‘The Outsiders’ Musical: Green or Gold?

I’m an “Outsiders” fanatic — I’ve pilgrimaged to the Oklahoma sites, and Matt Dillon collages still cover my childhood bedroom wall. So, naturally, I was dying to see “The Outsiders” musical, which made its Chicago debut this week. And it was pretty good.

The cast doesn’t have the swagger of the original 1980s boys (who could?), but Nolan White provides a solid anchor as Ponyboy. The songs are corny yet catchy. The rumble is a bloody, flash-bang ballet. And as the set transforms, the barren Tulsa park remains at its core.

This is, however, a sanitized “Outsiders,” especially when it comes to Dallas Winston’s storyline. That’s a likely letdown for greaser superfans but just might make this a tuff family outing. (“Tuff” means cool.)