Fans of the The Outsiders are already talking about the upcoming virtual theatrical production of the captivating book/film that took a nation by storm.
This is the story of the rival gangs, the Socs (Socials) and the Greasers, which gave rise to characters such as Ponyboy and Sodapop Curtis, Two-Bit Mathews, Dallas Winston, and Cherry Valance. But what was even more uncanny about this story, which sprang out of the pages of the best-selling young adult novel of all time (by author S.E. Hinton), before successfully launching onto the big screen, was the infamous cast that portrayed the film’s dynamic characters, including Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, and Diane Lane.
It doesn’t matter what sort of storyline someone is into – between the fast-paced action, the rebellious nature of the characters, and the coming-of-age plot, just about everyone can relate to this drama, that many point to as the precursor to the celebrated 80s ‘brat pack’ films.
Now, this epic story is being told again, this time by the Theatre of Youth (TOY). Thanks to the efforts of Pan-American Film Division, TOY’s theatrical performance has been captured on video, to be streamed online for audiences from March 5 to March 19.
The Outsiders is a poignant and heroic story of belonging, friendship, and maintaining hope in the face of struggle, a powerful reminder of what young people encounter.
“The Outsiders had just opened for one public performance when we had to close our doors exactly 1 year ago, in March 2020,” said Interim Executive Director Tracy Snyder. “Although it was a limited run due to the pandemic, it was important to TOY to film this production and bring The Outsiders to life in a new way for audiences. Children and teenagers deserve to see their stories told on stage and The Outsiders is just as poignant and relevant today as it was over 50 years ago when written. Pan-American Film Division did an incredible job translating this beloved story to film and highlighted not only the raw emotion of the characters, but the incredible talent of our cast, as well as the beautiful environment of TOY’s home, the historic Allendale Theatre.”
The theatrical cast includes: Brittany Bassett, Zachary Bellus, Mike Benoit, Patrick Cameron, Lucas Colon, Jackson Di Giacomo, Matthew DiVita, Tyler Eisenmann, Arianna Lasting, Adam Rath, Christine Seshie, Nick Stevens, Rory Tasminie, Connor Tracy, Louie Visone, Preston Williams, and David Wysocki.
The video recording was produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing Company. This production is directed by Chris Kelly and filmed by Pan-American Film Division.
The Outsiders is streaming from March 5 to March 19 online. Tickets are $20 per person and are available online at www.theatreofyouth.org.
Sponsored by DV Brown & Associates and RP Oak Hill Building Company, Inc. 2020-21 sponsors include Independent Health (Wellness Series), M&T Bank. Additional support is received by The Cullen Foundation, the City of Buffalo, Erie County and the New York State Council on the Arts.