Rattler Stage starts the year with an enthralling performance of the play adaptation of “The Outsiders.” The play was gripping, with powerful acting, realistic props, and unexpected moments.

The cast did a great job portraying the aggression and attitude of the characters from the book. The actors surprised everyone with intense fight scenes and arguments, such as the one between Ponyboy (Josh Franke), Darry (Mac Upchurch), and Sodapop (Izzy Al-Ashtal). The audience was particularly impressed with a scene where Darry slapped Ponyboy, leaving the theater in stunned silence and gasps. The acting at that moment was incredibly realistic, making the scene feel even more authentic.

The attention to detail in the play was impressive, especially with the props and practical effects. Some of the props included fake ice cream and old-fashioned soda bottles filled with soda. They even used a smoke machine during the burning of the church scene, creating a sense of distress as the characters fled the church in terror while the smoke filled the entire theater. In another scene, Dallas (Emery Meighan), Johnny (Mathew Moran), and Ponyboy (Josh Franke) are depicted enjoying ice cream at a Dairy Queen, with a waiter serving them and background characters adding to the ambiance, making the audience feel immersed in the experience.

The play was great, but there was one thing that could have been done differently—the background. Throughout the play, the background never changes, whether the characters are at the drive-in theater, the church, Dairy Queen, the hospital, their own house, or in the court scenes. Understandably, it’s challenging to change the set on a tight schedule, but it felt like more props or backdrops could have been used to better represent the shift in scenes and locations.

Overall, the play was incredibly entertaining and enjoyable. The audience’s feedback at the end was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing their love for the performance. They even had the opportunity to meet and compliment all the actors after the show. Reagan Theater did an amazing job with this wonderful performance. The actors were fantastic, the story was compelling, and it truly resonated with the original book. There’s no doubt that many will be eager to attend the next performance.