The Outsiders Is at the Pantages Through Oct. 18

If you have been waiting for a reason to go to the Hollywood Pantages, here it is. The Outsiders, the Tony-winning Best Musical, is playing a multi-week run through Oct. 18.

The show is based on S.E. Hinton's novel, a book that many of us read young and never quite forgot. It is a story about loyalty, class and belonging, and it has held up for decades. The run began Sept. 30. This week, performances are listed for Oct. 6 through 10.

Check Broadway in Hollywood for exact curtain times and ticket availability. Dates from third-party listings can change, and the theater's own site is the reliable source.

The Pantages itself

It's worth going to the Pantages for its own sake. It is one of Hollywood's great historic theaters, and a night there is a good reminder of how much of Los Angeles's character lives in its older buildings. I spend my working life talking to people about homes with history, and I have a soft spot for any place that has been kept up well enough to still be in use.

If you're planning a night out, give yourself time. Hollywood Boulevard and the area around the theater can be busy, and parking and traffic are what they are. Arriving early and eating nearby is part of the evening.

A note for those who love the novel

A story this familiar can be risky on stage. But a Best Musical Tony suggests the show has done what it needed to, by finding something new in material that so many people already know. I would go with an open mind and see for myself.

There are only a few weeks left in this run. If it is on your list, I'd book soon.

Sources: Broadway in Hollywood, Ticketnews.