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| World
Photos by Madeline Steege
Cherry (Whitney Wilson, left), Twobit (Michael Gonzalez), Johnny
(Dillon deDiego) and Ponyboy (Josh Jennings) prepare for a
confrontation with Cherry’s friends outside a movie theater in “The
Outsiders” at Little Theatre on the Bay. |
Coming of rage
By Chip Dombrowski, Entertainment Editor
“Why do the Soc's hate us so much?” Ponyboy complains.
It
wouldn't be high school if they didn't, but Ponyboy has a point. In
much the same way as Lucas on “One Tree Hill,” Ponyboy defies the
stereotypes of his social group and exemplifies almost as many
sympathetic qualities as can be asked of a teen character.
Though
the hard-luck Greasers define themselves by their streetwise toughness
and blue-collar futures, Ponyboy is more comfortable reading “Gone With
the Wind” or Robert Frost. Asking for extra homework might have
contributed to his skipping a grade and being in a class of mostly
16-year-olds at 14. He's thoughtful, open-minded and sensitive.
If
his tormentors got to know him, those all might be considered valid
reasons to beat him up. Instead, the wealthier Socials hate him because
he has longer hair and lives on the wrong side of town.
Such is the cruel world of “The Outsiders,” opening tonight at Little Theatre on the Bay in North Bend.
It's
1966 in Tulsa, Okla., and as bad as Ponyboy (Josh Jennings) has it, his
best friend, Johnny (Dillon deDiego), is worse off. Though Ponyboy lost
his parents and feels out of place living with his athletic older
brothers, Darry (Joe Vos) and Soda (Jeremiah Ackerman), the “Party of
Five” home environment has its charm. But Johnny suffers abuse and
neglect at home and far worse attacks at the hands of the Soc's, led by
Bob (Jesus Torres).
Dallas (Nathan Oliver), the alpha male of
the Greasers, and Twobit (director Michael Gonzalez) are useful
protection when they're around, but Ponyboy and Johnny's less
thug-friendly interests tend to put them in situations where they have
to walk home alone.
After sneaking into a movie theater, Ponyboy
and Johnny meet two girls from the Soc' side, Cherry (Whitney Wilson)
and Marcia (Nicole Doherty). Though Cherry has a boyfriend - Bob, whom
she doesn't like being around when he's drinking - she develops an
instant connection with Ponyboy and spends most of the movie talking
outside with him.
Ponyboy's friends give him a hard time about
consorting with the enemy, but he urges them to see past the labels,
correcting them whenever someone he knows as an individual is referrred
to as a Soc'.
As the girls are walking out with their new
Greaser friends to get a ride home, they are confronted by Bob and his
sidekick, Randy (Ryan McAlpin). Despite Bob's alcohol-fueled
aggression, Cherry attempts to diffuse the situation by going home with
him.
It doesn't work, and Bob and Randy return later to punish
Ponyboy and Johnny, who fell asleep in a park. As Bob's out-of-control
rage threatens Ponyboy's life, Johnny pulls out his switchblade and
kills Bob in defense.
Knowing it doesn't look good for them,
Ponyboy and Johnny go on the run. Dallas helps them hide in an
abandonded church outside of town. It would take a lot of help from
higher up on the social ladder to clear Johnny, and he doesn't consider
trying to tell his side of the story until he receives word that Cherry
might be willing to testify.
But before the fugitives can make it back to town, another trauma complicates their already tragic lives.
Other
cast members include Natalie Taylor, Bob Berry, Makena Romas, Konner
Romas, Kevin Goss, Tommy Nixon, Addison Alford, Kellen Freeman and Chris Welch. Ken Erskine is the
assistant director.
The play was adapted by Christopher Sergel from the novel by S.E. Hinton.
The
play runs through Oct. 8, with performances at 8 p.m. Fridays and
Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $10, $8 for students and
seniors and $6 for children. |
