A Broadway Reprisal of The Outsiders Using Innovative Sound Technology Earns Its Place Among Venerated Classics A Broadway Reprisal of The Outsiders Using Innovative Sound Technology Earns Its...
When S.E. Hinton’s groundbreaking novel, The Outsiders, was first published in 1967, it generated significant attention and acclaim. This candid portrayal of teenage life was unprecedented, likely contributing to its profound impact on young readers. The novel revolves around the dynamics of teenage gangs and explores the universal human need for belonging and the intricate social structures that adolescents form. The immense success of The Outsiders paved the way for its cinematic adaptation, directed by the renowned Francis Ford Coppola. The movie adaptation brought beloved characters like Ponyboy and Sodapop to life through a stellar cast led by C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe, Matt Dillon, and Diane Lane. The young cast’s performances infused Hinton’s characters with fresh, frenetic energy, and the film, like the book, quickly became an instant classic. Hinton’s novel and Coppola’s subsequent film set a very high standard for storytelling.
Years later, in 2024, The Outsiders musical made its Broadway debut, fearlessly reimagining the beloved story in a new genre. Despite the high expectations set by the novel and the film, the stage production’s creators astounded audiences with their surprising and innovative interpretation of an esteemed classic.
Feeling Live Sound All Around
The Outsiders musical captivated audiences with its thrilling and intimate atmosphere. Much of the magic in the artistry of the theater production can be attributed to the meticulously crafted sound design. In fact, Cody Spencer, the Sound Designer for The Outsiders musical, won the Tony Award for Best Sound Design that year. To achieve the extraordinary immersive audio experience the audience has and vacillate between explosive and delicate auditory modulations, Spencer used L-Acoustics L-ISA immersive sound technology. For Spencer, this made all the difference.
“We have instances where we capture the sound from a small space with Ponyboy in the middle of the stage and then envelop it around the audience, transitioning into a grand and powerful moment with Ponyboy belting throughout the theater. Then, as soon as it reverts to a small moment again, the sound and everything shrinks back to directly focus on just Ponyboy. With this show, we use L-ISA to make these pivotal sound moments impactful.”
A Sound Partnership
Spencer first used the L-Acoustics L-ISA professional sound system for the show Broadway Bounty Hunter. He subsequently brought L-ISA to Broadway’s Here Lies Love, which was the first deployment of L-ISA on Broadway. Spencer says, Here Lies Love “was a huge success acoustically.” Given its success, he used L-ISA again for The Outsiders and is currently using it for the latest show he’s working on, Last Five Years. Spencer is a sought-after, award-winning sound artist who is well-versed and widely recognized for his dexterity with his craft. But still, taking on The Outsiders had to have been a daunting prospect, considering its rich legacy and dedicated fan base.
Given the high stakes, it was crucial for the creative team to elevate the audience experience and transport them to feel the story in a new way. Spencer says while he initially suggested using L-ISA Immersive Sound System for The Outsiders, his Director, Danya Taymore, and Choreographers, Jeff and Rick Kupperma,n really helped drive the decision to proceed with L-ISA audio mixing software as it was important to all of them to create spatial audio so that every seat and theatergoer in attendance have the same visceral and immersive audio experience. “By using L-ISA, our audience was able to feel the sound all around them as if the action is happening to them.”
For instance, in a scene where Ponyboy is being dunked in a fountain by the rival gang, the Socs, the audience hears the splashing water the way Ponyboy is experiencing it. When Ponyboy’s head is submerged underwater, the other cast members’ voices become muffled, mimicking Ponyboy’s perception at that moment. The subsequent ringing sound from the tinnitus in Ponyboy’s ears fills the theater, immersing the audience in the experience. Spencer says The Outsiders needed innovative augmented acoustics because the audience is often in Ponyboy’s and the other characters’ heads, so they need to experience auditory stimulations just as the characters do.
Exploring New Possibilities in Professional Sound Systems
Spencer says, “It was fortunate to have the previous experience with L-ISA and knowing what I could do with it. And with The Outsiders, I actually pushed the boundaries of live sound even further with new things I didn’t even know I would want to do but then did. I was able to create layer upon layer and achieve sound effects so subtle that some of the audience didn’t even realize they were occurring but felt the effect and impact of them.”
Spencer references a scene at a movie drive-in where the actors who are the audience watching the movie are in front of the theater audience. In this scene, the sound from the drive-in movie’s sizzle reel about getting popcorn and movie snacks before the movie uses a minutely delayed sound reflection that seems to be bouncing off a wall and returning to the theater audience as if it’s coming from behind them. These subtle sound details and nuanced acoustics give the sense of being at the drive-in movie and have a significant sensory impact, making the experience vibrant and authentic.
Such auditory design enables the audience to experience The Outsiders in a unique way, as if they’re living the story alongside the characters as events unfold in real time. This theatrical interpretation of The Outsiders for Broadway makes the musical a welcome addition among other celebrated renditions of the classic story beloved by so many. Spencer’s work with L-ISA on The Outsiders even helped lead L-Acoustics to once again receive recognition as one of the Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company Magazine. “Our list of the Most Innovative Companies offers both a comprehensive look at innovation today and a playbook for the future,” said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. Indeed, the immersive sound experience created through L-Acoustics L-ISA was not only a crucial tool and a key creative variable in presenting The Outsidersexperience on Broadway in a novel and captivating manner, but it has also become a pivotal creative element in shaping the future of musicals.