Cliques. Gangs. Bullying. Violence. Prejudice.

These are some of the themes that run through S.E. Hinton's classic young-adult novel "The Outsiders." The book was published in 1967, but it remains popular today because these problems continue to plague modern youth. And that makes it an ideal production for Prime Stage Theatre.

Prime Stage's teen advisory board recommended "The Outsiders" a few years ago, and founder and artistic director Wayne Brinda was able to find a stage adaptation.

"People who know and love the book will see it's a close retelling," says Brinda, who is directing. "Anyone who has enjoyed the book is going to enjoy this production."

Told from the viewpoint of Ponyboy, a young "greaser," "The Outsiders" details the tension and violence between his have-not world and the privileged lives of the "socs," short for socials, who have money and attitude. Ponyboy is without parents but is looked after by his brothers and the family network of a greaser gang.

The story delves into relationships, but it also contains plenty of action, requiring a fight choreographer. Projected images on the stage will help set up the many scenes from the book.

"We're incorporating images into the show as well as graphics. We're combining theater and technology. The fire sequence is going to be pretty intense. I think it will be a visual feast," Brinda says.

"The main thing is it is truly bringing literature to life."

In order to bring real life to the literature, he turned to the Allegheny County Juvenile Court System's Victim Restitution Program. Juvenile offenders in the program served as consultants for the Prime Stage production, helping out cast members with their knowledge of gangs.

"They told us ... what does it mean to have someone wearing different colors coming into your world" and other examples of gang life, Brinda says.

The outreach benefited the cast and the young people in the program while continuing Prime Stage's educational mission.

"We don't just do productions; we do projects. That's what makes us unique as a theater company," Brinda says.

With "The Outsiders," Prime Stage is kicking off a new program focusing on bullying that will use theater, literature and education. For the next two years, one production each season will deal with bullying.

"Theater has the opportunity and an obligation to do this kind of work because of who we reach. If we can use theater and literature to raise awareness or resolve an issue, that's what we do," Brinda says.

He understands this show is a little darker than Prime Stage is used to doing. But, he says, it's a relatable story that carries an important message of changing perceptions about people.

"It's this idea of kids working together with each other and finding out who your friends are, forging an identity ... and dealing with conflict. ... Back in the '60s, you went to a rumble, you had fistfights and you worked things out. The rumbles are different today. Now we get into drive-bys, we get into guns, we get into weapons. It's a different world out there in how things are resolved but the same world in that kids are trying to solve problems."