Angelina Jolie Introduces The Outsiders Performance at 2024 Tony Awards: ‘I Hope It Inspires Many of You’
Angelina Jolie is staying gold.
The actress, 49, introduced a cast performance of the Broadway musical The Outsiders, which she co-produced, during the 2024 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 16.
The show is up for a total of 12 awards including best musical, best book of a musical and best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical, as well as two nominations for best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical.
“[S. E.] Hinton wrote The Outsiders in high school, and half a century later, it still speaks to us. Society changes, but the experience of being an outsider is universal,” said Jolie. “To any young person, any person, feeling on the outside, you are not wrong to see what is unfair. You are not wrong to wish to find your own path. As the cast raise their voices, I hope it inspires many of you watching to value yours. Please welcome the extraordinary company of The Outsiders.”
Tony nominees Brody Grant and Sky Lakota-Lynch then led the entire company in a performance of “Tulsa ’67,” before Tony nominee Joshua Boone sang “Grease Got a Hold.” The performance ended with the entire cast doing the rumble, an elaborate dance fight that takes place as rain falls.
Jolie first announced she was producing the Broadway adaptation of the novel and 1983 film in August 2023 alongside 15-year-old daughter Vivienne, who worked as a volunteer ᴀssistant.
Vivienne joined Jolie on the Tonys red carpet and at the ceremony. The duo wore matching teal looks for the event, including a custom draped velvet Versace gown on Jolie and a coordinating vest and trouser set with a bow tie on Vivienne.
The Oscar-winning actress told PEOPLE in April on the musical’s opening night that Vivienne inspired her to take on the project.
“She saw an early workshop a few times and then invited me to it,” Jolie said. “Viv is a young artist who focuses her efforts on her support of others.”
“[Vivienne] has been there to ᴀssist in any way she can and has learned so much from [score and co-book writer] Justin Levine and the whole creative team,” she added.
An adaptation of Hinton’s 1967 coming-of-age book, the Outsiders musical’s plot revolves around class conflicts between the working-class greasers and the affluent Socs. It mainly follows brothers Ponyboy, Darrel and Sodapop “Soda” Curtis and their group of friends some time after the death of the brothers’ parents.
Directed by Danya Taymor, The Outsiders is written by Levine and Adam Rapp. Music and lyrics are by Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Levine, with music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Levine and choreography by Rick and Jeff Kuperman.
Jolie said in an August 2023 press release that she feels “very fortunate to be a part of this special production.”
She added in part, “I can’t begin to express how excited I am for this musical to make its Broadway debut and look forward to sharing this new adaptation of The Outsiders with the world.”
