At the dawn of a new century, everything is changing… and
anything is possible. Set in the volatile melting pot of turn-of-the-century
New York, three distinctly American tales are woven together – that of a
stifled upper-class wife, a determined Jewish immigrant and a daring young
Harlem musician – united by their courage, compassion and belief in the promise
of the future. Together, they confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth
and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair, and what it means to live
in America.
The Tony-winning score is just as diverse as the melting pot
of America itself, drawing upon many musical styles, from the ragtime rhythms
of Harlem and Tin Pan Alley to the klezmer of the Lower East Side, from bold
brass band marches to delicate waltzes, from up-tempo banjo tunes to period
parlor songs and expansive anthems. A truly unique and powerful portrait of
America, Ragtime is sure to inspire actors and audiences
alike!
Written by the award-winning composer/lyricist
team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (Once on This Island, Seussical and Lucky
Stiff), noted playwright Terrence McNally, and based on E.L. Doctorow’s
distinguished novel.
