Marcia Milgrom Dodge's poignant pageant of America coming of age at the turn of the 20th Century, Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens and Terrence McNally's Ragtime revival has so many stirring, rousing, and dramatic musical numbers that is soars, soars again, and keeps on soaring for over two and a half hours.
The variety of the Flaherty/Ahrens amazing score is endless - from rousing ragtime to, well, soaring, ballads that will long stay with you.
Ragtime is definitely one of those musicals where you won't forget the music. There are dynamic solos, such as Coalhouse's "Make Them Hear You" and "Coalhouse's Soliloquy"; Mother's heart-wrenching "Back to Before"; and Tateh's tender "Gliding." There are uplifting duets, such as Coalhouse and Sarah's anthem, "The Wheels of a Dream" and playful "Sarah Brown Eyes." There are trios, such as Father, Mother, and Tateh's moving "Journey On."
The show boasts quintets, such as the marvelous "New Music." And there are comic relief numbers such as Evelyn Nesbit, Houdini and Father's colorful "Atlantic City"; not to mention huge company numbers like the showstopping "Ragtime," "Getting Ready Rag," and "Till We Reach that Day."
The one thing all the tunes have in common are beautiful, blended harmonies. As outstanding as Flaherty/Ahrens' Tony and Drama Desk-winning score is, there's another standout Ragtime element: the nearly 30-piece orchestra under musical director James Moore and using William David Brohn's award-winning original orchestrations.
Then there's the 40-member cast all shabbily to magnificently costumed by Santo Loquasto, highlighted by Ron Bohmer as Father; Quentin Earl Darrington as pianist Coalhouse, who develops into a dangerous radical; seemingly ageless Christiane Noll as Mother, and scene-stealer extraordinaire Robert Perkoff as Tateh. Bobby Steggert, who made such an impact with his hijinks in Roundabout's 110 in the Shade revival, reveals the depth of his talent as he goes from shy Younger Brother to an exploding powder keg; and stunningly beautiful and stunning vocalist Stephanie Umoh as Sarah. In main featured roles, there's young master Christopher Cox displaying comic timing way beyond his age as Little Boy (Father and Mother's son); stalwart Donna Migliaccio as Emma Goldman; and tantalizing Savannah Wise in the role of Evelyn Nesbit. And, to the credit of Miss Dodge and Laura Stanczyk Casting, it doesn't stop there but goes on and on.
These actors and their characters weave together the vast and complex stories from E.L. Doctorow's novel. It's a world where not only the comfortable status quo but also everything is on the verge of change. Privileged New Rochelle WASPs, who aren't as thin-skinned as they might at first appear, become entwined in the volatile melting pot of Harlem blacks attempting to overcome rabid bigotry and with Jewish immigrants fulfilling their dream of coming to a new land where anything is possible, especially freedom.
This is the first revival of the musical which originally opened on Broadway in January 1998 and went on to play 834 performances. It won Drama Desk's Outstanding Musical, Score, and Book Awards; and was Tony-nominated for Best Musical, losing to The Lion King; but garnered four Tonys, including Book, Score and Orchestrations.
The sum of Ragtime's parts add up to a masterpiece, a musical pageant that could easily be the definitive American opera. Flaherty and Ahrens, through a 26-year collaboration, have been honored with Tony, DD, Grammy and many other awards but, though it might be possible, it's doubtful they will ever top what they achieved with Ragtime which, forgetting their other work, could stand alone in the annals of show business history as their legacy.
