Broadway Newcomers To Make Debuts In ‘The Outsiders’ Musical This Spring

Several Broadway newcomers will make their debuts in the upcoming musical adaptation of The Outsiders, with the iconic roles of Ponyboy and Sodapop among the characters to be portrayed by first-timers.

Initial casting was announced today by producers of the musical based on the 1967 novel by S.E. Hinton and Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 film version. Making their Broadway debuts will be Brody Grant as Ponyboy, Brent Comer as Darrel and Jason Schmidt as Sodapop; all three appeared in the world premiere of The Outsiders at La Jolla Playhouse earlier this year.

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Sky Lakota-Lynch, who previously appeared on Broadway in Dear Evan Hansen, will portray Johnny.

Additional casting will be announced soon.

Previews begin Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, with an opening night set for Thursday, April 11.

In the Coppola film, Ponyboy was played by C. Thomas Howell, Darrel by Patrick Swayze, Sodapop by Rob Lowe and Johnny by Ralph Macchio.

The Outsiders features a book by Adam Rapp with Justin Levine, music and lyrics by Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay & Zach Chance) and Justin Levine, choreography by Rick Kuperman & Jeff Kuperman, and music supervision, arrangements & orchestrations by Levine. Danya Taymor directs.

A Broadway cast recording will be released by Sony Masterworks Broadway in 2024. The first track, “Great Expectations,” written and produced by Jonathan Clay, Zach Chance, and Justin Levine and featuring Brody Grant, is available now at all digital service providers.

The official synopsis: In Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967, the hardened hearts and aching souls of Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade and their chosen family of ‘outsiders’ are in a fight for survival and a quest for purpose in a world that may never accept them. A story of the bonds that brothers share and the hopes we all hold on to, this gripping new musical reinvigorates the timeless tale of ‘haves and have nots’, of protecting what’s yours and fighting for what could be.

The Outsiders features scenography by AMP (featuring Tatiana Kahvegian), costume design by Sarafina Bush, lighting design by Brian MacDevitt, sound design by Cody Spencer, and projection design by Hana Kim. Matt Hinkley is Music Director.

Producing on Broadway will be The Araca Group, American Zoetrope, Olympus Theatricals, Sue Gilad & Larry Rogowsky and Angelina Jolie.

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