Naomi Weisman is a Canadian-Australian and mother of three who loves to Ramble with her dog, cook for family and friends, and laugh whenever possible.
Some stories arrive in our lives at exactly the right time.
For me, The Outsiders has done that three times—first as a novel, then as a movie, and now as a Broadway musical. Remarkably, each version found me at a different stage of my life, and each one left its own lasting impression.
I've been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a very large, very busy family, you could often find me curled up in a quiet corner with a book. It was as much a way to escape the chaos of my brothers as it was to disappear into the imaginary worlds waiting between the pages.
When I was about 13, I was staying with my siblings and our dad at the cottage over the Christmas holidays. Somehow, I got my hands on The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. I don't remember exactly where it came from, but I do remember that it had become incredibly popular at school, even though it had been published back in 1967—the very year I was born.
What I remember most vividly is staying up almost the entire night reading it. I simply couldn't put it down. By the end, I was sobbing.
At 13, I had never read anything quite like it. It wasn't just a story about rival gangs. It was about friendship, loyalty, grief, identity, and the invisible lines that separate people into "us" and "them."
Looking back, it's even more remarkable knowing that S. E. Hinton began writing the novel when she was just 15 years old and published it at only 18. Somehow, that feels entirely fitting. Only someone living those emotions so recently could capture them with such honesty and authenticity.
Then, in 1983, The Outsiders became a movie. For my friends and me, it was a cultural event. Suddenly, the characters we'd imagined were being played by a cast that would go on to become some of Hollywood's biggest stars—Rob Lowe, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell, Diane Lane, and so many others. We quoted it, talked about it endlessly, and, if I'm being honest, probably developed a few celebrity crushes along the way.
Fast forward to 2026, when a friend surprised me with tickets to The Outsiders musical.
I'll admit, I wasn't entirely convinced that such an iconic story should become a musical. But I walked into the theatre with an open mind.
My mind was open when I arrived.
It was blown wide open by intermission.
The music was extraordinary—a mix of powerful original songs and familiar songs that had been beautifully reimagined to fit the story. The choreography was electrifying, the performances were breathtaking, and the emotion that had captivated me decades earlier somehow felt even more immediate on stage.
As I left the theatre that night, I couldn't stop thinking about how a story written by a teenager nearly sixty years ago continues to resonate with audiences today.
Perhaps that's because, while the hairstyles, clothes, and music have changed, human nature hasn't.
When Hinton wrote The Outsiders, America was deeply divided by race, class, politics, and the Vietnam War. The novel wasn't about those issues directly, but it understood something timeless about people: how easily we separate ourselves into "us" and "them."
Nearly sixty years later, those divisions haven't disappeared. Today they often show up through politics, social media, culture, or ideology. We still judge people by where they come from, what they have, how they vote, or which side they're on.
And yet, the heart of The Outsiders has never really been about the Greasers and the Socs.
It's about recognizing that beneath the labels, we're far more alike than different. We all want to belong. We all want to be understood. We all carry struggles that aren't immediately visible.
And then there's the music.
I've had the Broadway soundtrack on repeat ever since I got home, but one song in particular has stayed with me: "Stay Gold."
The title comes from Robert Frost's poem Nothing Gold Can Stay, which Ponyboy recites in the novel before Johnny later tells him, "Stay gold." Knowing that connection makes those two simple words even more meaningful. They become less a farewell than a hope—that Ponyboy can hold onto his goodness, his compassion, and the part of himself that hasn't been hardened by the world.
To me, that's also the enduring message of The Outsiders.
In a world that so often encourages us to choose sides, judge quickly, and see people through labels, perhaps the greatest act of courage is to remain compassionate. To stay curious. To remember our shared humanity.
I've included a link to the Broadway cast recording below. Even if you never have the chance to see the musical, I hope you'll take a few minutes to listen to "Stay Gold." It's become one of my favourite songs of the year, and I have a feeling you'll understand why.
Some stories don't just stand the test of time—they find new ways to speak to each generation.
The Outsiders has now been a remarkable trifecta in my life: a book that broke my heart as a teenager, a movie that became part of my youth, and now a musical that reminded me why I loved the story in the first place.
Growing older is inevitable.
Losing our empathy isn't.
Stay gold.
Soundtrack: The Outsiders- A New Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
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