Fake punches were thrown and familiar characters came to life Thursday and Friday evening during Crimson Stage’s production of “The Outsiders” at the Allen Bales Theatre. The performance, a staged version of S.E. Hinton’s classic novel, highlights the social issues of 1960s Tulsa, Oklahoma, through the conflicts that occur between two rival gangs, the Greasers and the Socs.
Directed by Garner Dorminy, the show opened with an audio recording of Richard Nixon’s 1968 Nomination Acceptance Address, where he proclaimed: “We see Americans hating each other; fighting each other; killing each other at home.” This impactful messaging was soon mirrored by scenes of violence between the Greasers and the Socs, as The Rolling Stones’ “Paint it Black” played in the background. Though these elements root the story in its time period, they also draw an eerie connection to our current political climate, making the story feel timely and necessary.
A well acted and directed piece, Crimson Stage’s version of “The Outsiders” is a stripped back and faithful adaptation of the 1967 novel…