Go behind the scenes and on stage of "The Outsiders," the Tony Award-winning musical coming to Denver

The Tony Award-winning musical "The Outsiders" is coming to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, bringing the story of friendship, family and rivalry to the stage.

Ahead of the show's Denver run, CBS Colorado's Dillon Thomas traveled to Chicago for an exclusive behind-the-scenes and onstage look at the production at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.

The musical is based on S.E. Hinton's classic novel and follows the Greasers and Socs in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1967.

During the tour, production stage manager Edmond O'Neal showed Thomas some of the production's most recognizable scenic elements, including one of its signature pieces: a vintage greaser car.

The car is designed to transform throughout the show, serving not only as a car but also as a bed and a bench as the story moves between locations.

The tour then moved into the Curtis brothers' home, where a dining table serves as a central part of the set.

"Throughout the show, you'll see some of our more emotional and important storytelling happening right here around this table," O'Neal said.

Another major element of the set is the gravel-covered stage. The production doesn't use actual stone. Instead, rubber EPDM granules are used to recreate the look and feel of a gravel lot while giving performers a surface where they can safely perform the show's choreography and fight scenes eight times a week. That is important, as the show includes simulated rain showers with real water pouring down on the stage from above.

O'Neal said the production's overall look comes from collaboration among the lighting, costume, sound and projection designers, along with the rest of the creative team. The result is a stage designed to transport audiences to Tulsa in 1967.

"The Outsiders" won the Tony Award for Best Musical, among other honors, following its Broadway debut.

Now, the North American tour is heading to Denver from Sept. 8 through Sept. 27.

O'Neal had one final message for Denver audiences before heading backstage to prepare for the night's performance.

"We'll see you soon, Denver, and don't forget to stay gold," O'Neal said.

For more information on tickets visit denvercenter.org/tickets-events/the-outsiders/.

CBS Colorado is a proud partner of the DCPA.