By Nava Sturm, Staff Writer
When S.E. Hinton first began writing the story that would become The Outsiders, she likely could not have imagined that she would successfully publish it at just 18 years old – let alone that it would become a bestseller and be taught in middle schools across the country. Generations of students have now read the novel, as teachers return to its timeless themes of youthful innocence, changing identity, loyalty, and friendship, messages that the story has taught so many. Now, with the musical adaptation which opened on Broadway last April, The Outsiders takes on a new form.
Hinton’s The Outsiders tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis, a 14-year-old growing up in the divided city of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The city is split into two different gangs – the well-off ‘Socs,’ who have endless opportunities, and the ‘Greasers,’ the kids from the wrong side of the tracks who were dealt a different hand. This class divide is a key theme of the novel, as it greatly impacts Ponybody and his brothers, who are members of the Greasers. The story follows Ponyboy as he confronts the seemingly inevitable reality that he will never escape Tulsa, a place where he will always be considered ‘less than,’ unable to reach the same level of achievement as the Socs. In a Romeo and Juliet-esque turn, Ponyboy falls for Cherry Valance, one of the most popular girls from the Socs, increasing the conflict between the two groups.
Another essential theme of the story is ‘found family,’ as the plot follows the relationship between Ponyboy and his closest friend, Johnny Cade. Johnny’s love for Ponyboy is best captured by his now well-known reference to Robert Frost’s “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” Johnny’s famous line “Stay gold, Ponyboy” encapsulates both their relationship and one of the novel’s key messages.
When I saw The Outsiders: A New Musical this past summer, it had been eight years since I last read the novel in my seventh-grade English class. At its core, the show reflects the novel in its efforts to portray a stirring tale about young kids who want more than what society has told them they could have, even when it feels like the world is against them. Ponyboy, along with other Greasers, sing about this sense of limitation in the powerful song “Great Expectations” (a reference to the Charles Dickens novel of the same name), the same feeling that has struck a chord with generations of kids that have read the novel in middle school. In one stanza of the song, Ponyboy sings that:
I’ve got great expectations
Great expectations
Great expectations
Great expectations
Torn between what is and what could be
It’s hard to write the story
When the story’s writing me
In this song, Ponyboy and his friends remind the viewers of what it can feel like to be a 14-year-old – what it might have felt like for each person in the audience, even if their own life circumstances had been vastly different than that of the characters. While some may find the lyrics overly full of youthful naivete, I’d argue that everyone, at one point or another, has faced the feeling of it being “hard to write the story / when the story’s writing me.”
Following the musical’s Broadway debut, critics had mixed reviews. One commented on how the format of a musical may be too limiting, as some of the songs end up feeling too rushed, forcing the plot to move past important scenes or themes from the novel. Another review stated that the show “packs plenty of heart and soul, but lacks a strong pulse.”
Despite these critiques, the show succeeds on a deeper level through the opportunities it has presented to the cast members themselves. Ten of the actors made their Broadway debut with the show’s opening. All of the actors are incredibly talented (and the cast album is certainly worth a listen), but the soul of the show is undoubtedly shaped by these individuals who have made their Broadway debuts. I would contend that as they are just making their debuts, these actors have a more profound appreciation for the unique experience of being a part of such a show. It wasn’t that long ago that they had not yet achieved their dreams of performing on Broadway, and that yearning for a bigger dream is reflective of Ponyboy and the Greaser’s state of mind in the show.
Therefore, I believe that the wonder of this experience is not lost on these actors, and I believe that in turn, this allows them to bring a greater sensitivity to their performances. I like to imagine that 18-year-old Hinton would have been immensely gratified to know that her novel paved the way for bright, talented young individuals to be given the gift of performing live theater.
Despite varying opinions, the musical clearly succeeds on a technical level. The show won four categories at the Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, Lighting Design, and Sound Design. The award for Lighting Design stands out as particularly well-deserved. You don’t need to be an expert to notice how much the striking lighting impacts the show. This is especially clear in the ‘Rumble’ scene at the end of the show, where the lighting helps bring the viewer into the scene, amplifying the intensity and emotion of the drama unfolding on stage.
If you’ve been a dedicated fan of The Outsiders since middle school, you might take issue with the changes that resulted from this particular adaptation. However, if you are looking for something fun to do, and have the chance to get tickets, it’s certainly worth the watch. The show is meaningful and well done, the actors talented and the music engaging and powerful. It’s worth watching, if only for the longing nostalgia of the deeply moving song “Stay Gold,” in which Johnny delivers his iconic line “Stay gold, Ponyboy.”
Photo Caption: The Outsiders debuted on Broadway in April, 2024
Photo Credit: Ashley Hefner