Thanks to donor assistance, eight students from Will Rogers High School and Will Rogers Middle School will be traveling to New York to see the musical version of “The Outsiders” on Broadway.
Will Rogers High School is the alma mater of S.E. Hinton, who wrote the classic young adult novel “The Outsiders” when she was a student at the school.
The cast and creative team of the musical visited Tulsa earlier this year. The cast spoke to drama students at the school. A news release said the actors worked with principal Cindy Largent-Williams to create a special event for the students. The special event will include students going to New York to see the musical, which opened April 11.
Based on essays submitted for review, six girls and two boys were chosen to attend.
“For many of these students, this trip is the first time out of the state and on an airplane,” Largent-Williams said. “Because the play’s roots are here in the hallways at Will Rogers, seeing ‘The Outsiders’ on Broadway will be a transformational experience.”
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Students needed funds for travel expenses and for lodging in New York City’s Theatre District. Largent-Williams contacted the Will Rogers High School Community Foundation about the possibility of providing a grant the trip.
The Ron and Carole Woods Foundation donated $5,000. Another “generous” donation was given by the son of Kathy Williams Caswell (class of 1962) in her honor, according to the news release. Dick Risk, former chair of the foundation, agreed to pay for the show tickets through the Will Rogers Stage Foundation, which supports the arts at Rogers High School. The foundation and other contributors have raised $11,500, just $1,000 short of the goal.
The trip is planned May 3-5. The group is accepting donations to fund the remainder of the trip at willrogersfoundation.net.