Young street gangs duking it out in gritty urban environments to theater tunes and choreography isn’t new. Most famously, the Sharks and Jets have been dangerously dancing away at each other through “West Side Story” stagings for the past seven decades.
“The Outsiders,” newly at Segerstrom Center for the next couple of weeks, is rooted in equally mean, if smaller, city streets.
The musical adaptation from S.E. Hinton’s beloved YA Novel is set in Tulsa in 1967 and similarities abound with the more famous work.
There’s a mixed-match flirtation sparking deadly conflict between rival teens at a social gathering, a mesmerizingly staged and choreographed violent dance sequence fight scene and even a lyric line that’s a clear homage, the phrase “play it cool, little brother, and you’ll have it made” echoing across the decades.
“The Outsiders” somewhat constitutes a west — vs. east — side story.
This acknowledged, the show’s teen angst and conflict is largely rooted in its own time and preoccupations.
Most notably, “The Outsiders” has socio-economic layers. The impoverished working-class Greasers are often targeted by the wealthier, upper-middle-class high school Socs (Socialites).
“Better cars and better lives” is a succinct lyric in the opening song “Tulsa ’67.”
This separation is on vivid display, with the outsiders of the title rooted in specific, subsistence living where keeping to one’s own side of the train tracks is a life-and-death matter.
Ethnicity is not a major dividing line here, but economic inequities create bleak circumstances. Narrowly seen life choices exist at the juncture where hope and sensitivities struggle to survive.
The story is recounted as a life and times reminiscence of 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis.
This narrative device, as in the original novel, blunts some of the live show’s impact since we inherently understand that Ponyboy will survive to quite literally tell us his tale.
A cloistered soul, Ponyboy lives in desolate circumstances with two brothers, elder Darrel, a bitter provider, and Sodapop, the middle brother just trying to keep the peace.
These are the remnants of a nuclear family; the parents were killed in a car wreck that Ponyboy unduly blames himself for.
A flaw of repetition in the storytelling structure, as well as in song, is that this theme of disadvantage is repeated over and over.
The trio is bonded to other younger males in equally dire circumstances, most notably Ponyboy’s best friend Johnny, a victim of familial abuse, and Dallas, a protector and source of literal support who serves as an existential loner/role model.
A quartet of the actors deliver estimable performances.
Actor Christian Arredondo, though implausible as of high school age (a casting limitation on display in the touring production overall), is a winning presence, notably capable at conveying the sensitivities — including unexpected Dickens and Robert Frost mentions — built into Ponyboy’s nature.
Conversely, a casting triumph of sorts is Travis Roy Rogers as older brother Darrel. The program credits note this is his professional debut and Rogers’ emotionally evocative singing, on display in the songs “Runs in the Family” and “Throwing in the Towel,” is a show highlight.
Two support figures – Ponyboy’s best friend Johnny and alpha male Greaser Dallas – also shine.
Though displayed throughout as an eventual martyr, Bonale Fambrini’s Johnny shimmers the show’s penultimate number “Stay Gold” with vocal luster. Anthony Garcia’s Dallas illuminates a hard on the outside/caring on the inside figure. He’s also a valuable singing lead in “Grease Got a Hold” and “Little Brother.”
The show being the clash of Tulsa’s bro cultures, the Socialites are one-dimensional stick figures, on hand as combatting tormentors. They’re usually clad in identifying letterman jackets just so we can keep track of how many bad guys are milling around the outskirts of claustrophobic crowd sequences.
Absent female figures of any consequence except for a single plot driver, actress Emma Hearn, confined to the paper-thin emotional support role of Cherry Valance, sings well enough in her two duets with Ponyboy.
The production is encompassed by various technical weaknesses of conceptualization leading to questionable execution.
The novel description of “Sceneography,” curiously credited to “AMP, featuring Tatiana Kahvegian,” the work translating into an unimpressive setting of leftover-feeling utilitarian props, including wooden boards, used tires, a couple cars that move a few feet back and forth and an upstairs grillwork that serviceably supports occasional projections.
The whole effort is blunted by Brian MacDevitt’s dark, shadowy black lighting scheme that dominates the show, gingerly illuminating with tights spots on characters or deep hue shadings of multi-character scenes.
The effect, calling attention to itself for sheer dimness, is intentional, reinforcing the stagnant environment enveloping the characters. It also successfully enhances audience eye strain.
On the other hand, the music is an agreeable if not especially memorable original indie rock score, tapping various Americana notes.
This is credited to the duo of Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance (collectively, they are called Jamestown Revival), as well as Justin Levine. Levine co-wrote the show’s book with Adam Rapp.
In its favor, “The Outsiders” has a stunning rumble scene strikingly choreographed by brothers Rick and Jeff Kuperman. Here, for this one, too-quick moment, a gang fight rumble profits from technical effects of pelting rain, time lapse visual projections and dazzling lighting merged into a hallucinogenic visual phantasmic.
So while, overall, director Danya Taymor’s show is a mixed bag, the New York theater community liked it enough that the show and Taymor each won top Tony Awards categories in 2024.
Otherwise, “The Outsiders’ success for theater-goers is more than usual rooted in knowledge of and affection for the original source material — go in as a fan and your appreciation will remain unmarred. But judged on its merits, this is an uneven show without a great deal of staying power.
Oh, a breaking gang theater news tangent: tickets for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first Broadway musical since “Hamilton” — it’s about time, Lin! — are on sale. Called “Warriors,” the spring 2027 show, with a 25+ song score, is set in a rough-and-tumble urban environment, as a street gang — for 21st century novelty, they’re female — fights its way home through other age-equivalent foes to safety from the Bronx to Brooklyn.
Do we detect a trend?
‘The Outsiders’
Rating: 3 stars (out of 4 possible)
When: Through Nov. 1. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 6:30 p.m., Sunday.
Where: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Tickets: $49.01-$178.99
Information: 949-556-2787; www.scfta.org