Producing a stage translation of S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders" has to be challenging. The young-adult story, written when Hinton was a teen, features rumbles, a fire and a large cast.

Prime Stage Theatre meets that challenge, bringing forth an action-packed and thought-provoking show at the New Hazlett Theater.

The spare set designed by Gianni Downs, featuring mainly concrete blocks, a set of bleachers and a large screen, puts the focus on the plot, yet with the help of projected images transports the audience to a drive-in, a park, an abandoned church and even a living room. Beatles and Elvis music as well as the preppy-looking clothes worn by the "socs," the privileged social class, and the denim, leather and working-class duds of the "greasers" lend authenticity to the time period, 1964. (Although my young theater companion pointed out the greasers' Converse high-tops looked too brand-spanking new.)

The fights, choreographed by Tonya Lynn, seem controlled but realistic.

"The Outsiders" hinges on narrator Ponyboy, a greaser who is an artist at heart. On opening night Saturday, Jeremy Hois started out a little stiffly, but the talented young actor quickly got into the groove with the rest of the ensemble. He shows great rapport with Thomas A. Kolos Jr. and Brendan Conaway as his brothers, Darrel and Sodapop, and Alexander Zukoff as his best friend, Johnny. Zukoff truly embodies his role, a frightened greaser still carrying the emotional wounds from a soc beating who finds the courage to protect Ponyboy.

Eric Barvinchak gave the right mix of danger, trouble and heartache to the character of Dallas, while an earnest Hillary Maloney, one of the few females in the cast, provided insight to the problems of the socs as Cherry. Ash Halli as "Two-Bit" came up with the needed comic relief.

The fine performances put the audience inside "The Outsiders," showing the relevance the drama and its message of "stay gold" still have today.