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`Ragtime’ continues to delight audiences
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Starting this Tuesday, the national tour of “Ragtime” is stopping by the Morrison Center at
Boise State for three nights to showcase their Tony-Award winning performance.
The critically acclaimed musical offers insight into past class struggles in America and gives
levity to the historical dilemma with a vibrant mix of music and theatre.
“Ragtime,” the musical, is a stage adaptation of E.L. Doctorow’s novel of the same name.
The story depicts American life at the turn of the 20th Century, which was both an exciting
and tumultuous time. “Ragtime” mixes fiction with fact by including such historic events as
Admiral Peary’s expedition to the North Pole, the birth of industrialism and the inception of
automobiles and motion pictures.
“Ragtime” is the story of three stereotypical American families: one upper-middle class, one
socialist immigrant Jewish and one Harlem black household. Their lives become
unexpectedly intertwined epitomizing the “melting pot” premise of United States.
Once again, the lines between fiction and fantasy are blurred by the incorporation of real
life characters into the plot. Some of the historical characters include Henry Ford, Harry
Houdini, Evelyn Nesbit and Booker T. Washington.
The musical, adapted for the stage by playwright Terrence McNally, fuses all of these plots
and characters into a spectacle of modern musical theatre, yet realistically renders–like it or
not–American history.
When Doctorow began writing the novel in 1972, he was unclear about the message he
was trying to get across. He admits to having difficulty starting the novel.
“It’s hard to explain the process of writing. All I can say is that it’s like driving a car at
night. You can only see as far as your headlights extend, but you can make the whole trip
that way,” Doctorow said.
One thing he did have in mind was the importance of including the cultural impact of a
collective psychology and anthropology, the impact of journalism and a plot steeped
heavily in American history.
The current “Ragtime” creative team is headed by director Frank Galati and features the
stunning set design of Eugene Lee and the musical styling of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn
Ahrens.
“Ragtime” spans fifteen years from 1900 to 1915, with such timeless hits as “A Bird in a
Gilded Cage,” “In the Good Old Summer Time,” “Meet Me in St. Louis” and “When Irish
Eyed Are Smiling.”
The current cast features Quentin Earl Darrington as Coalhouse Walker Jr., Kenita Miller as
Sarah, Joe Levesque as Tateh, Stevani Alise Weaver as Tateh’s daughter and a host of
other talented performers.
“Ragtime” has won numerous awards and accolades over the years, including USA
Today’s “Best Musical of the Year” in 1996, several Antoinette Perry Awards in 1998 and
a Outer Critics Circle Award for “Outstanding Broadway Musical.”
If You Go:
“Ragtime” is coming to The Morrison Center Nov. 13-15. Showtimes are Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. and a matinee performance on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
Tickets are available at The Morrison Center box office or at all Select-a-Seat locations.
J. Patrick Kelly