Last month, Texas Performing Arts welcomed 3,000 enthusiastic students from across the Austin area to Bass Concert Hall for a special school day performance of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The Outsiders. It marked our second free Broadway school day event, following the success of Peter Pan last December.
These performances are part of TPA’s growing K–12 education initiatives, which will reach more than 30,000 students this school year alone. We're proud to continue offering unforgettable, transformative experiences through live performance. Coming up in our 2025/26 Season, students will have the chance to attend school day performances of Stuntboy, In the Meantime, Cirque Mechanics: TILT! A Circus Thrill Ride, and with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Bringing The Outsiders to Austin on its first national tour is particularly meaningful. Not only is it the 2024 Tony Award-winning musical, but it also has strong ties to the local community. The show features original music and lyrics by local band Jamestown Revival, and the lead role of Ponyboy is played by JD Williams—an alum of Leander High School and a familiar face from Summer Stock Austin. JD has performed in Sister Act (2019,) In the Heights (2022), Grease (2023), The Wizard of Oz (2023), and just last year in Guys & Dolls (2024).
He’s also been recognized with nominations from the Heller Awards for Young Artists (HAYAs) for Best Supporting Actor and Best Lead Actor and selected for the prestigious HAYA Select Ensemble in 2019 and 2020. TPA is now the permanent home of the HAYAs with the 2026 ceremony taking place on Wednesday, May 6 at Bass Concert Hall.
We’re thrilled to provide students with access to world-class performances—and even more excited when those performances spotlight the incredible local talent in Central Texas schools. With performances like The Outsiders, TPA continues its mission to inspire and engage the next generation through the power of live performance.
Stay tuned for more exciting education programs and performances in the months ahead!
Support for TPA School Day Performances is provided by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, William and Anita Cochran Endowment for Performing Arts Access and Education, Kathy Panoff Texas Performing Arts Student Engagement Endowment, the Arts Education Endowment, Joann and Gaylord Jentz Endowment for Student Engagement, Alex and Dee Massad Endowment Fund, Applied Materials Foundation, Kristin and Josh Alexander, Mindy Ellmer, Aubrey and Bobby Epstein, Montgomery Family Fund, Michelle and Eric Natinsky, and Texas Commission on the Arts.
Want to share live performances with students in your community? Learn more on how you can make a difference through TPA’s School Day Performance programming by calling 512.242.8567 or emailing us at support@texasperformingarts.org.
Photos by Brio Photography