“Stay Gold! Stay Gold?” Ponyboy Cade, exclaimed. WSHS Theater Troupe 513 put on a glowing performance of S.E Hinton’s “The Outsiders” on January 26, 27, and 28.

The play displayed two groups of teenagers at odds facing poverty, death, and grief. The play represented a view on differences straining relationships and creating a bias that makes the world seem not so innocent. 

Westerville South Senior, Samuel Weaver played Randy, an antagonist in the story that helped instigate fights with the greasers.  

“I think the best part of playing Randy was getting to grow with the character and experience his transition to a more open and understanding mentality. I am not used to playing a villain on stage, and Randy gave me the chance to branch out of my comfort zone and be the bad guy for a while,” Weaver said.

According to senior cast member, Mahad Yusuf who played Dallas Winston, the whole cast worked so hard for this show as they started working on it in early December. “We started off with about 3 days of combat training and then dove into the script.” His favorite part about the combat training was playing games with everyone before and after rehearsals.

This performance was a great experience and opportunity for many people, including Yusuf who said his favorite part of the show for him was when Johnny died.  

“It gave me the opportunity to explore emotions I’ve never had to portray on stage, and I definitely grew as an actor because of it,” Yusuf said.

Overall, there are different interpretations of “The Outsiders” and messages that people take away. When asked about his view on the moral of the story Weaver said, “I believe the moral has to do with family ties. Even though many of the greasers aren’t from the same biological families, they’ve forged a strong bond through their shared experiences. They would do anything for each other, while Johnny rejected his own mother’s visit in the hospital. This shows that sometimes you have a chance to choose who you want your family/your support system to be, and that’s a beautiful thing.” 

Yusuf’s interpretation was more of dedication to push through life’s obstacles.

“Perseverance in the face of insurmountable odds and unfavorable circumstances. At times there will be setbacks, but through it, all Ponyboy is taught to stay gold, and trust in the ideal world that exists outside of their many problems.” said Yusuf.

Senior Allison Porta, who watched the show on Saturday, Jan. 29 night said, “I think the moral of the story is that no matter where you come from, no matter how much money you have, or your family situation, everyone has problems of their own and is facing different situations.” 

She thinks of it from the perspective of not knowing everyone’s situation and not judging a book by its cover. 

As a viewer, the performance of “The Outsiders” was truly captivating and breathtaking. The characters seemed to have a sort of bond that made the portrayal of family seamless. 

The main character Ponyboy, played by Senior, Tyler Zwick, especially had so many emotional moments where you as a viewer felt the heartache and saw the sorrow in his eyes. The acting was flawless, making the death scenes even harder to watch.

  There was some hope to see how the production would capture the emotion of  Dallas Winston dying, but it was told to the audience, instead of there being a scene. 

So the scene that stood out the most was when Ponyboy went to visit Johnny Cade, played by Sophomore, Nolan Rough, for the last time. Johnny’s last words were “Stay Gold” giving meaning to the entire story and Ponyboy’s struggle with staying innocent and pure when the weight of the world is always on you. 

The toughness and unforgiving nature of the world can toughen a heart to the point where thoughts are without logic. Staying gold, letting yourself process emotion, is how you remain pure while bearing the weight. 

The set represented a realistic view of the era; the acting along with the costumes and the stage props showed how it was set in the 1950s. Even though it was set in the ‘50s, the outfits worn would represent the style now. The trend of wearing leather jackets, flannels, and Converse are coming back into style now for people in high school. 

The rumble scene was fun to watch, as a viewer. 

Yusuf said, “It gave everyone the chance to have fun with one another. It was a kind of team bonding for the cast.”

The props for the hospital scene were especially well done. When showing Johnny at the hospital, they had a gurney with an IV and the doctors and nurses costumes were realistic. In the scene when the church caught on fire, they used red lights and sound effects to resemble it.

“The Outsiders” provides so much more than the conflict between two groups; it offers morals that different students and viewers can learn from and apply in their own lives. Stay Gold! Don’t let the harshness of the world get to you. Keep your innocence; it’s the only thing that preserves your ability to dream on.