California's La Jolla Playhouse has announced Pulitzer finalist Adam Rapp's new musical The Outsiders and a re-imagining of Shakespeare's As You Like It to complete its 2022-2023 season.
Adapted from S.E. Hinton's book and Francis Ford Coppola's film adaptation, The Outsiders is set to run February-March 2023, under the direction of Obie winner Danya Taymor. Set in 1967 Tulsa, Oklahoma, it follows Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade, and their fellow "greasers" as they feud with the upper-class rival gang in this coming-of-age story.
The musical features a book by Rapp and music and lyrics by Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Tony winner Justin Levine. Music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations are also by Levine.
Tony winner Christopher Ashley and Helen Hayes Award winner Will Davis will co-direct a re-imagined version of As You Like It, a Shakespearean romantic comedy featuring the reunion of banished lovers Rosalind and Orlando while Rosalind is dressed as a male shepherd.
Ashley, La Jolla's artistic director, said in a statement, "It’s a delight to be working with the fantastically-talented Will Davis on a fresh, gender-fluid interpretation of Shakespeare’s timeless comedy."
Other productions include Carson Kreitzer and Matt Gould's Lempicka: A New Musical featuring direction by Tony winner Rachel Chavkin and choreography by Raja Feather Kelly, the world premiere of Moisés Kaufman's Here There Are Blueberries, the En Garde Arts production of Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes), and the world premiere of Mother Russia.
For tickets and more information, visit LaJollaPlayhouse.org.
