Swados took her idea for a musical with the theme of running away "from home, from a boyfriend, from a predator,... from yourself" to Joseph Papp, who agreed to produce it.

She looked for the children who would be in the musical in various places in New York City, such as a community center, and "little by little, we built a world where runaways came together, told their stories, and acted out the hardships they endured.

In 2007, a re-worked concert version of the show produced by Jamie McGonnigal and directed by Rodney Hicks played at Joe's Pub.

It was performed July 6 to 9, with a cast of 25 young performers between the ages of 12-20: Frenie Acoba, Sumaya Bouhbal, Kenneth Cabral, Maxwell Cabral, Taylor Caldwell, Sophia Anne Caruso, Xavier Casimir, Joshua DeJesus, Adleesa Edwards, Aidan Gemme, Reyna Guerra, Matthew Gumley, Christina Jimenez, Kylie McNeill, Cele Pahucki, Sam Poon, Siena Rafter, Claudia Ramirez, Ren, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Deandre Sevon, Jeremy Shinder, Ripley Sobo, Chris Sumpter and Maxwell Vice.

[9] The New York Times reviewer wrote of the Public Theater production that the show was an "inspired musical collage... [it] takes a harsh and uncompromising look at the world of runaways, but it is written and performed with great compassion."

The music is "disco, salsa, country and western and blues...Not just the songs, but the soliloquies and poems - some of them contributed by members of the cast - are also deeply personal...In all aspects 'Runaways' is a triumph.