Ragtime is a musical with music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and a book by Terrence McNally. It is based on the 1975 novel by E. L. Doctorow.
Set in the early 20th century, Ragtime tells the story of three groups in the United States: African Americans, represented by Coalhouse Walker Jr., a Harlem musician; upper-class suburbanites, represented by Mother, the matriarch of a white upper-class family in New Rochelle, New York; and Eastern European immigrants, represented by Tateh, a Jewish immigrant from Latvia. The show also incorporates historical figures such as Harry Houdini, Evelyn Nesbit, Booker T. Washington, J. P. Morgan, Henry Ford, Stanford White, Harry Kendall Thaw, Admiral Peary, Matthew Henson, and Emma Goldman.
Background Doctorow's 1975 novel was well received, winning the first National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction among other accolades.Lichtenstein, Grace. Grace Lichtenstein Picks Jennifer Egan and Isabel Wilkerson", National Book Critics Circle, November 27, 2013 The book used both fictional and historical characters in a story that treats the serious themes of class and race in America at the beginning of the 20th century. It follows a working class black family, a wealthy white family and an immigrant Jewish family. The character of Coalhouse Walker is based, in turn, on Michael Kohlhaas, a novella by Heinrich von Kleist about a 16th-century working class German, who is persecuted by a wealthy and powerful man, and his unsuccessful efforts to gain justice.Doctorow, E. L., and Morris, Christopher D. (1999) Conversations with E.L. Doctorow University Press of Mississippi. p. 124. Doctorow's tale was adapted as a 1981 film directed by Miloš Forman.
Livent, then led by Garth Drabinsky, acquired the rights to adapt the novel for the stage by 1994; it produced Kiss of The Spider Woman, which premiered in Toronto, Canada, in 1992 before moving to Broadway, and a lavish revival of Show Boat on Broadway in 1994. Livent spared no expense in developing the Broadway-bound Ragtime. It built the Lyric Theatre (originally called the Ford Center for the Performing Arts), to house the musical.Tepper, Jennifer Ashley. "A Complete History of Ragtime, BroadwayWorld, January 18, 2026 Early on, McNally was hired to write the book, but to choose a songwriter or songwriting team, Livent auditioned numerous applicants who were each asked to write four songs within eleven days. These included Jason Robert Brown, Kander and Ebb (who wrote Kiss of the Spiderwoman for Livent), Michael John LaChiusa and Adam Guettel. Livent and McNally selected Ahrens and Flaherty.
Production history
Toronto and Los Angeles The musical premiered in Toronto, opening at the Ford Centre for the Performing Arts (now the Meridian Arts Centre) on December 8, 1996, produced by Livent, and ran for 9 months.Hodges, Andrea (July 12, 1996). "Casting Finalized for Ragtime Leads", Playbill. A concept album, Songs from Ragtime: The Musical, featuring much of the Toronto cast, was released on February 11, 1996. In 1998, it was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
The first US staging was at the Shubert Theatre, Los Angeles, California, in June 1997, starring Marcia Mitzman Gaven, John Dossett, Judy Kaye, Brian Stokes Mitchell, LaChanze, and John Rubinstein.Haithman, Dianne (June 8, 1997). "A Musical to the Tune of $10 Million" Los Angeles Times.Viagas, Robert; Lefkowitz, David (June 16, 1997). "Stars Shine at L.A. Ragtime Premiere June 15", Playbill. Many of these were later in the Broadway cast.
Broadway The original Broadway production began previews on December 26, 1997, and officially opened on January 18, 1998. It was the first production in the newly opened Ford Center for the Performing Arts. It was directed by Frank Galati and choreographed by Graciela Daniele. It featured many of the actors from the Toronto cast, including Mitchell as Coalhouse, Marin Mazzie as Mother, Peter Friedman as Tateh and Audra McDonald as Sarah, all of whom were nominated for Tony Awards, as well as Steven Sutcliffe as Mother's Younger Brother, Judy Kaye as Emma Goldman, Mark Jacoby as Father and Lea Michele as Tateh's daughter. The production was conducted by David Loud. It closed on January 16, 2000, after 834 performances and 27 previews.
Ragtime received mixed reviews, with critics opining that the dazzling physical production (with a $10 million budget, including fireworks and a working Model T automobile) overshadowed problems in the script. Ben Brantley's review in The New York Times was headlined "A diorama with nostalgia rampant."Brantley, Ben (January 19, 1998). "Theater Review; Ragtime: A Diorama With Nostalgia Rampant", The New York Times, retrieved September 3, 2017. It led the 1998 Tony Awards with thirteen nominations, but Disney's The Lion King won as Best Musical. The musical won awards for Best Featured Actress (McDonald), Original Score, Book, and Orchestrations. According to The New York Times, "The chief competition for The Lion King was Ragtime, a lavish musical."Lyman, Rick (June 8, 1998). "Art Wins Best Play in Tonys; Lion King Gets Best Musical", The New York Times, p. A1 The paper also noted that "The season was an artistic success [and] one of the most competitive Tony contests in years"Lyman, Rick (June 5, 1998). "The Broadway Season's Last Hurrah, Live from Radio City Music Hall", The New York Times, p. E1. The expensive Broadway production's financial failure was a factor in Livent's declaring bankruptcy within a year.Mandelbaum, Ken. "The Insider." Broadway.com. Retrieved January 8, 2006. Windeler, Robert (November 5, 1999)."SFX Shutters Ragtime, Ex-Livent Crown Jewel", BackStage." Drabinsky was convicted in 2009 of fraud for activities related to his operation of the company.
On March 26, 2021, Ahrens and Flaherty, joined by Mitchell, McDonald, Friedman, Jacoby, Kaye and Sutcliffe, reunited for a livestream on the web series Stars in the House.
West End Following a concert performance at the Cardiff International Festival of Musical Theatre in 2002 (which was later telecast on BBC Four), the musical was produced in the West End, London, by Sonia Friedman at the Piccadilly Theatre from March 19 to June 14, 2003. It was directed by Stafford Arima and starred Maria Friedman as Mother, for which she won the 2004 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Graham Bickley and Kevyn Morrow starred as Tateh and Coalhouse, respectively, and were both nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical."2004 Oliver Award Winners and Nominations (for 2003 season)" , albemarle.com
Revivals
2009 Broadway A production opened at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, on April 18, 2009, and ran through May 17, 2009, with direction and choreography by Marcia Milgrom Dodge."Ragtime" 3F "Kennedy Center Ragtime Is Aiming for Broadway" It moved to Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre, with previews beginning on October 23, 2009, and an official opening on November 15, 2009. The cast featured Stephanie Umoh (Sarah), Quentin Earl Darrington (Coalhouse), Christiane Noll (Mother), Robert Petkoff (Tateh), Bobby Steggert (Younger Brother), Donna Migliaccio (Emma) and Ron Bohmer (Father). This was the first Broadway revival of any 1990s musical. The production opened to critical acclaim but closed on January 10, 2010, after 28 previews and 65 performances. The large cast and orchestra resulted in a significant weekly running cost, making it difficult to succeed financially. "There ... was apparently not enough of an advance sale to encourage the producers" to keep it open into 2010.Jones, Kenneth (January 10, 2010). Playbill. The production was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Revival of Musical, Best Direction, Best Actress in Musical, and Best Featured Actor in a Musical. One nomination, for costume design, was withdrawn on the basis that the designs were substantially similar to those of a prior production.Healy, Patrick (May 13, 2010). Tony Nomination for Costume Design Withdrawn from Ragtime", The New York Times.Gans, Andrew and Jones, Kenneth (May 4, 2010). "2010 Tony Nominations Announced; Fela! and La Cage Top List", Playbill.
2025 Broadway After an Encores! production at New York City Center in 2024, a revival began previews at the Vivian Beaumont Theater on September 26, 2025, with an official opening on October 16. Directed by Lear deBessonet, with choreography by Ellenore Scott, sets by David Korins and costumes by Linda Cho."Ragtime: Vivian Beaumont Theater", Playbill. Retrieved April 28, 2026 It stars Joshua Henry as Coalhouse, Caissie Levy as Mother, Brandon Uranowitz as Tateh, Colin Donnell as Father, Shaina Taub as Emma, Ben Levi Ross as Younger Brother, Nichelle Lewis as Sarah, Anna Grace Barlow as Evelyn, John Clay III as Booker T. Washington, Rodd Cyrus as Houdini, Allison Blackwell as Sarah's Friend, and Jason Forbach as Henry Ford.Culwell-Block, Logan Lincoln Center Theater's Ragtime Finds Full Cast Playbill, August 21, 2025Culwell-Block, Logan Photos: See Broadway's New Ragtime Revival, Opening October 16 at Lincoln Center Theater Playbill, October 16, 2025 It ran through August 16, 2026.Culwell-Block, Logan. "Tony-Winning Ragtime Ends Broadway Run August 16, Playbill, August 16, 2026 A cast album was released on January 9, 2026.Lynch, Joe. "Watch the New Ragtime Cast’s Recording of the Broadway Classic 'Wheels of a Dream', Billboard, January 8, 2026 The production was nominated for eleven Tony Awards, winning four including Best Revival of a Musical.
The production is set to begin a North American tour in late 2027, with performances beginning in Buffalo, New York.Culwell-Block, Logan. "Lincoln Center Theater Ragtime Will Launch North American Tour in 2027", Playbill, April 29, 2026
Off West End and off-Broadway The Regent's Park Open Air Theatre played a revival of the musical from May 18 to September 8, 2012, directed by Timothy Sheader. The cast featured Claudia Kariuki (Sarah), Rolan Bell (Coalhouse), Rosalie Craig (Mother), John Marquez (Tateh), Harry Hepple (Younger Brother), Tamsin Carroll (Emma) and David Birrell (Father).
The Charing Cross Theatre played a revival of the musical from October 8 until December 10, 2016, directed by Thom Southerland. The actor-musician production featured Earl Carpenter (Father), Anita Louise Combe (Mother), Jonathan Stewart (Younger Brother), Ako Mitchell (Coalhouse), Jennifer Saayeng (Sarah) and Gary Tushaw (Tateh).
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ragtime was at one point the only show in the UK to be playing to live audiences in a production presented by The Arts Educational Schools, London. The musical played in the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Theatre from March 23 to 26, 2021. It was directed by Stephen Whitson, and the cast featured Akmed Junior Khemalai (Coalhouse), Beatrice Penny-Toure (Sarah), Lauren Jones (Mother), Jamie Chatterton (Father) and Benjamin Durham (Tateh).
An Off-Broadway production was staged as the annual gala performance of New York City Center's 2024–25 season. The show ran from October 30 to November 10, 2024. The cast included Joshua Henry as Coalhouse, Caissie Levy as Mother, Brandon Uranowitz (who replaced Dano as Edgar in Toronto) as Tateh, Colin Donnell as Father, Ben Levi Ross as Younger Brother, Shaina Taub as Emma, and Joy Woods, then Joaquina Kalukango,"Tony Winner Joaquina Kalukango, More Join Cast of City Center Ragtime", Playbill then Nichelle Lewis as Sarah. The production was directed by Lear deBessonet.
Regional and international productions