Theater Review: 'Ragtime' at Goodspeed Musicals

Review by Connecticut Critics Circle member Nancy Sasso Janis

Goodspeed Musicals has bravely brought “Ragtime The Musical” to their stage at The Goodspeed in East Haddam. This is a production for the ages, for “the stars are silver notes across that sky now.”

“Ragtime” is a four-time Tony Award winner with a powerful book by Terrance McNally including much self-narration and a transcendent score by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. The musical is based upon the novel of the same name by E.L. Doctorow, a sweeping story set in New York at the turn of the century. Press materials note that the show weaves together the lives of three fictional families that are working toward the American Dream as they “confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair.” A society woman, a Jewish immigrant and a talented Harlem pianist interact as they try to navigate a quickly-changing world.

The Goodspeed production is keenly directed by Christopher D. Betts, making the most of the limited space in the jewelbox opera house. The music direction by Adam Souza is a work of art, making the score that blends blues, jazz, show tunes and of course ragtime sound glorious. The strong choreography by Sara Edwards gives context to the musical numbers.

The performance opens with Coalhouse’s small piano lit on the stage and it is featured prominently in the final scene. The set design by Emmie Finckel features a metal staircase that is moved about to suggest various locations. There is also some beautiful lighting designed by Charlie Morrison for the prologue as the three groups move about the stage and I was happy to see actors in silhouette were included in “A Shtetl Iz Amereke.” The members of the large ensemble come up to cover the numerous ancillary and sometimes historical characters.

The production features a strong almost all Equity cast. The affluent Mother is brought to beautiful life by Mamie Parris, who played Drood in “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” at Goodspeed, and the rich singing voice of Edward Watts is strong in the role of Father in his fifth Goodspeed show. Sawyer Delaney, age 12, plays their son Little Boy at all performances and Behr Marshall, a graduate of The Hartt School, gives a strong performance as the intense Mother’s Younger Brother.

Michael Wordly, who was part of “The Color Purple” revival tour,is magnificent in the role of the musician Coalhouse Walker Jr., showing the strong emotion of the character with a wonderful singing voice. Brennyn Lark shines as his beloved Sarah. Shaunice Maudlyn Alexander gets to sing the haunting first act closer as Sarah’s Friend. Killingworth Elementary School second grade student Tiye Soleil has taken over the walk-on role of Coalhouse Walker III.

In his Goodspeed debut, David R. Gordon plays the immigrant Tateh who wants to give his young daughter (played by nine-year old Sofie Nesanelis) a better life. Jonathan Cobrda bounces about the theater in the role of the immigrant Harry Houdini. Mia Gerachis is the sparkly girl on the swing Evelyn Nesbit. Among the historical characters, Emma Goldman, willfully played by Blair Goldberg, is my favorite.

Stephen Tweksbury, in his Goodspeed debut, takes on the roles of the irritated Grandfather and the bigoted volunteer fireman Willie Conklin. Ensemble member Joseph Fierberg is a West Hartford native.

The costumes designed by Stephanie Bahniuk are sweeping in scope and true to the era. Turn of the century wig, hair and makeup design by Tenel Dorsey are all perfect as well. Putting most of the mourners in black strengthened the heart-wrenching “Till We Reach That Day.” Jennifer Scapetis-Tycer worked with the actors as the dialect coach.

In the program notes, Associate Artistic Director Michael Fling notes that Broadway producer Garth Drabinsky produced both the lavish revival of “Show Boat” before he optioned Doctorow’s masterpiece and went on to select Ahrens and Flaherty to produce the score. “Ragtime” opened on Broadway in 1998. Fling writes that the company is honored to share this story with its explosive elements at a time when the country feels similarly explosive. “Even though ‘Ragtime’ is a work of historical fiction, it illustrates profound truths that continue to resonate and reverberate today,” he adds. Many in the audience echoed these sentiments.

“Ragtime” continues at Goodspeed through June 15 and is worth the trip to East Haddam. It is rated PG-13 because of strong language and adult themes. Due to popular demand, two new performances have been added on June 1 at 6:30 p.m. and June 10 at 2 p.m.Meet the Cast performances are May 22 and June 5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at goodspeed.org.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theater reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, and she posts well over 100 reviews each year. She became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle in 2016. Her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted in the Naugatuck Patch as well as the Patch sites closest to the venue. She is also a feature writer and theater reviewer for the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column IN THE WINGS and theater reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the newspaper.

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