“Stay Gold”: Seth Ajani on The Outsiders, Broadway Dreams, and Building a Career One Step at a Time
At just 23 years old and preparing to turn 24 this July, Seth Ajani is already making his mark on one of Broadway’s most acclaimed productions, The Outsiders. A graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, he joined the Tony Award-winning musical after an impressive audition process and now performs eight shows a week while understudying two lead roles.
I met Seth Ajani following the NYC Center Stage event in Fort Lauderdale last month, held as part of the city’s celebrations surrounding IPW, the leading international travel trade marketplace. Thoughtful, grounded, and refreshingly honest, Ajani spoke about his journey from aspiring engineer to Broadway performer, the lessons he has learned from life on the road, and why the message of “Stay Gold” continues to resonate with audiences around the world.
Seth is currently performing with the Outsiders National Tour, making stops in major cities across the US.
You’re at the beginning of what looks like a very exciting career. How did you become part of The Outsiders?
Coming out of school, during our senior year, we do something called a showcase. Our class travels to New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Chicago and performs scenes for casting directors, agents, and managers.
After that showcase, I signed with a manager at Vision Entertainment in New York. My manager got me an audition for The Outsiders. My first audition was in January 2025, and I went through several callbacks before finding out in May that I had booked it. I started rehearsals at the end of July, and the rest is history. I’m still on the road with them, and it’s been phenomenal.
How has this experience shaped you in such a short time?
Doing eight shows a week has really taught me the stamina it takes to be a performer at this level in the industry. I also cover two different roles as an understudy for two of the leads, so I have to be ready to go on at any moment. It has taught me versatility, but also calmness—keeping a cool head and being prepared for anything at any time.
Was Broadway always part of the plan, or did music come first?
When I was younger—in middle school and even early high school—I thought I was going to be an engineer. I didn’t think I’d be an artist at all.
It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I started acting, and by my junior and senior years I realized this was what I wanted to do. I saw my first Broadway show during my senior year of high school—the revival of West Side Story. That was the first time I had ever been on Broadway, and I remember thinking, “Okay, I can see myself living in New York. I can see myself making this part of my life.”
You also have a beautiful singing voice. Is musical theatre your ultimate goal, or could music become a separate career path?
I’ve loved music since I was a kid. I started playing guitar in fifth grade, and later I joined choir in high school.
Interestingly, I didn’t go to school for musical theatre—I studied acting. Television and film are also huge passions of mine. I never expected musical theatre to be the first thing I’d do professionally after college, but I’m overwhelmingly grateful for it.
I absolutely love musicals, and I absolutely love music.
How would you describe The Outsiders to someone who hasn’t seen it yet?
The Outsiders is the story of a young boy, his brothers, and his chosen family as they navigate the challenges that come with growing up poor in a world divided by class.
That class distinction is something people everywhere can relate to, whether they’re on one side of the tracks or the other. The show explores everything that can happen because of those divisions, but it’s also about perseverance. It’s about refusing to let despair take over and finding hope despite difficult circumstances.
As Johnny says, it’s about finding beauty in the fold.
One of the most memorable phrases associated with the story is “Stay Gold.” What does that mean to you?
Johnny and Ponyboy are hiding out after a crime has been committed, and Ponyboy reads Johnny a poem about how beautiful things in life are fleeting.
Later, when Johnny is on his deathbed, his final message to Ponyboy is to “Stay Gold.”
To me, it means resisting the tendency to let life harden you. It means staying bright, staying hopeful, staying youthful in spirit. Our director, Danya, talks a lot about how “staying gold” means remaining open, receptive, and vulnerable. I think those qualities are incredibly important.
Speaking of Danya, how difficult is it for a director to bring together such a large cast and creative team?
It might be difficult for many directors, but it doesn’t seem difficult for Danya. She has an incredible gift for bringing people together around a common goal—not just the actors, but the choreographers, designers, production teams, everyone. She leads in a way that makes you feel like you truly belong and have something valuable to contribute.
I remember having insecurities about being an understudy, and on day one she told us, “You are not here by accident. You are here because you have something we need—something beautiful and unique.” That immediately made all of us feel seen and valued.
Building a career is a process. As someone now performing in the tour of a major Broadway production, what are some of your favorite musicals?
Of the shows currently running, one of my favorites is Hadestown. The music in that show is such a driving force for the story. I think the best musicals are the ones where the story and the music are holding hands rather than fighting each other. Hadestown does that beautifully.
What’s next for you?
I’ll be touring with The Outsiders for a while—at least through the end of September. At the same time, I’m working on my own music and writing songs. I’d love to start putting some of that work out into the world. Right now, though, I’m just seeing where God takes me.
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Strong. Honest. Loving.
Flexibility seems important in such a competitive industry.
Absolutely. It’s important to be flexible and adaptable, especially in a field where so many people are striving for the same opportunities. You have to take things one step at a time and remain open to where the journey leads.
Last question: What makes you happy?
What’s making me happy right now is putting in the work to become the kind of person I want to be—the kind of artist, man, friend, and partner I want to be.
I’m trying really hard not to let life pass me by. It’s easy to get caught up in your phone, your computer, or other people’s lives. I’m trying to focus on what genuinely makes me happy and what makes my heart sing.
Investing time in those things instead of putting them last—that’s bringing me a lot of joy right now.
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