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The Daily Orange'Outsiders' adaptation brings class warfare to OnCenter
By Andrew Kase
Posted: 4/17/07, 11:31 PM EST Section: Pulp
The showdown between the shiny-haired tough guys, the Greasers and the rich, pampered preppies, the Socs (Socials), ignited the stage at the Mulroy Civic Center in an adaptation of S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders."
The novel about the lives of the Greasers, and the troubles and tragedies they encountered while growing up in Oklahoma, was portrayed well on the small stage.
"I thought it was a wonderful play," said Deacon Richard, a resident of Utica.
The acting was on-key, and surprisingly so, as the cast was mostly a group of baby-faced people.
"I thought the actor who played Dallas was fantastic, because he was very natural," said Susan Lincoln, a resident of Clinton.
The actors who played Ponyboy and his friend Johnny, Conor Nolan and Chris Wiacek, had the most stage-time out of all the actors and interacted well as a duo.
Christopher Sergel created the full-length play, which ran about 90 minutes and stayed true to the novel.
"I loved the ending, and even though there were a couple of parts left out (from the novel), they weren't missed," Lincoln said.
One of the memorable scenes took place in the hospital, when Ponyboy and Dallas visit Johnny.
The scene was drenched in emotion, as evidenced by the actor's facial expressions. Dallas' rage was palpable as his he vented about Johnny being in the hospital.
At the end of the engaging scene, Dallas uttered one of the most renowned lines from the novel to Ponyboy, "This is what happens when you help people."
Unfortunately for them, their second visit to the hospital later is tragic, as Johnny unexpectedly succumbs to his wounds.
The makeup on the actor who played Johnny was surprisingly realistic; he truly looked like a burn victim. On the other hand, the set design was strikingly simplistic, consisting of a couch, a table and a bed.
"The play was excellent," said Karol Toole, a resident of Cazenovia. "The acting was fantastic, and they were all great."
One of the other shining aspects of the play is the music, which played between each scene, most of which were classics from the 1980s like "Chain of Fools."
The audience was responsive throughout the performance, clapping after each scene ended and then cheering after the Greasers faced off against the Socials in the climax.
Although the acting was strong overall, there were a couple of moments when the dialogue felt rushed. There were also a few scenes during which the actors waited a little longer than normal for the next person to say something.
Ultimately the play was enjoyable, drawing a wide range of emotions from the material ranging from sadness to anger, which spoke volumes about each actor's performance.
If you go
What: The Outsiders
When: Through April 26, 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Where: Mulroy Civic Center Theaters at OnCenter
How much: $10
The novel about the lives of the Greasers, and the troubles and tragedies they encountered while growing up in Oklahoma, was portrayed well on the small stage.
"I thought it was a wonderful play," said Deacon Richard, a resident of Utica.
The acting was on-key, and surprisingly so, as the cast was mostly a group of baby-faced people.
"I thought the actor who played Dallas was fantastic, because he was very natural," said Susan Lincoln, a resident of Clinton.
The actors who played Ponyboy and his friend Johnny, Conor Nolan and Chris Wiacek, had the most stage-time out of all the actors and interacted well as a duo.
Christopher Sergel created the full-length play, which ran about 90 minutes and stayed true to the novel.
"I loved the ending, and even though there were a couple of parts left out (from the novel), they weren't missed," Lincoln said.
One of the memorable scenes took place in the hospital, when Ponyboy and Dallas visit Johnny.
The scene was drenched in emotion, as evidenced by the actor's facial expressions. Dallas' rage was palpable as his he vented about Johnny being in the hospital.
At the end of the engaging scene, Dallas uttered one of the most renowned lines from the novel to Ponyboy, "This is what happens when you help people."
Unfortunately for them, their second visit to the hospital later is tragic, as Johnny unexpectedly succumbs to his wounds.
The makeup on the actor who played Johnny was surprisingly realistic; he truly looked like a burn victim. On the other hand, the set design was strikingly simplistic, consisting of a couch, a table and a bed.
"The play was excellent," said Karol Toole, a resident of Cazenovia. "The acting was fantastic, and they were all great."
One of the other shining aspects of the play is the music, which played between each scene, most of which were classics from the 1980s like "Chain of Fools."
The audience was responsive throughout the performance, clapping after each scene ended and then cheering after the Greasers faced off against the Socials in the climax.
Although the acting was strong overall, there were a couple of moments when the dialogue felt rushed. There were also a few scenes during which the actors waited a little longer than normal for the next person to say something.
Ultimately the play was enjoyable, drawing a wide range of emotions from the material ranging from sadness to anger, which spoke volumes about each actor's performance.
If you go
What: The Outsiders
When: Through April 26, 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Where: Mulroy Civic Center Theaters at OnCenter
How much: $10
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Simon
posted 11/05/07 @ 12:52 AM EST
Sounds like it came together well, i'm directing a student directied production next spring and am considering the same show, sounds excellent. Props to the cast tough roles played well. (Continued…)
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