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[0:00] Robert Bannon: Talks The Outsiders — From Nashville to U of M to Ponyboy Here On The Roundtable!

[0:30] Robert Bannon: I'm an English teacher, so how could I not love The Outsiders? And I remember seeing it on Broadway during previews and being blown away by the music, the story, the athleticism. The show's a workout, y'all. Oh, my God. I've never seen tire chips flying around the theater more than I've seen in The Outsiders. So you've got to get your tickets and make sure you check it out when it comes here in Detroit. Nolan White is one of these actors. I got beef with him already. I'm going to tell him. Here he is. Nolan White, welcome to the show.

[0:58] Nolan White: Hey.

[0:59] Robert Bannon: Here's my beef, Nolan. I'm so honored and excited that you're here. OK, here's my beef with you. I read your bio. It says you completed one year of school at the University of Michigan, and then you booked the lead in a national tour and go on to be a big old star. What in the world? Congratulations.

[1:16] Nolan White: Thank you very much. Yeah, it came out of nowhere.

[1:24] Nolan White: Came out of nowhere. It was not planned. I just, yeah, I got the opportunity to go to the open call with my mom on a random weekend right after winter break. So just so out of left field. I never could have thought anything like that would ever happen.

[1:40] Robert Bannon: No, for real. Like, it was winter break from school.

[1:46] Nolan White: Yeah. Went to New York City to an open call.

[1:52] Robert Bannon: No appointment from an agent.

[1:54] Nolan White: No, just you online standing outside. I don't know, Pearl, Ripley, Greer, somewhere, Open Jar Studios, somewhere on the audition.

[2:03] Robert Bannon: Pearl Studios.

[2:04] Nolan White: Pearl Studios.

[2:05] Robert Bannon: How long did you wait, Nolan?

[2:12] Nolan White: I think four hours.

[2:13] Robert Bannon: And do you remember what you sang?

[2:19] Nolan White: I sang Broken Halos by Chris Stapleton.

[2:23] Robert Bannon: Yeah. You sang a country song. And then what happened after you? Because usually when I audition back in the day, Nolan, the person sitting there is eating a sandwich on their phone. Then they say, thank you. Next. What happened when you auditioned?

[2:38] Nolan White: Well, it was really, really interesting because it was moving really fast because there were obviously so many people to get through. I couldn't really tell how I did. I was trying not to get in my own head about that because I tend to do that sometimes. So I just tried to focus on the bright side. I thought it went well and I talked a little bit to who I auditioned for and he seemed to really like it. And yeah, I just tried to, you know, be confident in what I put in the room.

[3:04] Robert Bannon: And then you got a callback, I'm assuming.

[3:11] Nolan White: I did. I was back at school. I was making a waffle in the dining hall. And as soon as I look at my phone, as I did my waffle, I'm like, oh my gosh, freaking out.

[3:27] Robert Bannon: So you went back to New York City and had a callback?

[3:32] Nolan White: I did. Yeah.

[3:33] Robert Bannon: And then how was that? And did you only have one callback or were there multiple callbacks? How did it go?

[3:39] Nolan White: I think I had around five. So it was a lot. It was a lot of callbacks, but it was super fun. I got to meet more and more of the creative team every time. And the second time I got to audition for Matt Hinckley, who is our music director, or is the music director on Broadway. And that was a ton of fun. And yeah, you know, eventually I got to meet Donya and Justin and the whole team. And it was just great.

[4:07] Nolan White: Donya Tamer is a brilliant, I mean, incredible director. The directing of this is incredible. Justin choreographed this little face-off. I don't know how you all do what you all do up there on that stage. And that's why people need to get a ticket before we continue on this story, which is incredible. Broadway in Detroit is where you can get your tickets for this run that's coming up. They'll be here at the legendary Fisher Theater. And I can't wait for people to come check it out March 3rd to March 15th. And you're going to have to get your tickets. If you are not in the Detroit area, you're around the country, go to tour.outsidersmusical.com, where you guys are literally going all over the place. You are on the road in Chicago, right down in Iowa, all the way all over to Tennessee, to Grand Rapids, to Washington, DC to literally, the tour goes until April of next year. So it's a whole big giant production and roadshow.

[4:57] Robert Bannon: What was it like to meet the other guys in the show and then to be able to finally put this on its feet and on the road?

[5:02] Nolan White: Oh, incredible. Great question. Well, meeting the other guys for the first time was just incredible because we had met in the audition process for the show. We just didn't know who got what roles. So we didn't even know if we knew the guy who was playing so-and-so. So when I was told that Benel got Johnny, I wasn't told at first. I heard through like other people who like, I knew Corbin got Soda Pop first. And I was like, I immediately texted him. I was like, what's up Soda Pop? He was like, oh, you know Johnny, right? I'm like, what? So we just all connected through stuff and immediately clicked. And yeah, it's been great getting to know them. I love each and every one of them.

[5:55] Nolan White: I love it. Benel, he was in King and I on Broadway and has done Broadway and has done a lot of television work. And a lot of people have done a lot of television and theater work. How's it been for you? This is your first national, like this is the first real like outside of school gig gig. So have there been people who have taken you under the wing, calmed you down? I mean, it's a lot of weight you carry on your shoulders this show.

[6:17] Nolan White: It is. I'm so lucky to have, you know, the most supportive cast ever. And throughout the entire process, they've been really, you know, understanding with like, you know, me figuring things out on the road and like, especially, I think the biggest change is just consistency, you know, like, because I've only ever done a three run, a weekend run of a show. Like I've done three shows and then never touched again. So now we're on show 165. And it's like, it's a whole nother ballgame. But it's honestly, it's so fun to conquer every night and just learn how to, you know, create the same performance, but also, you know, have it live in a different way every night.

[7:15] Robert Bannon: Yes. Awesome. It's awesome. Follow Nolan and his big giant career after this, who knows where he will be on Broadway and television and you just hold on to your hats, everybody at Nolan underscore M underscore white. You made the decision when I was reading about you, and you are originally from Nashville. So country music and music in general is in your blood, I'm sure. And I read that in your spare time, you like writing or playing guitar, etc. What is your musicality? Are you an artist? Are you willing to be a recording artist on the side to what is your dreams here as we take this dream to the road?

[8:47] Nolan White: Oh, man, that's a great question. Thank you. Recording artist, I haven't really gotten to explore that yet. I've done some studio work of them, background vocals for like my uncle, my uncle's a country singer. And for my cousin's songs that he's recorded. But I haven't really explored. I like songwriting. I just typically don't share what I write. It's more just for myself. But I mean, I would love to explore, you know, recording those one day. I like working with other people. So I'm sure I'll meet someone. If I, you know, when I moved back to New York, maybe I'll end up writing a musical one day. Who knows?

[9:33] Robert Bannon: What made you pick musical? Why did you go in this lane as composed as compared to country music or as a songwriter in a different way? Why did you, what hooked you into musical theater life? What show or moment?

[9:44] Nolan White: I was in sixth grade. I had terrible stage fright up until then. But I love to sing in like, you know, my own time. But I saw on the French whiteboard auditions for You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. And I was like, Oh, I know Charlie Brown. So that was my like, way in was like that little bit of familiarity. And I ended up getting Schroeder. And I just, you know, took the leap and audition. And honestly, I can't really, I don't know to this day what compelled me to audition, but something really drew me to it. And I'm so glad that I did, because it worked out. It worked out.

[9:55] Robert Bannon: I'm just that excited, Blake. To, you know, not only share this story with my friends at Michigan, but the, you know, just greater Detroit and Ann Arbor community. Like, I really think everyone's going to really going to love it.

[10:25] Nolan White: Oh, they're showing up for you. I mean, your schoolmates, your professors, I mean, you're going to be on the website for musical theater and University of Michigan in no time because they're going to be so proud and excited for what you accomplished in this short period of time is astonishing. So it's really is congratulations. I have you ever been? You say in your bio that you like ramen and sushi. I love ramen and sushi. Love it. It's the best. Do you have a favorite place like in home in Nashville, in New York, in Michigan?

[11:04] Nolan White: My favorite ramen in the world is, um, it's actually really close to where we rehearsed. In New York, it's called Ippudo. It's right by the Gershwin Theater. It's phenomenal. But then in Ann Arbor, my favorite ramen is Slurping Turtle. It's so good.

[11:30] Robert Bannon: I gotta go to Slurping Turtle. I've never been to Ann Arbor. I've lived in Slurping Turtle when you go to Ann Arbor. Who knows? Well, when you're in Detroit, you could just hop, skip and jump to Johnny Noodle King.

[11:38] Nolan White: That's good, too, in Detroit. And Johnny, like the show.

[11:45] Robert Bannon: Oh, great. Take the cast and come on down and have some noodles in the middle of Detroit. So the show, the physicality of the show, does the show, I'm not trying to give it away because people here may have not never seen it, but you start off the show in a very particular, I'm assuming it's the same on tour as it is. You start the show in a very particular way without giving it away. How do you get into the moment? Is that quiet moment on stage when there's a pre-show, everybody? So get there on time. Do you, do you, does it help you get into the character? Does that time kind of ground you? Is it boring? What are you thinking about? Ramen noodles? What is going through your head while you're sitting there?

[12:18] Nolan White: Honestly, it's different every night, but there is a pre-show when I'm sitting there. You know, I could be thinking something different every night, but that's when I try to go from, you know, Nolan thoughts to Ponyboy thoughts, if that makes sense. I usually think of, you know, just affirmations to tell myself, that's what I usually write in the notebook is like, you got this, you're good enough. Like, don't worry about it. And I always write The Outsiders at the top of the page, like I'm starting the story. So I also think of Susie, Susie Hinton, the author of the book, because we met her and she was just so, so sweet. And I talked to Donya about, you know, just when you're starting the show, think of like, do it for Susie.

Like, this is her, her work, her life. So I always think about that. And there is always a weight of starting the show, but it's, I mean, it's, it's so meaningful every time. Like there hasn't been a single time where it's like, of course, the first time it was really nerve wracking. Like, I was like, I've never been like shaking. I was terrified. But ever since getting that first one out of the way, it's just been like, all right, let's tell this story. Like, the story lives forever. If you have read it, you know, 30 years ago, like me and you're old, or if you've never read it, or you've never seen the movie, or you've never seen the play, now's the time to go.

[13:57] Nolan White: That's starting when you just Tulsa 1960s. That is it like that you get sucked into that show. And then it's a roller coaster. There's like, when I think of the show, when I saw it, I went to press day for Broadway, and we covered the opening and all of that stuff. And then I saw the show. I brought my cousin Adrian, she was crying, crying, crying, and it's emotional roller coaster, because the relationship between Ponyboy and Johnny is so deep to me. And it's so relevant, even though it's so long ago, so many people struggle have issues with family, trying to figure out their place in the world, even though it takes place in 1967. It's it, it makes people today young people today, especially, they see themselves up on that stage every single night. And that's, that's the goal. I mean, that's, if I can bring anyone into the story like that, if all of us can, you know, facilitate that, you know, seeing yourself on stage and the characters, that's why we do theater.

[15:06] Nolan White: Like I remember, my junior year high school, I went and saw Hadestown. And it, it just hit me. And ever since then, I've just been like, how can I give that same experience to even just one person in the audience? So yeah, that's, that's the goal every night. And as you were saying, just like the relationship between Ponyboy and Johnny and this, you know, this idea of chosen family, like you, you don't have to be blood related to be family. Like these, these guys are, this is your family. These are your greasers. Like, these are your, these are your greasers, Johnny and Dallas and Daryl and Soto and your extent, all of them. What an incredible, incredible story. If you want to see, you know, fights and fire and jumping on cars and rolling around on the floor, this is your, this is your show.

[16:01] Robert Bannon: And look, if you, if you or a wife was trying to get your husband or your boyfriend to go to the theater, this is the show for them to go. They will get sucked in and love this theater. This is the date night for everybody out here, no matter who you are, how old you are, you're going to find something you love. It's okay, without giving it away, the rumble scene, how long did it take to learn the rumble?

[16:15] Nolan White: It took, you're going to be surprised by this answer. I think it only took like two days to get the whole thing choreographed, like, and like running at full speed and everything. But that's only because Broadway had done it first and they had it like fully ready and good. We just had to learn it and tweak it a little bit for the, the tour stage. I figure a couple things out, but it's, it's the same rumble. Everything's the same.

[16:41] Nolan White: Everything's the same. Everything's the same. I want to know the secrets of how you tour this show around the country and get all this equipment on a truck and a bus and get it on the crew. It works day and night and it's, it's unreal. We have just, just a phenomenal crew of tech people and they, they work so hard, love each one of them to death. And we, we always talk backstage mid-show and they're just great.

[17:11] Robert Bannon: I'm telling you, it's going to blow. I've never been to a show before where nobody sings, nobody says a word. And there is a ruptured of applause at the end of a scene. Like that rumble, like it's, they don't sing the scene people and there are people screaming and cheering because the athleticism and art that you all put on stage is awe-inspiring. It's an incredible, incredible piece of theater. So I can't wait to see you do it here, out here in Detroit.

[17:38] Nolan White: When you come back to your, I don't know, home away from home, kind of, one of the homes away from home, like second home, second home. How do you, how are you saying, like taking care of your voice and yourself? I know it's a, it's a grind to do this show every single night.

[17:50] Nolan White: Absolutely. Yeah. A lot of, a lot of water every day, a lot of sleep. Um, I'm working with, uh, my voice teacher like almost every week or almost every other week, uh, to just, you know, go through the score and make sure everything's sitting well and, and working and I work on other stuff and I nebulize and steam and, uh, just, I try not to push too hard, um, on days where I'm not really feeling it. And I think, um, I've learned as the tour has gone on to just give myself grace on days where I might not be able to do the high C and I'm like, all right, that's, that's okay. Like, you know, we're, we're human.

[18:33] Robert Bannon: Don't feel bad, Nolan. I've never been able to do a high C. So I'm just more, more things to add to the list of things I'm jealous about. Hold on. It's getting long.

[18:41] Nolan White: So The Outsiders, the best Tony award winning best musical, The Outsiders is coming to Detroit. It's coming all around the entire country. And look, if you click this little QR code, it will take you to The Outsiders website, and you can get the tickets to all across the country all the way until next year. Or you can just go onto broadwayanddetroit.com and get your tickets. They're going to sell out. They're not going to be seats to be had because it's it's show. You got to go see, go, go and then follow Nolan on Instagram so we can stay up to date on all of this incredible adventure and wants to come for you.

[19:11] Robert Bannon: Cause I'm sure this is just the beginning, Nolan. It's just the beginning. Thank you so much.

[19:17] Nolan White: Thanks for having me, please. I'm so excited to have you. I saw your story and I was like, this is an inspiration for people out here who want to do musical theater and people tell you can't do it and it's impossible. And it's possible. You're doing it right now and it's going to inspire a lot of people, Nolan, a lot of people. So congratulations.

[19:33] Nolan White: Thank you.

[19:34] Robert Bannon: I'll see you at the Fisher.

[19:35] Nolan White: See you at the Fisher.