Davidson Day School Gordon Theatre Davidson, NC
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Davidson Day Theatre PRESENTS
The Outsiders by CHRISTOPHER SERGEL Based upon the novel “The Outsiders” by S.E. HINTON Directed by Joanna Gerdy “Nothing Gold Can Stay” From THE POETRY OF ROBERT FROST Edited by Edward Connery Lathem. Copyright 1923, © 1969 by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, copyright 1951 by ROBERT FROST, Reprinted by permission of Henry Holt and Company, Inc. and Jonathan Cape, Limited. “Produced by arrangement with THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS”
THE PLACE: This story comes from Ponyboy’s memories, and takes place in and around: The Curtis brothers’ home The streets, theatres, and parks of Tulsa, OK An abandoned church on top of Jay Mountain, outside Windrixville A hospital THE TIME: The mid 1960s - over the course of roughly one week The Outsiders will be performed with one 15-minute intermission
FROM THE DIRECTOR: Growing up in a small and very blue collar town in western Pennsylvania, I had a limited world view. My dad was a truck driver and my parents owned rural bars frequented by farmers and factory workers. I wouldn’t classify myself as a Greaser, but I definitely had little experience with, or understanding of “the other side of tracks”. I went to public school and didn’t even know private schools existed. So, admittedly, I began my career at Davidson Day School with an inherent bias against what we might classify as “Socs”. I made assumptions about wealth and what I saw as privilege. Throughout my time here, I have come to understand that those perceived differences are just that - perceptions. We are not “Socs” or “Greasers”. We are simply human beings doing the best we can. We might deal with family struggles or personal demons that have nothing to do with which side of town we live on. And…we may possibly enjoy reading classic novels, sharing a meaningful poem with a friend, seeing great movies, lying in the park and looking up at the stars, or…watching sunsets. The Outsiders asks us to hold two truths at once: the divisions are real, and they are not the whole story. Labels make it easier to dismiss someone, even hate them, before learning their name. By experiencing this story through Ponyboy’s memories, we get to see beyond the labels. We are drawn into a world where there is a fierce tenderness: brothers who don't always know how to say they are afraid for one another; friends who stay when staying costs them; people who glimpse, across the divide, a life as beautifully complicated as their own. So what does The Outsiders mean to us in 2026? The labels may be different, and the boundaries may appear on a screen as often as in a hallway, but the questions remain: Who gets to feel safe? Who is seen as trouble before anyone listens? What do we hide beneath the version of ourselves we present to the world? And when belonging feels scarce, how do we protect the people we love?
FROM THE DIRECTOR: I am grateful to this company of artists who have met Ponyboy’s story with courage and discipline. They have trusted one another enough to be vulnerable, to tap into the fears, hopes, and loves that make them fully alive. The Outsiders does not ask us to pretend that the lines between people disappear. It asks whether we can look past them without looking away from what is true. “Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. That’s gold. Keep it that way. It’s a good way to be” To stay gold is not to stay untouched. It is to keep noticing — to remain open to beauty, to another person's fear, to the possibility that the one across the line is so much more than the name we gave them.
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I’ve said it before, and it bears repeating – verbatim – so here it is: My life is richer for the experiences I share with this dedicated, passionate, smart, gifted Davidson Day theatre community. We come together as individuals when we begin work on a theatre production, and during the 225+ hours spent together in rehearsal, we share stories, we test our boundaries, explore our creative capabilities, dig into words and feelings, and work really, really hard. We support each other, cheer our victories, and delight in our shared discoveries. We care about the process, about doing the very best we can, and we give everything we have to make theatre. Sometimes, it is really, really hard; sometimes, we are all really, really tired, and most of the time, we have So. Much. Fun doing this crazy theatre thing. But for all of the stress, the million and one things to remember and finish and fix and make better, it is still the best part of my life, and I am grateful to share in this piece of so many brilliant lives.
CAST P The Greasers PONYBOY CURTIS
*Abbie Barsosky
JOHNNY CADE
Lindy Dennis
DALLAS WINSTON
*Callum McAloon
DARRY CURTIS
Morgan Gilliland
TWO-BIT
Lilly Harvey
SODAPOP CURTIS
Owen Jeppeson
SANDY
Nadia Ervin
STEVE, A GREASER
Daytona Miller
AT THE DRIVE-IN
Nate Cantor, Maddy Cummings, Sydney Jeppesen, Syon Shah
AT THE RUMBLE
Sydney Jeppesen, Quinn Socha The Socs
BOB RANDALL
Adam Robinson
RANDY ANDERSON
Caroline Brooks
CHERRY VALANCE
Quinn Socha
MARCIA
*Ashley Adkins
PAUL HOLDEN
*Zander Felfel
Harold, A SOC
Nate Cantor
Richie, A SOC
Syon Shah
AT THE RUMBLE
*Ashley Adkins, Caroline Brooks, Maddy Cummings, Nadia Ervin
*Class of 2027
CAST P The Community MRS. O'BRIANT
Maddy Cummings
JERRY
Syon Shah
DOCTOR MORSE
Adam Robinson
CHARGE NURSE
Sydney Jeppesen
SHIFT NURSE
Caroline Brooks
ORDERLIES
Nate Cantor, *Zander Felfel
CONCESSION GUY DQ EMPLOYEES
*Zander Felfel *Zander Felfel, Sydney Jeppesen
JOHNNY'S MOTHER
Caroline Brooks
MRS. SYME
Nadia Ervin
*Class of 2027
CAST P Production Director
Joanna Gerdy
Scenic Design
Joanna Gerdy, Debbie Griffith, Ben Griffith
Costume Design
Lane Morris
Lighting Design
Barbara Berry
Sound Design
Joanna Gerdy
Projection Design
**Rob Merryman
Fight Choreographer
Shawnna Pledger
Graphic Design - Posters / Apparel Scenic Art / Painting
**Piper Griffith
Debbie Griffith, Vivian Majewski '28, *Piper Pritchard, *Abbie Barsosky, Lindy Dennis '28, *Zander Felfel, Chloe Maloy, *Callum McAloon
Props Master
Joanna Gerdy
Special Effects Makeup
Lindy Dennis '28
Wardrobe / Dressers
*Katelyn Ray
Master Carpenter
Ben Griffith
'59 Nash Rambler & '65 Mustang Magicians Set Construction Crew
Nate Dennis, Drew Braun
Ben Griffith, Debbie Griffith, **Piper Griffith, Smiresh Shah, Chris Miller
Production Photographer
Laura Woods
Playbill Design
Harper Walters '28
Playbill Shoutout Design
Nadia Ervin '28
Volunteer Coordinators
Sherri Beckman, Holly Paeper, Sejal Shah
Hallway Scenic Design
Erin Socha, Cathleen Gallagher
Cast & Crew Craft Services
Melissa Dennis
Box Office Concessions **Davidson Day Alumni
Caroline Ray Holly Paeper, Rolf Paeper *Class of 2027
WHO'S WHO (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) Cast
*Ashley Adkins
MARCIA
is very happy to be a part of The Outsiders. She worked backstage for Peter Pan and Wendy and loved it! Ashley likes to play volleyball and lacrosse in her free time. She would like to thank her parents for supporting her in trying new things and would also like to thank Ms. Gerdy for considering her to play a part in this production.
*Abbie Barsosky
PONYBOY CURTIS
is thrilled to be a part of The Outsiders. This is Abbie’s 11th production at Davidson Day School. Most recently, she played Jo March in Davidson Day’s performance ensemble production of Women. Abbie’s first Davidson Day Theatre experience was performing The Outsiders in her middle school theatre class. She is over the moon to close out her acting career at Davidson Day with the same show that started it all. Abbie would like to thank Ms. Gerdy, who has shaped her into the person she is today. She would also like to thank her parents for supporting her through every performance, late-night rehearsal, and everything in between. She is incredibly grateful for all the love and support throughout her theatre journey.
WHO'S WHO (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) Caroline Brooks RANDY ANDERSON / JOHNNY’S MOTHER
is very excited and nervous to be part of her first high school show. She has been in lots of shows with Mrs. Griswold, most recently in the Dr. Seuss inspired summer camp production. In her free time, Caroline likes to be creative, play video games, and hang out with her friends. She would like to thank her mom for driving all the way from Concord every day to make sure she gets to rehearsal, and her dad for always being supportive in her acting journey. She would also like to thank Ms. Gerdy for all the effort she puts into these shows to make them fun for actors and audiences alike.
Nate Cantor
HAROLD, A SOC / ORDERLY
is thrilled to be a part of The Outsiders, his third high school production at Davidson Day. He also appeared in Peter Pan and Wendy and Big Fish. In his free time, Nate likes to run and keep it low key. He would like to thank his family for their support. He would also like to thank his fellow cast mates for making every show work, Mrs. Griswold for introducing him to theatre and casting him in Musical Theatre Club productions, and Ms. Gerdy for being the most wonderful director.
WHO'S WHO (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) Maddy Cummings MRS. O'BRIANT / GREASER / SOC
is so excited to be a part of The Outsiders! This is her 4th show with Davidson Day Theatre. Previous roles include Miss Hannigan in Annie, The Wiz in The Wiz in Ozland, and Don Price in last spring’s production of Big Fish. Outside of theatre, she loves playing volleyball for Davidson Day as she was dual rostered this past season. She also enjoys singing, hanging out with her friends, and playing soccer. She would like to thank Sydney for convincing her to audition for this show in the first place because she hadn’t planned to audition. Next, she would like to thank all of her friends/cast mates for making such an amazing environment as well as Ms. Gerdy for an awesome show and for all that she has done for her. Last but not least, Maddy would like to thank her parents for being supportive of her. Even when they knew being a part of 2 teams and a theatre production would be a lot, they still stood by her and helped her through the bad days!
Lindy Dennis
JOHNNY CADE
is ecstatic to be a part of this fall's production of The Outsiders. Lindy has been doing theatre since she was 7 years old; this will be her 16th production and she hopes to pursue theatre in college. This year Lindy is a junior and likes to spend her time watching movies, playing with her cats, & babysitting her nieces and nephews. Lindy would like to thank you for coming to the show and she would like to specifically thank her parents for constantly supporting her, and her director Ms. Gerdy for being a fantastic director and always supporting us whether its day to day or giving notes in rehearsals.
WHO'S WHO (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) Nadia Ervin
SANDY / MRS. SYME / SOC
is thrilled to be a part of The Outsiders! This is her first show onstage at Davidson Day, but has stage managed for The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and worked on the backstage run crew in Once Upon a One More Time. She participates on the tennis and swim teams and helps backstage with the lower and middle school theatre productions. She would like to thank her amazing family for all of their support and also Ms. Gerdy for being a great director!
*Zander Felfel PAUL HOLDEN / ORDERLY / CONCESSION GUY / DQ EMPLOYEE
is ecstatic to be a part of The Outsiders, his first play at Davidson Day. While this is the first production he has been directly involved in (both on and offstage), he has watched several other Davidson Day Theatre performances enthusiastically looking forward to being able to participate in one. In his free time, Zander likes to play pickleball. He is grateful for the opportunity to participate in The Outsiders, both as the production’s stage manager and as a member of the ensemble.
Morgan Gilliland
DARRY CURTIS
is incredibly excited to be a part of The Outsiders! Morgan is a junior and this year marks her third year at Davidson Day. The Outsiders is her fourth show at DDS, including roles in The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Peter Pan & Wendy, and Once Upon a One More Time. Morgan would like to thank her parents, her dog, her sisters, who are always her biggest fans, and the entire cast and crew for bringing this show to life!
WHO'S WHO (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) Lilly Harvey
TWO-BIT
is a freshman and is very excited to partake in this year’s fall play, The Outsiders. This will mark her third show with Davidson Day Theatre’s high school productions, after last year’s Peter Pan and Wendy and Big Fish. She would like to thank her parents for supporting her every step of the way, and her dog, Roxie, (also known as Zalicoup) for her emotional support. She would also like to thank her friends for helping her and always making her laugh!
Owen Jeppeson
SODAPOP CURTIS
is exuberant to be a part of The Outsiders, his third play at Davidson Day. Previously, he ran projections and sound for The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and appeared onstage in Peter Pan and Wendy. In his free time, Owen likes to read and sleep. Owen would like to thank Adam Robinson for being a great friend, as well as Hudson Oliphant and Nate Trifiletti. He would also like to thank Ms. Gerdy for being a terrific director.
Sydney Jeppesen CHARGE NURSE / GREASER / DQ EMPLOYEE
is very excited to be a part of The Outsiders, her first onstage acting experience (though she has been both a follow spot and light board operator for past Davidson Day Theatre productions). In her free time she enjoys playing video games and tennis. She would like to thank her parents and Ms. Gerdy for the opportunity to be a part of this amazing production.
WHO'S WHO (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) *Callum McAloon
DALLAS WINSTON
is very happy to join his friends in the cast of The Outsiders as Dallas Winston. He has been involved in Davidson Day Theatre throughout his high school career, working both onstage and off on a number of productions. Previous onstage appearances include Ensemble in Big Fish; Skylights in Peter Pan and Wendy; Bull, Bryce’s Father, and Neal in The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and Robin in Something Rotten!. He also designed lights for our outdoor production of Mamma Mia!, and worked as Light Board Operator for Mean Girls, Mamma Mia!, Clue, The Last Five Years, Annie, and The Wiz in Ozland. Previously, he served as Assistant Stage Manager and Deck Chief setting, coordinating, rigging, and cleaning up after all the things that went wrong in The Play that Goes Wrong, and designed the graphics for The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Playing the very real Dallas in this production is a huge departure from last fall, when he flew people to Neverland, played a pirate, a crocodile, and the head of the shadow of the Boy who Never Grew Up.
Daytona Miller
STEVE, A GREASER
is very happy to have the chance to act in The Outsiders, her first high school production, 9th play overall, and all time favorite movie. When she doesn’t have stuff going on, she likes to play music and ride her bike to her friends' houses. Daytona would like to thank her mom and dad for taking her to all her weekend rehearsals, and her cousin for always letting her talk about the shows she’s in. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of The Outsiders.
WHO'S WHO (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) Adam Robinson BOB RANDALL / DOCTOR MORSE is a junior and in his 4th year at Davidson Day. He
has been in and enjoyed several of the musicals that he has participated in such as: Something Rotten, Once Upon a One More Time, and Big Fish, and is very excited to perform in his first play. He cannot thank his mom and sister enough for always being there, Ms. Gerdy for her hard work and dedication as she makes sure they get the job done, and lastly his friends; Owen, Wyatt, Luke, Nate, and Hudson for being great friends.
Syon Shah
RICHIE, A SOC / JERRY
is thrilled to be a part of The Outsiders! This is his second high school production, along with several middle school shows. His past productions include Big Fish, Willy Wonka, Matilda, and Aladdin. Syon is a 7th grader who enjoys cross country and tennis. He also loves yo-yoing and, of course, theatre! Syon thanks his mom, dad, and sister for their incredible love and support. He is also grateful to Ms. Gerdy for her decisiveness and directing genius.
Quinn Socha
CHERRY VALANCE
is very excited to take part in our fall 2026 production of The Outsiders! She appeared last year in both the fall play and the musical. Quinn likes to sing, dance, and act in her free time. Her favorite musical is Beauty and the Beast! She would like to thank the other cast members and her fabulous (Shakespeare obsessed) director, Ms. Gerdy!
WHO'S WHO (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) Crew
*Abby Cantor
Light Board Operator
is very excited to be a part of The Outsiders, which is her 3rd production at Davidson Day. She also appeared onstage in The Play That Goes Wrong her freshman year and was the lightboard operator for Big Fish during her junior year. In her free time, Abby likes to take pictures and hang out with her dog. Abby would like to thank her family for always showing up for her, no matter what. She would also like to thank Ms. Gerdy for being an amazing director and for giving her this opportunity to be a part of an incredible performance.
Vivian Majewski
Scenic Art / Painting
a junior, is happy to be involved in her first Davidson Day Theatre production as a member of the scenic art and set painting team. She sends her best to the entire cast and crew of The Outsiders, and hopes you enjoy the show.
*Piper Pritchard
Scenic Art / Painting
is excited to be part of The Outsiders and help bring the show to life by painting the set. She participated in theatre productions throughout middle school and has helped with costumes and sets for a few high school shows. In her free time, Piper enjoys baking and hiking. She would like to thank the Davidson Day theatre community for always providing such a kind and safe space where everyone feels welcome!
WHO'S WHO (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) Milly Ramsey-Pelletier
Backstage Run Crew
is eager to be a part of the backstage run crew for The Outsiders, her first play at Davidson Day. In her free time, Milly likes to hang out with friends and work. She would like to thank Owen Jeppesen for the inspiration for writing the bio. She would also like to thank Ms. Gerdy for being a spectacular director.
*Katelyn Ray Costume Assistant / Wardrobe Supervisor
is thrilled to be part of the costuming team for The Outsiders! Her previous costuming credits include Mamma Mia!, Mean Girls, The Play That Goes Wrong, and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. You may have also seen her onstage in Something Rotten!, Once Upon a One More Time, and Big Fish. She would like to thank Lane for being an incredible role model and opening her eyes to the magical world of costuming, Ms. G for reminding her to always listen to the song inside herself, and the amazing cast for making this experience one to remember. She hopes you love this show as much as she has loved being a part of it! And remember, no matter which side of town you're from, stay gold!
Cole Zezutek
Projection / Sound Technician
is particularly jubilant to join the theatrical production of The Outsiders. He is just the sound guy. It is the first production he has participated in at Davidson Day School. In his free time, Cole likes to do leatherwork and go antiquing. Cole is exuberant to thank Owen Jeppesen for his assistance in the entire theatre program, and thanks to Ms. Gerdy for being a great director.
RECOGNITION SPECIAL THANKS TO: Ben and Debbie Griffith for being absolutely genius members of this team, for always saying Yes, for building, clearing, cleaning, supporting, scenic PAINTING (!) and generally instilling calm into what tends to be an often chaotic process – I am forever in awe of your incredible talents and willingness to help us make our theatre dreams a reality. I am so grateful for you both; Barbara Berry for illuminating this story with her brilliant lighting design; we are so happy to be able to bask in the glow she (literally) creates; Lane Morris for intuiting what is going to make the actors “become” the people who live in these stories, for years of designing remarkable costumes with creativity and ingenuity, for even more years of friendship, and for understanding how it all happens; Shawnna Pledger for fighting with us, literally, and for helping us create a rumble that exists in a memory. Rob Merryman, one of two Davidson Day alumni who has returned to offer his technological and troubleshooting prowess as Projection Designer and QLab master; Sherri Beckman and Holly Paeper for shouldering the huge responsibility of coordinating so many aspects of the production you wouldn’t know about – I would be unable to do what I do without them! Sejal Shah for agreeing to join our crazy company of creators and handling so much so fast! Holly and Rolf Paeper for also curating and donating our show-themed concessions for countless productions; Sherri Beckman for staying on the team to help with the transition of responsibilities - show apparel coordinator, rock painting coordinator, and all-around kind and heart-centered supporter of all of us; Nate Dennis and Drew Braun for finding, hauling, cutting apart and brilliantly, if not magically putting back together not one, but two vintage cars that do onstage exactly what they did in my imagination - I am in awe and filled with gratitude for you guys and your fun, positive approach to bringing my weirdo theatre kid ideas to life;
RECOGNITION Melissa Dennis for organizing all of the cast dinners; Rolf Paeper for managing the box office; Erin Socha and Cathleen Gallagher for their artful design of the Cast and Crew Head Shot wall; Smiresh Shah and Chris Miller for volunteering their set construction talents; Piper Griffith for reuniting with the Davidson Day Theatre community, bringing her graphic artistry to the production; Laura Woods for sharing her masterful photography talents and joining our team as Production Photographer; Piper Pritchard and Vivian Majewski for their help with scenic painting; Nadia Ervin for her spot-on Shout Out designs; Callum McAloon, Abbie Barsosky, Lindy Dennis, Zander Felfel, and Chloe Maloy for stepping in to help behind the scenes with whatever we needed almost whenever we needed (oh…painting…and the sanding and the sanding!); Zander Felfel for taking on a brand new role as Stage Manager, then agreeing to also perform in the show. You have been a wonderful addition to our team and I have loved working with you!; Central Piedmont Community College for the gurney and siren loan, Old Courthouse Theatre & Dominic Barsi for loaning us the gorgeous antique stained glass windows; Jackie Hohenstein for assistance with props; Megan Gray and Addison Lanter for marketing DDS Theatre, Lisa Thomas and Suzette Watson for listening, understanding, and helping us finance DDS Theatre, Catherine Glass and Chris Turner for their arts/athletic team spirit; Davidson Day School staff, faculty, and Board of Directors for supporting live theatre, and an INCREDIBLY supportive, enthusiastic and willing band of parents who are helping to create a vibrant, professional theatre scene at Davidson Day.
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