Nearly 30 years have passed since Ragtime first premiered on Broadway, but the musical’s layered story about pluralism, opportunity, and the rule of law seems, if anything, more relevant now.
The revival that opened last year at New York’s Lincoln Center is anchored by powerhouse performances from Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy, who lead a cast of nearly 40 performers. Together, they tell three intertwined stories set in the first decade of the 20th century: about a wealthy white family, a Latvian Jewish immigrant with a young daughter, and a successful black pianist who suffers injustice at the hands of racists and endures tragedy brought on by federal agents.
The immigrant initially struggles amid New York’s slums but seizes an entrepreneurial opportunity when a stranger offers a dollar for a flip-book he made to amuse his little girl. “Tomorrow, we will make more of these, and we will sell them for two dollars!” he proclaims.
Through the pianist, played by Henry, the musical contemplates the best way to achieve social change in the face of injustice. At first, he gives in to the explosive allure of seeking revenge. Later, he realizes that justice can be achieved only when it is nonviolently “demanded by 10 million righteous men”—foreshadowing the civil rights struggle to come.
