RAGTIME
In Concert with the Lyric Stage Orchestra
FEBRUARY 17-20, 2022 | Majestic Theatre
Based on E.L. Doctorow's distinguished novel, RAGTIME was written by the composer/lyricist team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (ANASTASIA, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, SEUSSICAL) and noted playwright Terrence McNally. The original Broadway production was nominated for 13 Tony Awards® in 1998, winning 4, including Best Score, Book, and Orchestrations. The production also won both the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical and Best Score.
Set in the volatile melting pot of turn-of-the-century New York, RAGTIME weaves together three distinctly American tales — that of a stifled, upper-class housewife in New Rochelle (“Mother” played by Mary Gilbreath Grim); a daring, young African American ragtime musician (“Coalhouse Walker, Jr.” played by Christiön Draper); and a determined Jewish immigrant father from Latvia (“Tateh” played by Christopher J Deaton). United by their courage, compassion and belief in the promise of the future, together they discover the surprising interconnections of the human heart and confront history's timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair, and what it means to live in America.
THE CAST & CREATIVE TEAM
Lyric Stage’s powerful concert production proudly features an entirely local cast of 30 singer/actors, led by Mary Gilbreath Grim as Mother, Christiön Draper as Coalhouse Walker, Jr., and Christopher J. Deaton as Tateh, plus a live 19-piece orchestra of Dallas-Fort Worth’s finest musicians. Also featured in the cast are Allison Arroyo & Megan Arroyo as Tateh’s Little Girl, Charles Barry as Grandfather, Stephen Bates, Eric Carter, Sydney Cornelius, Jaden Dominique as Sarah, Camden Duyck as Little Boy/Edgar, Claire Greenberg as Brigit, Lucas Haupert, D’Mariel Jones as Matthew Henson, Ausben “King Aus” Jordan II as Booker T. Washington, Megan A. Liles, Laura Lites as Kathleen, Reoni Newsome, Rylan Oaks as Younger Brother, Anthony J. Ortega as Harry Houdini, Colin Phillips as Willie Conklin, Caroline Rivera as Emma Goldman, Nijel Smith, Kylie Stewart as Evelyn Nesbit, Maximilian Swenson, John Tillman as Henry Ford/Charles Whitman, Jéssica Webba as Sarah’s Friend, John Wenzel as Father, Aaron C. White, and James Williams as J.P. Morgan/Admiral Perry.
RAGTIME in Concert is directed by Feleceia Benton Wilson, and choreographed by Kelly McCain, with Ania Lyons serving as the Assistant Choreographer. The 19-piece orchestra is conducted by veteran Music Director Sheilah Vaughn Walker, with Vonda K. Bowling serving as the Associate Music Director. Lighting Design is by Scott Guenther, and Sound Design by Jorge Guerra. Production and Stage Management are by Ashley Schneider, Madeline Collins, and Jenny Dang. Bruce Greer serves as the Music Supervisor for Lyric Stage’s 28th Season, with Miguel Cantu IV serving as the Orchestra Contractor. RAGTIME in Concert is produced by Catherine Carpenter Cox, who serves as Producer, and Lyric Stage Executive Artistic Director Christopher J. Deaton. Lyric Stage Founder Steven Jones serves as the Consulting Producer.
PRODUCTION PROMO VIDEOS
PRODUCTION PHOTOS
REVIEW
ONSTAGENTX BY MARTHA HEIMBERG
Count on Lyric Stage to again bring a Broadway-level musical experience to eager audiences with their stirring production of Ragtime in Concert at the historic Majestic Theatre. Read on, but grab your tickets right away (if not sooner)—the show only runs through February 20th.
From their beginnings in Irving to their more recent move downtown, Lyric Stage has continued to assemble first-rate soloists, singing ensembles and orchestral musicians for their productions. Their fans always expect a great show, and Ragtime, marking the opening of their 28th season after a nearly two-year hiatus, fills the bill—and way more.
In Concert, as the program takes care to explain, means the 19-piece orchestra and 30-member ensemble perform all the music, dialogue, staging and choreography of a traditional production. The only difference is the absence of sets, scenery and period costumes. Here, the gilded Majestic lobby and red-curtained stage are setting enough for this musical based on E. L. Doctorow’s 1975 historical novel set in turn-of-the-century New York.
Ragtime: the Musical, with a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, premiered on Broadway in 1998, and won two Tonys for the glorious songs and ambitious narrative. This modern operetta tells three stories, those of a Harlem musician (reticent, powerful Christion Draper), a wealthy New Rochelle housewife (commanding Mary Gilbreath Grim in barely closeted feminist mode), and a Latvian Jewish immigrant father (terrific tenor Christopher J. Deaton delivers an unfailing Yiddish accent), all crossing paths in fabled melting pot style. They also meet up with Emma Goldman, Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington and other real historical characters in a joyful, violent, poignant, messy—but always resilient—depiction of the American experience.
Director Feleceia Benton Wilson keeps the three-hour show engaging and the complicated plot lines sorted with her tight, multilevel staging and the help of Scott Guenther’s focused, mood-setting lighting design. The superb orchestra, directed by Sheilah Vaughan Walker, fills the middle of the stage, with Associate Musical Director Vonda K. Bowling on piano, playing the haunting “new” ragtime music that reflects the alluring, singular spirit of the times.
Kelly McCain’s inventive swing-dance choreography energizes the show from the big ensemble opening number to the closing reprise of “Wheels of a Dream,” a gorgeous song about fresh hope overcoming violence and doubt that feels especially uplifting in our own scary times.
And everybody’s so good! Still, a couple of special shout-outs are in order. Jaden Dominique, a resounding soprano with star-quality ease and grace, is musical dynamite in “Your Daddy’s Son,” her song about the agony of a poor young black mother deserted by her lover. She and powerful baritone Draper heat up the stage later in their duets, making clear this beautiful lady is his lifetime musical muse, as written and performed.
Grim belts out an expressive “Goodbye, My Love” and “Back to Before,” making us feel the reality of a shattered marriage. Deaton’s struggling Jewish immigrant is strongest in scenes with his little daughter (perky Allison Arroyo on the night we reviewed; she alternates with Megan Arroyo). He ties her to his own wrist, so she won’t go astray in the big city. His rendition of “Gliding,” sung to cheer the child up, builds in tenderness and charm until he convinces us all that a happy ending is just around the corner.
It’s a pity this stunning and poignant production is only up through February 20th. Time’s running out!
RAGTIME DIGITAL PROGRAM
CLICK “+” ICON TO EXPAND OPEN
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Music Stephen Flaherty
Lyrics Lynn Ahrens
Book Terrance McNally
Based on the Novel RAGTIME by E. L. Doctorow
Director Feleceia Benton Wilson
Choreographer Kelly McCain
Associate Choreographer Ania Lyons
Music Director Sheilah Vaughn Walker
Associate Music Director Vonda K. Bowling
Music Supervisor Bruce Greer
Orchestra Contractor Miguel Cantú IV
Lighting Designer Scott Guenther
Sound Designer & Engineer Jorge Guerra
Production Manager Ashley Schneider
Stage Manager Madeline Collins
Assistant Stage Manager / Props Jenny Dang
Producer Catherine Carpenter Cox
Executive Artistic Director Christopher J. Deaton
Founder Steven Jones
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alphabetical by last name
Allison Arroyo Little Girl (Thursday, Saturday)
Megan Arroyo Little Girl (Friday, Sunday)
Charles Barry Grandfather
Stephen Bates Ensemble
Eric Carter Ensemble
Sydney Cornelius Ensemble
Christopher J. Deaton Tateh
Jaden Dominique Sarah
Christiön Draper Coalhouse Walker, Jr.
Camden Duyck Little Boy/Edgar
Mary Gilbreath Grim Mother
Claire Greenberg Ensemble / Brigit
Lucas Haupert Ensemble
D’Mariel Jones Ensemble / Matthew Henson
Ausben “King Aus” Jordan II Booker T. Washington
Megan A. Liles Ensemble
Laura Lites Ensemble / Kathleen
Reoni Newsome Ensemble
Rylan Oaks Younger Brother
Anthony J. Ortega Harry Houdini
Colin Phillips Ensemble / Willie Conklin
Caroline Rivera Emma Goldman
Nijel Smith Ensemble
Kylie Stewart Evelyn Nesbit
Maximilian Swenson Ensemble
John Tillman Ensemble / Henry Ford / Charles S. Whitman
Jéssica Webba Ensemble / Sarah’s Friend
John Wenzel Father
Aaron C. White Ensemble
James Williams Ensemble / Admiral Perry / JP Morgan
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Violin 1 Rachel Bundy
Violin 2 Katrina Glaze
Viola Eric Jones
Cello Brian Seo
Double Bass Justin Kujawski
Guitar / Banjo / Mandolin Maristella Feustle
Flute / Piccolo Julee Kim Walker
Oboe / English Horn Rashaad Calaham
B♭ Clarinet / E♭ Clarinet Christian Gonzalez
Trumpet 1 Brian Walker
Trumpet 2 Matthew Daigle
French Horn Amanda Moskowitz
Trombone Paul Birk
Tuba Keith Packman
Drum Set David Elias
Percussion Blayze Campbell
Keyboard 1 Bruce Greer
Keyboard 2 Jesse Fry
Keyboard 3 Vonda K. Bowling
Keyboard Programming Jesse Fry
Keyboard Rental Trekorda
Percussion Rental DFW Percussion Rentals
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Executive Artistic Director Christopher J. Deaton
Producer Catherine Carpenter Cox
Founder Steven Jones
Resident Music Supervisor Bruce Greer
Accountant & Payroll Gillian Adams
Publicist Katie-Rose Watson
Director of Schmidt & Jones Awards Amy Stevenson
Videographer Burnt Pie Productions
Production Photographer Jamie Brogdon Photography
Artwork Designer Daron Cockerell
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Prologue: Ragtime Company
Goodbye, My Love Mother
Journey On Father, Mother, and Tateh
The Crime of the Century Evelyn Nesbit & Company
What Kind of Woman Mother, Kathleen, Little Boy, Younger Brother
A Shtetl iz Amereke Immigrants
Success Tateh, J.P. Morgan, Harry Houdini, Emma Goldman, & Company
His Name Was Coalhouse Walker Coalhouse & Company
Gettin' Ready Rag Coalhouse & Company
Henry Ford Henry Ford & Company
Nothing Like the City Mother, Edgar, Tateh & Little Girl
Your Daddy's Son Sarah
The Courtship Mother, Younger Brother, Grandfather, Brigit, & Company
New Music Father, Mother, Younger Brother, Coalhouse, Sarah & Company
Wheels of a Dream Coalhouse & Sarah
The Night that Goldman Spoke at Union Square Younger Brother, Emma Goldman & Company
Gliding Tateh
Justice Coalhouse & Company
President Sarah
Till We Reach That Day Sarah's Friend & Company
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Entr'acte Orchestra
Coalhouse's Soliloquy Coalhouse
Coalhouse Demands Coalhouse, Booker T. Washington & Company
What a Game Father, Edgar & Men
New Music (Reprise) Father
Atlantic City Evelyn Nesbit, Harry Houdini & Company
Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc. Tateh
Our Children Mother & Tateh
Sarah Brown Eyes Coalhouse & Sarah
He Wanted to Say Emma Goldman, Younger Brother & Men
Back to Before Mother
Look What You've Done Booker T. Washington & Company
Make Them Hear You Coalhouse
Epilogue: Ragtime / Wheels of a Dream (reprise) Company
CAST HEADSHOTS
ALPHABETICAL BY LAST NAME
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ALLISON ARROYO
as LITTLE GIRL
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MEGAN ARROYO
as LITTLE GIRL
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CHARLES BARRY
as GRANDFATHER
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STEPHEN BATES
as ENSEMBLE / US Father & Willie
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ERIC CARTER
as ENSEMBLE / US Booker & Coalhouse
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SYDNEY CORNELIUS
as ENSEMBLE / US Sarah & Sarah’s Friend
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CHRISTOPHER J. DEATON
as TATEH
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JADEN DOMINIQUE
as SARAH
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CHRISTIÖN DRAPER
as COALHOUSE WALKER, JR.
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CAMDEN DUYCK
as LITTLE BOY (EDGAR)
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MARY GILBREATH GRIM
as MOTHER
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CLAIRE GREENBERG
as ENSEMBLE / BRIGIT / US Emma
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LUCAS HAUPERT
as ENSEMBLE / US Houdini
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D'MARIEL JONES
as ENSEMBLE / HENSON
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AUSBEN "King Aus" JORDAN II
as BOOKER T. WASHINGTON / Ensemble
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MEGAN A. LILES
as ENSEMBLE / US Evelyn & Mother
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LAURA LITES
as ENSEMBLE / KATHLEEN / US Mother & Emma
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REONI NEWSOME
as ENSEMBLE / US Sarah’s Friend
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RYLAN OAKS
as YOUNGER BROTHER
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ANTHONY J. ORTEGA
as HARRY HOUDINI / Ensemble / US Tateh
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COLIN PHILLIPS
as ENSEMBLE / WILLIE CONKLIN / US Tateh
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CAROLINE RIVERA
as EMMA GOLDMAN
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NIJEL SMITH
as ENSEMBLE / US Henson
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KYLIE STEWART
as EVELYN NESBIT / Ensemble
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MAXIMILIAN SWENSON
as ENSEMBLE / US Younger Brother
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JOHN TILLMAN
as ENSEMBLE / HENRY FORD / CHARLES WHITMAN
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JÉSSICA WEBBA
as ENSEMBLE / SARAH’S FRIEND / US Sarah
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JOHN WENZEL
as FATHER
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AARON C. WHITE
as ENSEMBLE / US Ford, Whitman, Perry, Morgan
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JAMES WILLIAMS
as ENSEMBLE / J.P. MORGAN / ADMIRAL PERRY / US Grandfather