Ragtime Review

“And there was music playing, catching a nation in its prime, beggar and millionaire, everyone everywhere, moving to the ragtime.” 

The first word that comes to mind when discussing this musical is “powerful.” This show is powerful in its scope, musical stylings, voices, performances, and story. 

Ragtime is hailed as one of the greatest musicals of all time. I was supposed to see it on Broadway when I was sixteen, but sadly, the show closed the week before the trip. 15 years later, a revival was staged at New York City Center, which I also missed. This is a difficult show for community and school theaters to do, so it felt like the universe was telling me “you’ll never see Ragtime. Get over it.” Imagine my excitement when the New York City Center revival announced a transfer to the famous Lincoln Center Theater with most of the original NYCC cast. 

I was not sure what to expect from this show. I knew that it was a story of immigrants, racism, and an examination of class during turn of the century America. I also knew the opening song, which features a giant ensemble singing together. I’d heard stories of grand sets, outstanding music, and gorgeous costumes, so I had high expectations not just for the production itself, but for the performances as well. Ragtime alumni include the likes of Stephanie Mills, Lea Michelle, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Audra McDonald, so I was ready for some strong, belty vocals.

I'd seen the 1990 Tony’s performance, and I have to wonder if my opinion on this show would have been swayed had I seen the more grand Broadway revival in 2009. Would that revival have been as profound and interesting to 16 year old Emily? Would I have even seen this version had I seen the revival, knowing how minimal it was?

I knew maybe three minutes into the overture that I was about to see something very special. This show feels like a modern day American version of Les Miserables, in both its epic story and in its musical stylings. I am happy to report that the performances were strong, utterly mesmerizing, and with absolutely breathtaking vocals, some of which were so moving that they moved me and the friend I was with to tears. We weren’t prepared for how unfortunately timely this show would be.

When I heard about this show, I was expecting big bombastic numbers, and while the music is so beautiful, it is 95% ballads. There’s nothing wrong with ballads, but give me an upbeat song every few numbers as a palette cleanser. Songs like “The Getting Ready Rag” were joyous and fun; if only there were more numbers similar to it. One cannot talk about the score without mentioning the opening number, the title song. The slow build to the reveal of that giant ensemble is just strikingly done. I’ve never cried at an opening number until this one. I also enjoyed hearing the opening notes to the show as a recurring musical motif. 

The sets are minimal, but are apparently a step up from the NYCC production, which is set up more like a staged concert. There are moments, such as during “Wheels of a Dream” and “Your Daddy’s Son,” where the stage is basically bare, though there are some basic pieces to help differentiate locations. There are also rotating and elevating elements, but nothing overly impressive. Perhaps the stage at the Beaumont isn’t designed for that? My friend was disappointed, though I suppose I’m more used to minimalism.

The costumes in this show are gorgeous and definitely make up for the disappointing sets. Everything is period accurate, beautiful, and dreamy. Even the costumes for the poor Jewish immigrants have a dreamy quality to them, reflecting the immigrants’ status as the story’s dreamers.

My absolute standout, as well as many others’, was the transcendent and moving Joshua Henry as Coalhouse Walker, an African American pianist living in Harlem. The American Theater Wing is likely already engraving his Tony Award, because no other eligible performance I've seen this season has quite moved, shocked, and shaken me like Henry’s. His interpretation of Coalhouse’s big number “Make Them Hear You” is goosebump-inducing and marks the high point of the show; it may be one of the greatest things I've ever heard performed on a Broadway stage. I’d go as far to say that Henry’s performance is superior to that of the legendary Brian Stokes Mitchell. I’m not normally a crier, but “Make Them Hear You" had me in tears.

Brandon Urnanowitz plays “Tateh” with grit, passion, determination, and a little sweetness, especially in his scenes with his daughter. Many have reported that he grew into this role and became even better after his run at NYCC. While I cannot speak to his growth, his performance is incredibly poignant and speaks to the immigrant experience. He had a very beautiful song alongside the actress who played his little girl that made me swoon. His tenderness towards her was so sweet. I also loved Tateh’s slow burn romance with Mother. I had a feeling very early on that there was going to be a love story between these two and the payoff was very satisfying. 

Shauna Taub plays Emma Goldman in a performance that felt reminiscent of her role in Suffs. Still, she was exciting and electric, with speeches that were full of passion and anger. You can tell how much love she brings to the role and how much she cares about the material. 

Cassie Levy plays Mother, whose arc was my favorite. It was always very exciting when she was on stage. Mother is the embodiment of maternal instinct and pure love, willing to take care of lower class people simply because it is the right thing to do, despite the racist objections from her affluent community. Her growth from a shallow wallflower to a strong independent woman unafraid to speak her mind was beautiful. 

Alongside Levy was Collin Donell as Father, the perfect foil to Levy’s Mother. Where Mother is accepting and kind, Father is more realistic and harsh; where Mother is open-minded, Father is close-minded and influenced by those around him; Mother accepts everyone, Father scoffs at middle and lower class individuals. This makes his final scene with Coalhouse feel genuinely tragic and moving, as Father was a good person who just needed to open his mind a little. If only it had happened sooner. 

I liked Ben Levi Ross as Mother’s younger brother. I initially thought he was going to be the weak link, but he grew on me when he joined the socialist movement and stood up to Father. I wish he had more belt moments like his co-stars, because he was great in Dear Evan Hansen, where he really showed off his belt. However, I did not care for his bit with the burlesque singer. It didn’t feel like it added any depth to the story and her actions towards him were mean-spirited. 

I would have liked to have seen more of the real world figures like Henry Ford and Harry Houdini. There was great potential for pro-union anti-capitalism messages, especially with Henry Ford. I have to wonder how this show would fare if it were set in a different time period or with different races and ethnicities in the spotlight, such as showcasing the Hispanic or LGBTQ experience directly before or after Trump's first inauguration, or showing the experiences of Arab Americans after 9/11. At its core, this is an American story about the American experience from different social classes and cultures in New York City, which I see every time I'm there. 

This is a very heavy, sad, and grounding show. There is death, violence, racism, and some genuinely gasp-inducing, horrific moments, leading to bleak conclusions. Children are orphaned and bad people get away with worse acts. However, this is a very important show, and we need to do everything we can to make sure shows like Ragtime stick around, especially in today's political climate. We need to do everything we can to make sure that the marginalized communities it examines are able to see it as well. 

Overall, this was a thrilling night of theater that left me and my friend shaken, and it led to many deep and thoughtful discussions on the subway ride back to the hotel. I urge anyone who can see this show to get themselves a seat. I am so glad I saw this and that my friend was willing to sit through it for me.