Dan Berry Is Princess No Longer in Broadway’s The Outsiders

Dan Berry has crossed the social divide in The Outsiders on Broadway. The Poughquag, New York native spent his college years in Oklahoma, unaware that one day he’d find himself back in the Sooner State—on a Broadway stage. After two-and-a-half years with the show, the original cast member has traded easy living as Paul for the burdened Darrel Curtis. Berry sat down with Broadway.com Editor-in-Chief Paul Wontorek to talk about finding his footing on Broadway, graduating from “Princess Paul” and why the show’s newest Greasers have him feeling more connected than ever.

Playing Paul offered Berry a memorable introduction to Broadway life. “He’s kind of a princess track,” he says, explaining that the role involves “a little bit less than some of the other players on stage.” His responsibilities extended beyond the Soc side of town to the Curtis family, which he has since been indoctrinated into. “I had to understudy Darrel and Sodapop, so I had my work cut out for me for sure.”

Taking on Darrel full-time has deepened Berry’s appreciation for the eldest Curtis brother. Watching original Broadway cast member Brent Comer in rehearsals, he immediately recognized a character whose responsibilities would resonate beyond the Greasers’ world. “We’re all dealing with the weights of jobs and family and relationships,” he says. “He takes that burden the entire show and you really feel for him. He’s just trying to give Ponyboy the best possible life.”

Getting to Tulsa nearly involved a missed turn. Berry was playing Elvis Presley at North Shore Music Theatre in Massachusetts when he was called back for The Outsiders again. “It was my fifth callback,” he recalls. With limited time off and little confidence he would book the job, he considered skipping the trip to New York. His friends intervened. “You’re going to regret it if you don’t try,” they told him. A few weeks later, he was cast as Paul.

That nudge followed years of learning to trust his own potential. Growing up in upstate New York, Berry first experienced Broadway through Mary Poppins, but his own stage debut was less magical. Cast as John Truitt in a sixth-grade production of Meet Me in St. Louis, he remembers braces and shaky singing. “My dad was like, ‘Keep going, take some voice lessons.’” By high school, roles in Seussical and Heathers helped turn an interest into a possible career. “I love telling stories,” he says.

That love carried him through college in Oklahoma, even before his confidence caught up. “I had a lot of doubt for sure in college,” Berry says. Comparing himself with classmates made auditioning intimidating, and he avoided summer stock opportunities. Still, he kept going. “I just stuck to it and I trusted that it would work out.”

Finding his people has proved just as valuable as finding his confidence. At The Outsiders, director Danya Taymor built a company whose closeness transcends the characters’ divisions. “I think that anyone who's worked on a Danya Taymor production—the Danya Taymor-verse that is continually growing—knows that family and heart and being on the same page is the biggest thing you can do,” Berry says. “Everything else kind of just fits into place.” The newest cast members have renewed that feeling. “They’ve come in with such good energy, trying to bring themselves to the roles and tell a new story.”

That shared energy reaches an audience Berry is inspiring himself. For young performers seeking advice at the stage door, his answer starts with community. “Surround yourself with like-minded creatives and artists,” he says. “I think that is the best way to learn.” His own path has taught him that watching friends work can make all the difference.

Looking ahead, Berry hopes another new character is waiting for him. “I loved originating Princess Paul,” he says. “If I could ever originate another role, that’d be awesome.” There is, however, one existing part that could tempt him away from Tulsa. “If Hadestown ever needs an Orpheus for a few months, I might be that guy.”

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