You may be familiar with the advice, “Stay Gold,” once given by The Outsiders character Johnny Cade. Recently, I watched the Tony Award winning Broadway show, The Outsiders! This musical blew me away because of the incredible soundtrack, production, and characters. The show hit close to home, and it may for many other students, because we read the novel when we were mere 7th graders. The show captured these same emotions we once experienced in 7th grade English class, impactfully through song.
The fight scenes and conflict in the story were executed by utilizing bright lights, and other effects, to make the audience part of the show. Often a bright light signaled someone getting knocked unconscious, or taken impact. Other effects such as backdrops and water made each scene more realistic and powerful, like when a Soc tries to drown Ponyboy. One example of the unique choreography and production was the iconic rumble, following the song “Hopeless War.” The rain falling, “slow motion” dancing, synchronization, and sudden bright lights made the battle more impactful and unlike any other performance.
The original soundtrack, or score, was super impressive and unique because of its’ country twang. I personally think the emotional aspects were most prevalent in the songs “Little Brother,” and “Stay Gold.” The song “Stay Gold,” performed following Johnny Cade’s death, brought my whole family to tears. In the song, Ponyboy reads a letter from Johnny, his best friend, with advice to make the most of his life while he is young, and to stay creative, emphasizing the cruciality of appreciating the gift of life.
Some other songs that stuck with me were “Runs in the Family.” “Throwing in the Towel,” and “Soda’s Letter,” because of their depth and warm, brotherly moments. The actors’ voices were astonishing, specifically for the characters Darrel Curtis (Brent Comer), Sodapop Curtis (Jason Schmidt), and Cherry Valance (Emma Pittman). In my opinion, these voices, especially the voice of Darrel Curtis, added such a depth to the songs and left me singing them again and again.
The cast of The Outsiders put on an incredible show, depicting the severe importance of family and appreciating one’s youth. The characters in the show each individually shined, while still uniting together as one “family.” Watching this show really made me want to rewatch the movie, and re-experience the heartfelt lessons of The Outsiders.
