by Sarah Barlow, Poly Prep English Faculty Member 

I was 13 years old when the groundbreaking, career-making film The Outsiders, came out. I can still easily put myself in the seat in the movie theater where I watched it, spellbound, with a group of friends.  We had read the book in school, so I was already smitten with the literary and bighearted protagonist, Ponyboy, his brothers and the rest of the Greasers. I pictured them differently but after the film, I remember thinking that the feeling of the book had successfully been captured and that mattered tremendously. And I never forgot “Stay gold.”

Fast forward (too) many years, and I arrived at Poly Prep in fall of 2024 and found out I will be teaching Grades 6 and 7 and 11 and 12. When I saw that the booklist for Grade 6 included S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders, joy and nostalgia washed over me, while the  book’s impact on both my brother and me flooded back. I spoke to Mr. [Michael] Gentile about the curriculum, and he told me the school had taken the entire class to see The Outsiders: A New Musical on Broadway, I knew we had to go again. After all, up until this February there was nowhere else but New York City, where one could read the book, watch the movie, and also experience the Broadway show.  The students have a chance to learn that a “text” can be a novel, a movie, and a play. They also learn that form and content are inextricably linked; if the form of the text changes, so must the content. We compare and contrast the three forms in our English classes. 

I just heard three students talking about the characters from The Outsiders as they walked by my office; this is an English teacher’s dream. Many students share that this is their new favorite book. One student, Samantha F. ’32, has read the novel four times since the unit began, and has written several poems about her favorite character Dallas Winston. Another has seen the film with his parents and now they have been debating about which of the lead characters’ work is the strongest. Since we attended the musical, several parents are rereading or reading the book and plan to take their kids back to Broadway to see it again.  

Beyond the curricular opportunities such a trip provides are the real world experiences the kids have. When Udochi O. ’32 came running over to me saying, “Ms. Barlow, this is my first time on Broadway and my first time also seeing Times Square!” with his signature mega-watt smile, I was thrilled. Students learn about how to be an audience member, what a play bill is, how the tempo of a production may alter between acts I and II.  They experience the live orchestra working in concert with the singers and the choreography as well as the immersive special effects of the Bernard Jacobs Theatre where there really are no bad seats. The trip also has a pivotal role in introducing them to the importance of the arts and culture. And, building sustained attention for something LIVE unfolding in front of you—including the actors breathing and moving; mistakes handled in the moment; and emotion unfolding without retakes. Attending live theatre helps students develop empathy, sustained attention, and deeper literary understanding. It transforms reading into lived experience and builds community through shared storytelling. NYC theater lets our students see what magic can be created on some of the largest stages in the world. 

I saw the show for the second time this February, and I came away thinking it was even better than the truly excellent rating I’d given it the year before. It is that good. It has won four Tony Awards, including best musical for 2024, two Drama Desk Awards and its cast album earned a Grammy-nomination as well. Go! You will not regret it. And, thank you Poly Prep for taking the whole of Grade 6 for such a memory-making experience that will stay with the kids–and their teachers–for the rest of their lives.

Grade 6 attended the musical adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders on Broadway on Wednesday, February 18. 

Henry D. ’32

“I think going to Broadway was amazing. I already knew the story before I went to the play, but I still cried (a little) while watching it. The acting and singing was spectacular. Other classes should do this too. I think that the musical and the book were both great, but that the book was more moving, and the musical was more exciting. Overall, watching the musical and reading the book were really nice experiences. Each made the other more interesting. And they were extremely fun. Now I can’t wait to watch the movie to compare the three.” 

Alexandra (Sasha) A. ’32

“This year, the sixth graders at Poly got to take a truly magical trip to see The Outsiders on Broadway! I loved the songs because they conveyed a strong message and the actors were so good at singing—they made me cry! Although it got a little chaotic, going there with our school made it even more special, as we could share the experience with our friends. I would strongly recommend this trip for upcoming sixth graders because it will give you the chance to see the book come to life. The special effects and music take you back to Tulsa, 1967!

There were a few notable differences between the book and the show, including removing the part when Pony and Dally end up in the hospital. I think that the producers made this change because they wanted to put more attention on Johnny. I think it would have been better if they kept that scene, because it shows how much the rumble mattered to them—they didn’t care if they’re injured, they still wanted to prove that they could beat the Socs. The musical also couldn’t convey Ponyboy’s thoughts and feelings in the same way the book could.

Overall, the mood and tone is the same in both: sadness, but also finding joy. The message was also similar: find positive in the negative; shine your light; love the life you have. All of this can be found in two simple words: ‘Stay Gold!’”

Samantha F. ’32 

“Going to The Outsiders was an amazing experience. It was so exciting for the entire duration of the show; it kept me on the edge of my seat. The rumble in the rain, as well as the burning church, were two of the most salient parts of the show, specifically because they bring in the elements: real water falling from the ceiling and real fire emitting from the church as it burned, but there were also little details in the show that make it remarkable. Such as when in Dally’s number, ‘Run Run Brother,’ Dally foreshadows the burning church when he sings, ‘Just run through the fire ’cause you’re bound to get burned.’ 

What I found valuable about the opportunity to see the show in person was the happiness it brought me to go there with my peers, and that watching the musical is an overall cathartic experience. I would recommend future classes to go see it because the book itself was didactic, and to see the musical is to experience the message at an even higher level. Now, after seeing the movie, musical, and reading the book, I can contrast them. And how, while remaining in the battle between Socs and Greasers and overall message, each version has a different level of empathy, vibe, tone, and character depth. I think being able to compare all the versions is a valuable learning experience and one that we can only have in New York City. I appreciate the chance to watch because it doesn’t have a happy ending, but it has a good, poignant one with a powerful message about how economic status and appearance affect unborn relationships, which, in turn, harden and break everyone in different and sometimes unseen ways. I am grateful to Poly for this trip to Broadway to see my new favorite book brought to life.

Part of the Dallas Winston Series by Samantha F.

Dallas Winston (2.0)

Dallas Winston
by his parents
left behind
So then at 10
he turned to crime
Thrown in jail
his heart hardened
Then in New York
some lives were bargained
Dally found a gang
found his home
found Johnny Cade
he wasn’t alone
but a stab in the back
and Johnny was gone
And without Johnny
they can’t get along
He couldn’t trust anyone
to love him back
After the burning out
of the pet of the pack
When Johnny died
Dally broke apart
and you can’t live
without a heart
Didn’t die a hero
died a hood
No one knew
but people could
A hateful hero
from the start
But
You can’t live
without a heart

Dallas Winston
Sometimes the toughest are
the most broken
and the hardest to heal
because when they break
they cover
and hide
To prove to themselves
they’re not broken inside