Escape Into the World of The Outsiders
Blog By: Abigail Zwahlen
It was an exhilarating night to be an Ambassador! Not only was it the opening night of Tony award-winning musical The Outsiders, but it was also DPAC’s seventeenth birthday celebration! The lobby was absolutely electric with guests dressed in their best leather jackets and Outsiders merch, all posing for pictures with DPAC’s birthday balloons. DPAC gave away pins that represented the Greasers and Socs, the two rival gangs of the show, and guests wore them with pride. One lucky guest even won tickets to Hamilton! The whole lobby burst into applause!
I was ecstatic to be right in the middle of the action at playbill distribution, helping hand out hundreds of programs. A handful of guests personally knew the actors on stage, and were so excited to see their friend or family member’s name in print! I loved getting to see the excitement on everyone’s faces as they eagerly looked through the program. Every staff member at DPAC is essential to creating magical experiences for the guests. So next time you get handed a playbill, make sure you give them a big thank you!
With our signature DPAC soft pretzels in hand, my fellow ambassadors and I filed into our seats. We gasped when Ponyboy walked through the audience, only a few feet away from us, and were quickly swept away to Tulsa by the roaring music, unique set, and thrilling story. For many students, The Outsiders is required reading. However, not many people know that the author, S.E. Hinton, wrote the book while in high school. She believed that there were very few books that truly portrayed what being a teenager was like, drawing from her experiences with abuse, gang warfare at her school, and growing up in a rural town. The musical felt like watching an action film, with Ponyboy narrating in the middle of fights, gravel and rain flying into the audience. This was all true to the gritty heart of the book so many people have fallen in love with. This lucid, raw story perfectly translated to the stage, and I constantly found myself on the edge of my seat with my jaw on the ground.
One theme I especially connected with was escapism through entertainment. I am very fortunate to have a life different from Ponyboy and Hinton, but I still turn to movies, books, and musicals when I am struggling. Musicals are especially powerful. The chance to connect with characters in the intimate setting of the theater is so unique. The show was truly an escape for me, offering a glimpse into a life different from my own.
When I finally stepped out into the Christmas lights strung along the street, I had two things on my mind: how lucky I was to see such an incredible show and how grateful I was that DPAC fosters these magical experiences!
