Lincoln Center Theater’s sensational new production of the musical Ragtime, which began its renewed life as a Gala produced in 2024 by New York City Center, is a theatrical wonder for the eyes and ears.
The show is based on the 1975 E.L. Doctorow novel, which certainly wasn’t the first historical fiction book, but was one of the most popular and provided a mosaic-like look at American life, intertwining real and fictional characters.
An extraordinary film adaptation was released in 1981, directed by Milos Forman (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), with an Oscar-nominated screenplay by Michael Weller (Hair) and an uncredited Bo Goldman (Shoot the Moon). I am a huge fan of the film, produced by Dino De Laurentiis, which starred James Cagney (in his final screen performance), Mary Steenburgen, Brad Dourif, Howard E. Rollins, Jr. and Elizabeth McGovern—the latter two actors receiving Supporting Oscar nominations. Interesting to note that Robert Altman (Nashville) was originally slated to direct.
In 1998, the musical adaptation, book by Terrence McNally (Master Class), music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, opened on Broadway to mixed reviews. It was nominated for a whopping 13 Tony Awards, winning four and ran for 27 previews and 834 performances. The musical starred Brian Stokes Mitchell, Marin Mazzie and Audra McDonald (copping her third Tony).
Through the years Ragtime has acquired cult status and in 2009 a Broadway revival opened…and closed after 28 previews and 65 performances–grabbing 7 Tony nominations.
This new, scaled-down (in terms of set) revival is directed with a keen flair for both the flashy and intimate by Lear deBessonet (2022 Into the Woods revival).
Ragtime weaves together several stories against the backdrop of the tumultuous early 20th century, specifically focusing on the immigrant and Black experiences, good and terrible.
The show’s Prologue is a visual and aural feast where we meet our main trio as well as each and every other character. The well-to do Mother (Cassie Levy, terrific) lives in a nice home with spoiled-rich Father (Colin Donnell), their young son (Nick Barrington), Grandfather (Tom Nelis), and Mother’s Younger Brother (Ben Levi Ross). Ross is especially exceptional, showing us the many layers of his well-meaning character and his move to the revolutionary.
We also meet Black pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr. (theatrical force Joshua Henry) and the girl he loves, Sarah (Nichelle Lewis). Walker is more than hopeful that he can lead a better life than his ancestors.
And arriving from Latvia is Tateh (the captivating Brandon Uranowitz), who will do anything to feed, clothed and protect his Little Girl (Tabitha Lawing).
Interspersed among the above fictional characters are the great firebrand orator and anarchist Emma Goldman (two-time Tony winner Shaina Taub, who may have found her perfect role type), the great Black leader Booker T. Washington (John Clay III), magician extraordinaire Harry Houdini (Rodd Cyrus, super good) and financial titans, J.P. Morgan (John Rapson) and Henry Ford (Jason Forbach).
Finally we have model/chorus girl/actress Evelyn Nebit (a glorious Anna Grace Barlow), her lover Stanford White (Billy Cohen) and her millionaire husband Harry K. Thaw (Jacob Keith Watson), who would go on to murder White in what was then called the “Crime of the Century”— and it was only 1906!
That’s a lot of characters. And in approximately 10 minutes, deBessonet manages to create a remarkable historical tapestry.
Then the real plot kicks in.
Walker discovers just how insidiously racist most of white America is and it leads him down a dark (but arguably justified) path. In the film, we are able to see Walker’s transformation. Onstage, it seems to happen in between powerhouse numbers.
Tateh suffers horrible injustices and xenophobia, only to be rebirth as…a silent movie director.
Mother has her own journey which involves standing up to her rigid and racist husband.
The entire design team is to be commended from Donald Holder’s lights to Linda Cho’s costumes to Kai Harada’s sound to David Korin’s simple but effective set.
I left this new version with some of the same issues I had when I saw the original Broadway production—which I admired but did not love. I appreciated its investigation into the fallacy known as the American Dream. The onstage voices are spectacular. The music and orchestrations are terrific. But the lyrics are often overly simplistic. And McNally’s book (and I worship McNally) is lacking in nuance and leans too much into the saccharin. The show also does a disservice to certain key characters and stories in deference to the central trio. A prime example is the Nesbit/White/Thaw storyline, a monumental historical moment, here portrayed simply as comic relief. Ditto Houdini. I realize the show is already close to three hours long, but a better balance could have been achieved.
That said this Ragtime is a magnificent experience, thought-provoking and too timely, proving everything old is always new again, the good, bad and the ugly.
Lincoln Center Theater has extend Ragtime at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre through June 14. TICKETS.
