin Special School District also celebrated White, a former "PGS Lion," coming to TPAC.

"We couldn’t be more proud to give a HUGE shoutout to our very own Nolan White, a former student who’s now lighting up the stage on Broadway as Ponyboy in The Outsiders!" the school wrote on Facebook. "From the PGS halls to center stage, Nolan’s talent, heart, and hard work have taken him far reminding all of us to stay gold and chase our dreams."

The musical features displays of vocal, acrobatic, and choreographic -- both dancing and fighting -- skills among the cast members. In addition, the actors are able to create various scenes out of the minimalist set just by moving around wooden slabs, concrete blocks, tires, a couple cars, and a few pieces of furniture that fit the time period.

Practical effects play a notable role in the production. For example, using lighting and the partial backdrop, the crew is able to show silhouettes of people engaging in more dangerous acts, create a house under a night sky or a church on fire, play snippets of films from the 1960s, or demonstrate Ponyboy's state of consciousness during his various fights with the Socs. Even during the massive rumble between the Socs and the Greasers, the use of lights, sounds, manufactured rain, and fake blood pulls the audience into the brutality of the fight.

In short, "The Outsiders" explores the complexities of self-discovery while "the Greasers dream about who they want to become in a world that may never accept them, according to TPAC.

While almost every character in the show is a teenager, it may not be suitable for younger viewers given the explicit language, violence, and suicidal element. In addition, if you have pit seats, TPAC said drops of water, washable red liquid, and small rubber pieces from the stage floor may land in that area.

If you're interested in seeing "The Outsiders" while it's in town, there will be seven more shows at TPAC from Wednesday, Oct. 15 through Sunday, Oct. 19. To buy tickets, click here.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/middle-tennessee-native-takes-center-stage-at-tpac-in-the-outsiders/