MUSICAL MAYHEM: MY TOP TWENTY-FIVE MUSICALS – Part 17b THE TOP TEN – #2 NOTE: Due to the length of this entry, I'm dividing it into two parts. This is part two of two.

MUSICAL MAYHEM: MY TOP TWENTY-FIVE MUSICALS – Part 17b

THE TOP TEN – #2

NOTE: Due to the length of this entry, I'm dividing it into two parts. This is part two of two.

Livent's demise may have meant the end of lavishly expensive productions of the epic Ragtime, but the show's legacy had only just begun with the arrival of outstanding productions that were more modest in scope, but overflowing with passion and heart. 

– Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ

June, 2005. Based on director Stafford Arima's pared-down 2003 London production, Paper Mill's Ragtime may not have been Livent-big, but the loss of bells and whistles made the show more accessible and more powerful. The set was elegantly functional, a series of frosted glass panels, topped by a slanted scrim and a catwalk. It was deceptively simple and it worked beautifully. The nineteen-piece orchestra played the glorious score to perfection, and Arima populated his show with an superlative cast of first-rate actors, lead by Quentin Earl Darrington as Coalhouse and a luminous Rachel York as Mother, who nailed every note of Mother's journey. Betsy Wolfe was a totally delightful Evelyn Nesbitt, even if she didn't get a swing to swing on. Kenita R. Miller was a heartbreaking Sarah. On a par with the original Toronto production, this was memorable in every way. We adored it. – at the Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ

– Neil Simon Theatre, New York

Wow. Just wow! The amazing set.

December, 2009. When the curtain rose at the Neil Simon Theatre, the audience burst into sustained applause at the opening tableau that greeted them. And rightly so, for Derek McLane's soaring set, with the cast members posed on all the levels, was a sight to behold. Like the earlier Paper Mill production, director Marcia Milgrom Dodge brought her critically-acclaimed Kennedy Center production to Broadway and focused on Terrence McNally's book and the characters he developed, with the glorious Flaherty and Ahrens score played by 28 talented men and women in the pit, making this Ragtime a feast for the ears. With solid performances by Quentin Earl Darrington, reprising his Paper Mill role, Christiane Noll, the only good thing about the mediocre Jekyll and Hyde of years past, as Mother, Ron Bohmer as Father, Stephanie Umoh as Sarah, Christopher Cox and Sarah Rosenthal as The Little Boy and The Little Girl, and a simply compelling Bobby Steggert as Younger Brother, this cast hit all the right notes and then some. From the sixth row of the orchestra, everything was up close and personal. This was a truly lovely revival of this incredible musical, full of sensitive and subtle touches that brought out this musical's innate beauty. Sadly and inexplicitly, however, it failed to find an audience, struggled for its entire run at the box office, and closed after a sinfully brief run of 28 previews and 65 performances.

Marketing Fail:  Jan Nargi, of JMN Entertainment, wrote an interesting article shortly after this revival closed suggesting that an uninspiring marketing campaign failed to excite interest in the show, resulting in failure to get people to the box office. Among the points brought up was the lack of promoting the show's pedigree, its many awards won, its failure to make the show a "must see." Nargi also felt the marketing folks were too busy focusing on the big ticket issues the show touches on rather than focusing on the three very human stories that make up the heart of Ragtime. Nargi also had issues with the show's slogan, "Their Time. Our Time. Ragtime.," asking what does all that mean? A very valid point in my opinion. Also suggested was the lack of star power that just didn't spell box office and a return to Broadway after too short a time. Here's the link if you'd care to read it. I found the article fascinating. http://jmnpublications.com/blog/2010/01/marketing_didnt_give_ragtime_i.html

– Drury Lane Theatre, Oakbrook Terrace, IL

May, 2010. Quentin Earl Darrington was once again playing Coalhouse in Drury Lane's expensive, elegant, and evocative production of Ragtime. With pitch-perfect direction by the late Rachel Rockwell, this lovely staging hit all the emotional notes, gave us all the humor, and offered its audiences a stunning rendition of that sensational score (I counted 23 musicians in the pit!). Loaded with top Chicago Equity talent, this Ragtime soared and touched the heart. In addition to Darrington, the cast included Chicago favorites Larry Adams (Father) and Catherine Lord (Emma Goldman), Mark David Kaplan (Tateh), Max Quinlan (Younger Brother), Valisia LeKae (Sarah), Stev Tovar (Houdini), James Earl Jones II (Booker T. Washington), a seriously good Summer Naomi Smart (Evelyn Nesbitt), and, last, but most certainly not least, an incandescent Cory Goodrich as Mother, who simply dazzled when, alone on the stage, she conquered us all with "Back to Before." Absolutely first-rate!. – at the Drury Lane Theatre, Oakbrook Terrace, IL

– Avery Fisher Hall, New York

The Lincoln Center stop on the 1 train.

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February, 2013.  This was a one-night only event that was not to be missed. And I'm so glad we didn't! A 36-piece orchestra; a chorus of over 100 comprised of Broadway Equity talent and amateur singers from across the country; a cast that included, in alpha order, Michael Arden, Phillip Boykin, Kerry Butler, Matt Cavenaugh, Lilla Crawford, Tyne Daly, Jarrod Emick, Manoel Felciano, Lewis Grosso, Dick Latessa, Norm Lewis, Jose Llana, Michael McCormick, Howard McGillin, Patina Miller, Lea Salonga and NaTasha Yvette Williams, and a completely sold out house.  It was insane!  And wonderful!  And a memory that I will cherish.  Top honors go to Lea Salonga as Mother who's perfectly sung "Back to Before" was rewarded with a thunderous ovation that rocked Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall.  Other top kudos to Michael Arden's Younger Brother, Howard McGillin's Father, Patina Miller's Sarah, and Manoel Felciano's Tateh.  As Coalhouse, Norm Lewis was fine, but oddly low-key. Although nicely sung, he never soared, and his "Make Them Hear You" didn't elevate.  He was the one "okay" in an otherwise WOW evening.  Simply divine! - at the Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, New York

– Quadracci Powerhouse, Milwaukee

September, 2013. After seeing many different productions of Ragtime over the last two decades, it's my belief that, at the end of the day, the success of the show hinges on the performances of the actors playing Mother and Coalhouse. As Mike Fischer, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal pointed out in his laudatory review, Mother and Coalhouse have the longest dramatic arcs, the most fully-defined characters. I'd never really thought of it that way before, but he's one hundred percent correct. And at the Milwaukee Rep, these roles were exquisitely handled by Gavin Gregory and, in a towering performance that lifted the show, Carmen Cusack as Mother. Seriously, folks, is there anything Ms. Cusack, can't do? The cast was a knockout from leads to ensemble. Beautifully designed, directed, and choreographed, with a top-drawer orchestra kicking musical ass, this was a Ragtime to cherish. – at the Quadracci Powerhouse (Milwaukee Rep), Milwaukee

– Griffin Theatre Company, Chicago

July, 2017. And then there was this production. Oh, where to begin? An interminably long line at the multi-venued Den Theatre box office greeted us as we entered the space. Our seats were located in a side section of the theatre. Not our choice since probably 2/3 of the seats had reserved signs on them, and this in an open seating production. The very small orchestra of two pianos and a clarinet worked mightily, but everything sounded thin. And then there were the performances. In a show where it's an absolute necessity to have a strong Coalhouse, Griffin's Denzel Tsopnang was a miss. His acting reflected no fire or energy and, frankly, his vocal chops left much to be desired. Laura McClain, as Mother, was satisfactory until it came time to "Back to Before," and, sadly, she couldn't bring it home. I felt sorry for Katherine Thomas. Her Sarah was lovely, and I was saddened that she didn't have a better production in which to showcase her. This non-Equity storefront production received good reviews overall, but the show the bloggers and reviewers gave thumbs up to was not the show we saw. This was near the end of a long run. Maybe everyone was tired. Maybe not. In any event, it wasn't very good. The interval discussion was centered around whether to go or stay. We stayed. I wish we hadn't. – at the Griffin Theatre Company at the Den Theatre, Chicago

– Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire, IL

March, 2018. The casting folks at Marriott Theatre had the good sense to cast Kathy Voytka (Mother), Katherine Thomas (Sarah), and Nathaniel Stampley (Coalhouse) for their critically-acclaimed arena staging of Ragtime. Add in a cast of Chicago favorites for smaller roles, a cast with terrific voices, and great direction by Nick Bowling, and the result was an outstanding production. We're fans of both Voytka and Stampley, and it was so gratifying to see Thomas recreating Sarah in a first-rate production (see previous entry). I thought she was good in the Griffin production; I thought she was terrific in this one. Special kudos to Keirsten Hodgens, who as Sarah's Friend, led one of the most affecting versions of "Till We Reach that Day" that I have seen. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. Doing a huge show like Ragtime within the confines of a relatively small arena stage is a challenge; doing it well is a triumph for all concerned. This was a triumph. Without a doubt, this was one of the finest productions I've seen at Marriott, and I've been going there since the 1970s. Well done, all! – at the Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire, IL

Coming up soon…a star-studded concert of Ragtime in New York, a benefit for The Actors Fund, and starring original cast members Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, and Peter Friedman. Can. Not. Wait.

Until then…ciao!

© 2020 Jeffrey Geddes