The Warner Robins High School drama department will present “The Outsiders” as their winter production. The play will be performed at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday.

Students started working on the production in mid November. “The Outsiders” is familiar to many as the award-winning movie that included future stars such as Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise and Diane Lane. But Tamara Fisher, drama director at Warner Robins High School, said students nowadays are actually more familiar with the book.

“Many middle-schoolers don’t even know about the movie,” Fisher said. “But the book is read in seventh grade, so they are familiar with the story.”

Fisher chose the play for her students not only because of the familiarity the actors on stage would have with the material but also as a chance to draw younger students to the audience.

“It is really a great play for an opportunity to outreach to middle-schoolers,” Fisher said.

Students from Warner Robins, Huntington and Bonaire middle schools will be invited to a special performance this week.

The two main roles of the story, Johnny and Ponyboy, are both being played by newcomers to the Warner Robins High School stage. Seth Page, a junior will be portraying Ponyboy. Seth is a transfer to Warner Robins High School Michael Christoforo, a freshman, will portray Johnny.

Having a freshman in a lead role is unusual, Fisher said, but Michael had plenty of prior experience.

“Fortunately for us, he had been extremely active in the Huntington theater program with Ms. Slavik, who prepares them so well, so that helps us,” Fisher said.

Fisher believes the story of the group of teenagers in “The Outsiders,” though written and set in the 1960s, has a message that is still very relevant for today’s teenagers.

“The theme is to stay gold,” Fisher said, “as Johnny says to Ponyboy, be sensitive to others and keep your eyes open to the beauty of the world.”

The story of “The Outsiders” also deals with another issue teenagers can relate to: bullying.

“‘The Outsiders’ shows that good always rises over evil and that in the end, bullies do not win,” Fisher said.

Tickets for “The Outsiders” are on sale at the school or available at the door. They are $7 for adults and $5 for students.

Contact Alline Kent at 396-2467 or allinekent@cox.net.