Seeing The Outsiders on Broadway was quickly one of the best nights of my life. Suppose you don’t know what The Outsiders is. In that case, it is an emotional story about the character Ponyboy. It follows his struggles as he experiences the violence and tension between two groups (his group, the Greasers, and the other group, the Socs). It encapsulates how hardships can bring people together and how it can also tear them apart. I will be writing about my experience and how it made me feel seeing this show.
After seeing this show, I have no words yet a million words I could say about it. I have been obsessed with this show for months, but it wasn’t until recently that I saw it. Growing up, I always loved musical theater and music in general. I took voice lessons throughout middle and high school because I love singing. It has been vital in getting me through hard times and the good times. After high school, I felt lost because I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue with voice lessons in college, and I didn’t think joining some club or acapella group was for me. This summer, all of this changed because The Outsiders helped me find my passion again.Â
THE MUSIC melts my heart
The music in this show is one of a kind. Before seeing the show, I had memorized the album, but listening to this music live gave me actual chills because it fits perfectly with the storyline. Watching and listening makes you feel like you are on stage with the actors and live this story in real-time. I had to remind myself not to sing because it was not a concert, even though I wanted to sing along with them. My favorite song on the album would have to be “Deaths at My Door” because it is absolutely beautiful. It’s a song that encapsulates the friendship between Ponyboy and Johnny Cade, and I think everyone who listens to this song could think of at least one person. While it might not be the exact situation that they are in when this song is sung, I know, at least for me, that it reminds me of my best friend because even when things get hard, she will never be alone. During the show, this song was one of the many moments that I cried because it really touched my heart, and the actors Sky Dakota Lynch and Trevor Wayne sang it perfectly; their harmony still plays in my head.Â
the realness of family struggle
A significant character plot of the show is the Curtis brothers. Ponyboy (the main character) has two brothers, Soda Pop and Daryl. Soda Pop is the goofy, loving, kind-hearted brother, and Daryl is the more serious brother because he had to take a fatherly role due to their parents dying in an accident around 8 months before this story takes place. This accident caused their relationships to change, which is what we see throughout the show. The Curtis brothers will pull on your heartstrings, and by the end of the show, I was in tears because it was such an emotional situation. I won’t spoil anything, but there is this part of the show where Ponyboy ends up on his knees crying, and Soda just comes up behind him and hugs him. At this moment, you see Ponyboy leaning into that hug, and I swear I felt right there next to them. We have all had those moments where you are just crying so hard that you need to lean on someone else, and they did a fantastic job creating a scene that could be felt throughout the theater. Also, at the end of the show, there is a moment where we finally see the brotherly love shine through, and it made me think about how much I love my siblings, but I don’t think I tell them enough. Even if I don’t talk to them daily, I have many people who love me, and I could call if I needed anything. I have siblings I can lean on if I need support, and I will do anything for them.Â
Chosen Family
The last piece of the show I want to discuss is the character Dallas Winston, played by Joshua Boone. Dally is like an older brother to Ponyboy and Johnny Cade. His character is a perfect example of how blood doesn’t make you family with people, and there are some people we choose to be our family. Towards the end of the musical, there is a moment where we see how much the boys mean to Dally, and it is heart-wrenching to watch. Throughout the show, I cried multiple times but was fighting back sobs this time because it was so incredibly done. Joshua Boone is an incredible actor.Â
At the show’s end, I was lucky enough to meet some of the cast at the stage door and did my best to keep my cool. The actors I had the chance to meet were Emma Pittman (Cherry Valance), Brent Comer (Daryl Curtis), Joshua Boone (Dallas Winston), Trevor Wayne (Ponyboy aka the picture located above), Sky Dakota Lynch (Johnny Cade), and Kevin William Paul (Bob). They are all such sweet and kind people, and meeting them was an absolute joy. I have been following them on social media for months, so I have been fangirling very hard. Emma Pittman has an excellent YouTube series called Call Me Emma, and I watch her videos weekly. She gives us a behind-the-scenes look into the outsiders, and it’s so incredibly cool to see and learn how Broadway works. Being able to tell all the cast members who took the time to come outside how wonderful they were was a fantastic experience, and I am so happy I got to do that.Â
While I may consider myself the Outsiders #1 fan, I encourage everyone to listen to the soundtrack, it’s available on all streaming platforms, I believe. If not, see it if you have the chance. I plan to see this show as many times as I can. It’s an experience, and this cast brings so much to the performance. It reminds you to lean on loved ones and that you are not alone. Life can be challenging, but there is so much good in the world for which to live. As Johnny Cade said, Stay Gold!