Dante D’Antonio on identity and belonging in “The Outsiders”

Though just at the beginning of his professional career, Dante D’Antonio is already living the kind of moment many performers spend years chasing. Fresh out of Penn State’s musical theatre program, he stepped directly into the national tour of the Tony Award–winning musical The Outsiders, a production known for its emotional depth, physical intensity, and fiercely loyal fanbase.

But beyond the choreography, the fight scenes, and the demanding pace of touring life, D’Antonio is part of something even more powerful: a story about identity, belonging and what it means to carve out your own place in the world. For a Pride issue, that resonance feels especially timely.

I spoke with D’Antonio about his whirlwind journey, the complexity of stepping into multiple roles, and how a story set in 1967 still speaks directly to audiences and identities today.

From dream to reality

D’Antonio still remembers the moment The Outsiders first made an impression. “My mom was a huge fan of The Outsiders when she was younger,” he says. “I had read the book in middle school, and we’d watched the movie together, so it was something I already had a connection to.”

Seeing it live, though, was something else entirely. “I saw the show at the end of my junior year,” he says. “I was driving home from Penn State to Boston and stopped in New York. A friend had just booked a Broadway show, so I went to support them and I figured, why not see The Outsiders too?”

“The music, the staging, the choreography, it just completely drew you in. You’re on this journey for two and a half hours, and it doesn’t let go.”

So, when the tour was announced, he took his shot, joining hundreds at an open call and enduring a months-long audition process. “When I found out I booked it, it was just … amazing.”

That dream came full circle recently when the tour stopped in his hometown of Boston. “I had family, friends, teachers, the people I’ve known my whole life in the audience. The applause … it’s the kind of thing you dream about.”

One actor, four roles

In The Outsiders, D’Antonio serves as an understudy for four distinct characters: Darrel, Sodapop, Bob and Paul, roles that span different social classes, emotional arcs, and physicalities.

But how does he keep those roles distinct?

“The costuming honestly helps a lot,” he explains. “Looking in the mirror and seeing who’s looking back at me. The Socs are polished with clean clothes and class rings. The Greasers are rougher, messier. That physical transformation is huge.” He also relies on a more practical tool: flashcards. “I have a set for each character, so I can stay focused on one at a time. But there are definitely moments, especially when I’ve done two roles in one day, where it’s like, ‘Wait, am I grabbing the lamp or the TV in this scene?’”

A story that travels

While the show’s Broadway success was undeniable, touring has revealed something even more profound.

“Not everyone can get to New York,” D’Antonio says. “So, bringing this show to different parts of the country, it’s been incredible to see how people respond.”

“I didn’t write the book or create the show. I just get to be a vessel for telling the story. And when people share how it’s impacted them, that’s really special.”

One of the most powerful moments came early on in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the setting of the story itself. “The community welcomed us with open arms,” he recalls. “And that was the first time people started sharing their personal stories with me. Their loss, connection to the characters, things they’ve gone through.”

For D’Antonio, that connection is humbling. “I didn’t write the book or create the show. I just get to be a vessel for telling the story. And when people share how it’s impacted them, that’s really special.”

Pride, identity, and the “outsider” within

Though The Outsiders is set in 1967, a time and place not known for acceptance, D’Antonio and his fellow cast members explored how identity, including queerness, lives beneath the surface of the story.

“It’s interesting doing a show set in Tulsa in 1967, where it wasn’t safe to be gay or trans or queer,” he says. “But that doesn’t mean those people weren’t there.”

In rehearsal, the cast had open conversations about what it means to carry that internal truth, even if it isn’t explicitly stated on stage.

“It’s foolish to pretend like some of these characters aren’t gay,” he says. “That’s not necessarily the story we’re telling outwardly but it adds depth and nuance as a performer.”

He points to Darrel Curtis, one of the roles he covers, as an example. “If he’s gay, that’s another layer. He’s already sacrificing everything for his family, dropping out of school, working full-time, and on top of that, he may never get to live authentically. That’s something real people went through.”

And still do. That layered understanding is part of what makes the story resonate so deeply with audiences today.

Finding humanity on the road

Offstage, life on tour comes with its own set of challenges and comforts.

“The show is actually the easiest part,” D’Antonio says with a laugh. “Everything else is constantly changing — hotels, gyms, grocery stores. But once you’re in the theater, it’s consistent.” To stay grounded, he turns to simple pleasures: cooking and community.

“Sometimes we’ll do a potluck after a show, everyone cooks whatever they have left and we all eat together. It’s really nice.”

And for pure escapism? “I was really into The Traitors recently,” he admits. “Alan Cumming is just incredible. It’s chaos in the best way.”

At its core, The Outsiders is about identity, what defines us, and what doesn’t. D’Antonio points to one line in particular that continues to resonate: “I love being a Greaser, but I’ve got a lot more inside of me than just grease.” “It gets a little laugh sometimes,” he says, “but it’s actually really profound. It’s about recognizing that you’re more than the label you were given.”

That message of self-definition, of claiming your own story, is one he hopes audiences carry with them long after the curtain falls.

“Surround yourself with the best people. And the people who don’t get it, they might never get it. And that’s okay.”

Advice for the next generation

When asked what he would say to his younger self or to young LGBTQ performers finding their way, D’Antonio doesn’t hesitate. “Fight for progress. Fight to open people’s minds but not at your own expense. Surround yourself with the best people,” he adds. “And the people who don’t get it, they might never get it. And that’s okay.”

In a show about outsiders, Dante D’Antonio is helping tell a story that feels more inclusive and more urgent than ever. And in doing so, he’s proving that sometimes, the most powerful thing you can be is exactly who you are.

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