The Awkward Rings Out Like Freedom

Last week the theatre community was abuzz with talk about the Drama Desk and Tony Award nominations, celebrating those who were honored and shaking their fists for those who were overlooked. To the surprise of many, the short-lived revival of Ragtime received a lot of love from both nominating committees, with eleven and seven nominations, respectively. There was much rejoicing, especially for the ardent fans of the revival (myself included).

Well, that was last week. In the last two days, both organizations rescinded nominations for the revival. First it was the Tony committee who revoked the Costume Design nomination since designer Santo Loquasto had reused much of his work from the 1998 production. Then today, the Drama Desk honchos withdrew two nominations: Loquasto's and one for William David Brohn's orchestrations.

The Tony Awards Productions had the following to say:

"Yesterday, it was affirmed to Tony Award Productions that Santo Loquasto's designs for the revival of Ragtime are predominantly those from the original 1998 production, and therefore do not meet the Tony rule which states, work that 'substantially duplicate(s)' work from a prior production is ineligible. We learned this too late to remove the costumes from consideration by the nominators, but feel that we cannot allow the designs to remain in contention this year, and we must regretfully withdraw them from consideration as a nominee in the Best Costume Design of a Musical category."

Following on the heels of that decision, the Drama Desk Awards released the following statement:

"The Drama Desk makes its own decisions. But when the Tony Awards withdrew its nomination for the Ragtime revival's costumes because they were not sufficiently different from the original production and when the lead producer and nominated costume designer Santo Loquasto did not disagree with the decision, we revisited the issue. The Drama Desk concurs that the excellent costuming was not sufficiently new to make it eligible. Therefore, the nomination will be removed from the ballot in the Outstanding Costume Design category.

"We have also determined that the nomination for Ragtime for Outstanding Orchestration [William David Brohn] should not be on the ballot because the highly regarded orchestration was not different enough from that of the original production to be eligible."

I understand that there are a lot of shows to be considered when doling out nominations at season's end. But I cannot understand how both nominating committees let these gaffes slip. I'm surprised there aren't any interns or research assistants on hand to help the ladies and gentlemen in charge make informed decisions.

The information has been well established since the regional production played at the Kennedy Center last spring. I recall reading last summer that the production was using the costume design of Santo Loquasto (who was always open about what was new and old in this production from the get-go) and the press release also cited "original orchestrations by William David Brohn." Revisions were made to both for this more intimate revival, but the work from both artists remained fundamentally the same. For the record, Loquasto remains nominated for his work on the revival of Fences.

The one that really surprises me here though is the Drama Desk nomination for Best Orchestrations, which I admit I missed when the nominations came out last Monday (or I would have already called them out on this). Brohn actually won the 1998 Drama Desk (and Tony) for his Ragtime orchestrations. How that nugget slipped by is beyond me. The fact of the matter remains that the nominations should never have been given, and never made public.

The producers, Mr. Loquasto and Mr. Brohn have put up no disagreement in regards to the decision, but putting these esteemed gentlemen in this spotlight, especially since they had nothing to do with these decisions. I only hope that next year they take this a bit more seriously and save all involved parties from the inherent embarrassment.

Last Fall

Broadway is heading down the finish line of yet another season. There is a glut of shows opening this month before the Tony cut-off on April 29 (the tally is eleven for the month). However, as the Tony committee and voters get lost in this whirling dervish of new productions, I figure it's time to give some love to a superlative fall season which can often be easily forgotten. So... for the consideration of the Tony committee - as well as the Drama Desk, Outer Critics' Circle, etc. (and to jog their fickle memories), here are some of the shows that came and went this fall:

Finian's Rainbow - The unfortunate casualty of a star-driven fall season and the desire to import American Idiot as soon as possible, this seemingly ill-advised revival of a seemingly unrevivable classic took the critics and audiences by storm and is one of, if not the, best reviewed productions of the entire season. From its lovely direction and spirited choreography by Warren Carlyle, to the enchanting breakthrough performance of leading lady Kate Baldwin, this one was a winner from start to finish, a genuine crowd pleaser. Also worth mentioning: Jim Norton and Christopher Fitzgerald's impish comic charms as, respectively, Finian and Og. There's also the divine Terri White, who took "Necessity" and belted it into oblivion (and whose overall presence was more of a supporting role here than the cameo it was at Encores).

Oleanna - This David Mamet revival was volatile, divisive and short-lived. However, it was a spirited thought-provoking production that got the audience talking. For those fortunate enough to have seen the show during previews, the post-show talk backs offered release for the explosive tension that builds in the mere 80 minutes of play time. It also was interesting to me personally because my beloved SarahB and I found ourselves at odds with each other afterward; the conversation was vibrant, spirited and very involving. It raised many questions about ourselves, the filters through which we see the world and the overall idea of gender roles in society.

Ragtime - A sublime, intimate revival that closed far too soon for my liking, and seemingly a similar response for many in the theatre community. Moving away from the epic nature of the original production, director and choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge emphasized the humanity of its characters, especially in Christiane Noll's fully realized portrait of emerging feminism as Mother as well as in Bobby Steggart's thrilling turn as Mother's Younger Brother. I know that critically, reviews were divided, but I don't think I've ever been part of such vociferous audiences - the reactions were overwhelming and spontaneous in the three times I saw the show.

The Royal Family - MTC gave us this sublime revival of the classic Kaufman & Ferber comedy about an eccentric acting dynasty a la the Barrymores. Doug Hughes' direction was superb and succinct, managing to introduce the show to an entire generation of younger theatregoers, and a lovely revisit for those who recall the last revival directed by Ellis Rabb starring Rosemary Harris. Harris was on board as the matriarch this time around, offering one of the most haunting moments of the entire year. Jan Maxwell, now tearing it up in Lend Me a Tenor was nothing short of breathtaking, particularly in that showstopping second act monologue, culminating in a face plant on the lip of the stage.

Superior Donuts - It would have been lovely to see Tracy Letts replicated the success of August: Osage County, but 'twas not to be. His second play, a decidedly lighter and less scathing look at an awkward but warm father-son relationship between a jaded hippie and his young, idealistic black assistant was a charmer. Michael McKean was excellent and anchored the production, but it was Broadway newcomer Jon Michael Hill who walked away with the show and the audiences' hearts in his pocket.

It appears that due to its fast closure, Brighton Beach Memoirs is ineligible, depriving its heart and soul - Laurie Metcalf - of deserved consideration. (Even more criminal is the brilliant tour de force that was never to be in Broadway Bound, where Metcalf would have taken center stage). There were a couple of limited runs I didn't get into - A Steady Rain, In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play) and After Miss Julie so I can't comment there.

Since the Tony committee foolishly eliminated the Best Theatrical Event award (they say "retired"; I say they're "stupid") it forces unique presentations such as Burn the Floor, Wishful Drinking, All About Me, and Come Fly Away into competition with more traditional plays and musicals (and the actors involved).

Oh, and remember Bye Bye Birdie? By all means, don't.

Well, that's interesting...

"Since Bobby also played Younger Brother in the recent Ragtime revival, we talked about its untimely closing. The devastating thing he said was that the producers were willing to keep the show running (!), but the theatre made them leave because they had another show that wanted to come in. So, Ragtime had to close to make way for The Orphan's Home Cycle to open at the Neil Simon…but then it wound up going to another theatre! So, now, the Neil Simon is empty. Wah! The other sad news is, there is no full cast album. But, the good news is there's going to be a Flaherty/Ahrens compilation CD coming out, and the new cast of Ragtime is going to record four songs for it!"

- Seth Rudetsky recalling his interview with Ragtime and Yank! star Bobby Steggert in his Onstage & Backstage Column, 2/15/10

Brief Encounter at "Ragtime"

It's a New Year and to get things going, I made Ragtime my very first theatre trip of 2010. I had bought a ticket for this particular performance thinking it was going to be the final one, as announced last Monday. However due to a spike in ticket sales, the cast was given a one week reprieve, and ticket sales have gone up significantly since the notice was posting. A case of too little too late, perhaps, but it was nice to see a frenzy at the Neil Simon box office, and a sold out mezzanine.

The show itself is sublime, as I've previously mentioned. I'm very much in love with this particular production of the musical and am sad to see it go. So were those folks who sat next to me at this particular performance. To my right was a gentleman with his college-age son. The father had seen and loved the original and found himself overwhelmed by the impact of this particular performance. He expressed bewilderment at the negative reviews for the show from the major critics. His son was looking for a show to see this coming week (the production's last) and seems have chosen to partake in this show's lottery (and I wish him good luck, as it looks to be the hottest ticket in town for the next few days).

However, it is the woman seated to my left whom I'll never forget. We didn't say anything before the show started, and not even when the lights came up for intermission. However, throughout the show there had been some vociferous responses from the audience. The lights dimming brought on an explosion of applause, and when the curtain rose on that tableau vivant of the entire cast, the house gave an ovation similar to that of the first preview, lasting approximately 30 seconds.

It was toward the end of intermission when James Moore, the musical director and conductor emerged to cheers, bravos and a mini standing ovation by those in the mezzanine wondering who was being applauded by the orchestra. The lady turned to me and asked what all the excitement was about; why the audience reactions were so heightened. I explained to her that many of the folks were fans of the show who had bought tickets thinking it was the closing performance. She said "But it isn't today, right? I thought they moved it to next Sunday."

I said yes and also mentioned that there were people in attendance who were ardent admirers and most likely repeat visitors who had purchased tickets thinking it was the last performance (and admitted that I was one of those people). She looked at me with this expression of wonder and said to me, "I'm 81 and I started going to the theatre when I was 16, and I have never seen an audience react like this." I did a double take, as the patrician and elegant lady looked closer to 61 than 81. When I told her that she didn't look her age, she quipped, "There's good lighting in here."

When the show was over and we were all getting ourselves together to leave, she turned to me and asked, "When did this show start?" I told her the dates of the first preview and opening night. She paused and shook her head slightly and said "What a shame. Such a good show, and to see all those wonderful people working so hard now out of a job."

The lady also spoke of how it's not something her generation is used to; that they were raised on musicals were lighter in tone and in subject matter, such as Oklahoma! or Brigadoon. She said that to her Ragtime wasn't a musical, but more of an operetta. The lady qualified her answer by telling me that it didn't mean she didn't like the production - she in fact loved it. She elaborated further:

"But we didn't handle these subjects with as much honesty then as this show does now, so for my generation it's a bitter pill to take. I would like to have seen other sides of the story: I'm of Italian descent and my family faced similar unwelcome when they arrived in this country. This is how it happened and that can be hard to accept. What a beautiful, beautiful production."

Having someone with 65 years of Broadway history behind her, and admittedly little time to talk I asked her what her very first show was.

She responded, "My cousin was enlisted in the military and fighting in WWII. While he was away, his father (my father's brother) died so when he came home on furlough my father wanted to do something nice for him, so he bought the two of tickets to see Oklahoma! and, oh it was such a night!"

Me: "Original cast?"

She: "Oh, yes! Alfred Drake and Celeste Holm!"

Needless to say, I was enraptured with her. I asked her the next question: "In 65 years of theatregoing, what was your all-time favorite?"

She smiled very broadly at me and said, as she put her hand over her heart, "I've loved so many... but I really loved My Fair Lady - and the original cast on that one too." The last part was added on with bragging rights - rights very much deserved. I observed that the theatre was just around the corner (the former Mark Hellinger) and she said, "You have a better memory for that sort of thing than I do, young man. But I've got this large drawer filled with every playbill." She paused, and smiled wistfully. Then she looked at me, still smiling, and said, "I've had a very good life."

She and her daughter stopped to collect themselves in another row and we said our goodbyes. I took the opportunity to thank her for her recollections and tell her how genuinely happy I was to meet her. She thanked me for the conversation and wished me well as we went our separate ways. I never got her name, and while I would have loved to put the name with the piece I think part of the magic of my experience is in its anonymity. Talking with this woman was as much of a highpoint as was the show onstage. I hope when I'm 81, that I'm still as vibrant and excited a theatregoer as she is.

Theatrical Highlights of the Year

1. Reasons to Be Pretty. May 13, 2009 @ the Lyceum Theatre. Never make an unfavorable comparison between your girlfriend and the new hottie at work. That was Greg's, the hero of Neil LaBute's play, big mistake. After the news gets back to his girlfriend, it opens up a maelstrom of life-changing and affirming moments for his character, who ultimately learns to man up. The four-hander was well cast, with Tom Sadoski standing out above the rest but overshadowed by the more mature four-hander down the street that seemed to show what how these characters would end up in about 15-20 years (God of Carnage).

2. Mary Stuart. May 19, 2009 @ the Broadhurst Theatre. There's nothing like watching two of the most fascinating figures in British history duking it out live onstage. Imported from the Donmar in London, Janet McTeer and Harriet Walter dominated in a spare, riveting staging of the Schiller play (in a new adaptation by Peter Oswald) directed by Phyllida Lloyd. Yeah, there were men onstage (namely John Benjamin Hickey and Nicholas Woodeson) but this revival belonged to both leading ladies in superlative performances. The play also sparked six months of bliss as Sarah, Kari, Roxie and other bloggers participated in "The Summer of Harriet Walter."

3. Hair. May 24, 2009 @ the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Well, I guess we all have dreams of making our Broadway debuts. I never actually thought I'd get to sing and dance onstage but lo and behold the revival of Hair captured me in ways I never thought possible. I've never really been a fan of the show - until I took in this performance where I was overwhelmed by Diane Paulus' exceptionally organic staging. It's a special experience, and one of a lifetime. If you see this revival, it's imperative you make your way to the stage for the curtain call. You may never be the same.

4. The Royal Family. September 18, 2009 @ the Samuel Friedman. I have a soft spot for older comedies, particularly those set in NYC in the early half of the 20th century. Jan Maxwell led the cast with a superlative comic performance for the ages as the put-upon Julie Cavendish, a diva at wit's end. Rosemary Harris supplied moments of hilarity and haunting poise as the family matriarch. The comic exploits of an eccentric, loving and larger-than-life theatrical dynasty were explored by Kaufman and Ferber in their 1927 comedy (a take-off on the Barrymore family) The revival was lovingly directed by Doug Hughes (and oh, what a set! And those costumes!) I've rarely wanted to become part of a fictional family onstage.

5. Superior Donuts. October 1, 2009 @ the Music Box Theatre. It's not easy following up a Tony and Puliter Prize winning juggernaut, but Tracy Letts' second Broadway outing was another import from Steppenwolf. This time, Tina Landau directed a tight ensemble in a much gentler comedy about the unlikely father-son relationship between disconnected former hippie Michael McKean and energetic, idealistic Jon Michael Hill. The story, which presents a more optimistic vision of America than August: Osage County is less ambitious and wholly different, offering an unexpectedly moving and often quite funny new play.

6. Finian's Rainbow. October 8, 2009 @ the St. James Theatre. I thought the show was charming at Encores, but didn't think it warranted a transfer to Broadway. Those thoughts were dashed when the show started previews in October. The cast was augmented by stellar replacements, including Christopher Fitzgerald's winning turn as leprechaun Og. Warren Carlyle directed one a valentine to old-fashioned, Golden Age musicals. The production took on its reputation as a badly dated show and emerged one of the freshest and best reviewed experiences of the season. It also provided the luminescent Kate Baldwin her first leading lady turn on the Rialto.

7. Ragtime. October 23, 2009 @ the Neil Simon Theatre. I've waited ten years for the chance to see this musical, and in the first-ever Broadway revival I found myself inordinately moved by the staging, scenography and performances. Stripping away some of the excesses that are attached to the original lavish production, this import from the Kennedy Center (directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge) was actor-driven and a most memorable experience. Quentin Earl Darrington makes an auspicious debut as Coalhouse Walker Jr and Christiane Noll is a revelation as Mother.

8. The Norman Conquests. May 16, 2009 @ the Circle in the Square Theatre. I tend to make this list chronological, so as not to play favorites. But I can't help but saving this best production for last. Of all the theatre I saw in the calendar year, this exceptional revival of the Alan Ayckbourn classic was the best. In fact, it may very well be the best I've seen in my life, but only time will tell. I took in two marathons of the show, and if time had permitted would have done it more. It was seven hours of hilariously heartbreaking theatre, and found myself sad that it was over by the end of the evening. The show was imported from the Old Vic and featured the brilliant six person ensemble, one of the best on stage this year. This production, directed by Matthew Warchus (and which trumps his Tony-winning work in God of Carnage), reminded me why I loved theatre in the first place and has inspired me to make certain changes in my life over the past six months. I only hope you were as lucky as I was to see such a magnanimous theatrical event.

Shows I want to see next year: The Addams Family, A View from the Bridge, La Cage Aux Folles, Promises Promises, Memphis, Race, Lend Me a Tenor, When the Rain Stops Falling, Sondheim on Sondheim, Enron, A Behanding in Spokane, The Miracle Worker, Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, Next Fall, Present Laughter, Time Stands Still, Collected Stories, Fences, and Wishful Drinking.

"Miracle on 52nd Street"

That's what the marketing team behind the struggling revival of Ragtime has called it. What a whirlwind couple of days its been for the cast and crew at the Neil Simon Theatre. It's not been an easy ride for this music, an ambitious, heart-on-its-sleeve tapestry of American life in the early years of the 20th century. Starting from its original New York production which was met with mixed notices, the Disney broom across the street sweeping up the major Tonys and buzz and the financial collapse of the show's producer Garth Drabinsky. Still that original run managed to eke out 834 performances in spite of its setbacks.

After a sold out run at the Kennedy Center, a new production of the musical moved to Broadway this fall where it was met with mostly positive notices, though there was that wholly ambiguous entry from the NY Times (if a review can be simultaneously construed as positive, mixed and negative, then that critic has not done his job... eh, Mr. Brantley?) as well as some reservations about the musical's ambitions. In spite of some very good notices and word of mouth, Ragtime stayed mostly under the radar. The numbers don't lie, and during one of the most prosperous periods on Broadway - the holiday season - the show failed to meet expectations and ignite at the box office.

Michael Riedel - that Broadway vulture you love to hate and hate to love - first mentioned word of a 1/3 closing for the revival back in early December. The viral effect on the internet was astounding, to whirls of posted closing notices and denials and rebuttals, etc. I've seen reports of the show closing on 12/13, 12/20, 1/3, and 1/17. Kevin McCollum, lead producer, was adamant in leading the charge against the viral campaign. But on Monday, the Broadway community elicited a collective "Hmmm..." when the initial rumor printed by Riedel happened to be true.

Something very interesting has happened in the 48 hours since the show announced its closing on 1/3 - ticket sales have skyrocketed. The Tuesday evening and Wednesday matinee performances were SRO, with the box office forced to send people away. In light of the sparked interest in the show, it was announced that there was a one week reprieve: the musical is now closing on 1/10 instead, bringing it to a run of 65 performances. My buddy Chris Caggiano asks "Start of a trend or a dead-cat bounce?" I guess we shall see..

Now, the Ragtime team has come up with the term "Miracle on 52nd Street" to describe the increased audience interest in the show. It's a shame that it took a one-week closing notice to drum up the interest the show needed from its very first week of performances. Excitement levels and buzz are now on the rise, when it would seem that it's too little, too late. It brings me back to another show that suffered a much more severe fate this season: Brighton Beach Memoirs, which folded after one week; a result of what appears to have been poor producing and marketing. I find it interesting that the lead producer on that revival, Emanuel Azenberg, is also a lead producer on this production of Ragtime.

Granted, it's a small miracle, as the theatre has been booked by an upcoming show (which is not Fences, according to the show's sources) and continued extensions seem highly unlikely, but it's nice to see that the show is going to go out with some flair. This has been a season of the "major star." The only guaranteed box office has been those shows with the star quality to match it, in spite of reception. For evidence, look to the artistically bankrupt Bye Bye Birdie from Roundabout that has done exceptionally well in the face of some of the worst reviews I've ever read, or the underwhelming revival of A Little Night Music at the Walter Kerr, which boasts one of the most beautiful movie stars in the world. Meanwhile the more artistically successful, if commercially risky revivals of Finian's Rainbow and Ragtime are left in the dust. Finian's has been more fortunate, as it is the best reviewed Broadway show of the fall, but it still faces an uphill climb.

Last year around this time, there was the usual early January closings. However most of those were older shows that had managed to run for quite some time. This is a bit different, as many of the shows closing on 1/3 are shows that have opened more recently, with the lovely Superior Donuts finding itself shuttering after a three month run. But I'm all about rooting for a show that's good, but I find I'm especially fond of these underdogs.

Auspicious Debuts, 2009

Looking back as my year of theatregoing ends, I wanted to give a shout out to those performers in 2009 whose debut work made me sit up and take notice. Some are unknowns taking their first steps, others are established stars coming into NY theatre for the first time. There is no rhythm or rhyme to the list, just stream of consciousness. Here goes:

Seth Rettberg, Avenue Q: Performing the roles of Princeton and Rod on the national tour, and assuming understudy duties during the final months of the Broadway engagement of this little show that could, Rettberg assumes the mantle of leading man of this motley crew of subversive puppets. Mr. Rettberg gave a high energy performance, complete with offbeat charm and winsome presence, not to mention his pleasant pop tenor voice and stellar comic timing.

Jon Michael Hill, Superior Donuts: This is the Broadway debut this year that will one day give you bragging rights. Mr. Hill, a Steppenwolf Ensemble member, takes this new Tracy Letts play, puts it in his pocket and walks away with it. As Franco, the young, idealistic African American who reinvigorates star Michael McKean, Hill displayed skill and professionalism far more advanced than many of his peers. He has made a name for himself in Chicago, but his NY debut is only the first of what looks to be many great career successes.

Susan Louise O'Connor, Blithe Spirit: Most people don't walk away from this classic Noel Coward play talking about Edith, the maid. But in this charming, but unevenly cast revival, Ms. O'Connor made many in the audience do just that. As the nervously eager maid in the Condomine household, the young starlet made an indelible comic impression with what little stage time she had, particularly a showstopping sequence in which she cleared a breakfast table. It cannot be easy to be in a play with such star quality, but where Rupert Everett and Christine Ebersole failed in their comic characterizations, Ms. O'Connor picked up their slack and then some.

Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King: He's a world famous actor and an Oscar winner but that doesn't stop the excellent Australian actor from making my list. Ionesco isn't really my cup of tea. That said, I don't know if I've ever been haunted by the memory of a performance more than I have been by Mr. Rush's auspicious NY theatre debut. I'll long remember Mr. Rush's physicality as his King Berenger, fighting to keep his own life up until the very end of the play. I vividly see the actor, decked out in garish makeup and wearing pajamas and a crown, dancing around the stage, leading a march, etc. He was surrounded by choice costars including Susan Sarandon, Lauren Ambrose and the perennial favorite Andrea Martin. While all performed well, the evening belonged to Rush, who ended up taking home every award possible for his comic and tragic work. Those final moments, as Berenger slowly gives in to his mortality, will stay forever etched in my mind.

Amelia Bullmore, Jessica Hynes, Stephen Mangan, Ben Miles, Paul Ritter, Amanda Root, The Norman Conquests: I couldn't just pick one here, it wouldn't be fair given that ensemble nature is what made this production so successful. In what is one of the great productions of the decade, this revival of Alan Ayckbourn marked the American debut of this brilliant ensemble, all of whom transferred from the sold out run at the Old Vic late last year. While these six actors are well known for their theatre, TV and film work in London, they are not so well known here. However, the six actors, with director Matthew Warchus created one of the most vibrant and astounding experiences I've ever had inside any theatre in my life.

Quentin Earl Darrington, Ragtime. It's not easy filling the shoes of Brian Stokes Mitchell, especially given the indelible mark the actor left on the role of Coalhouse Walker, Jr. in the original Broadway production. Mr. Darrington comes to Broadway in the part, after having played it in Marcia Milgrom Dodge's acclaimed Kennedy Center production and is one of the many strengths in this actor-driven revival of a contemporary classic. Large in stature and voice, Darrington provides a gentle presence in the first act, and his fall into terrorism is all the more devastating as a result.

Alexander Hanson, A Little Night Music. The lone holdover from the original London production of this Trevor Nunn revival, Mr. Hanson strikes all the right notes as Fredrik Egerman. Expecting to be overwhelmed by Catherine Zeta-Jones, I was surprised at her mere adequacy especially when stacked against his superb, nuanced performance. Often the unsung lead of the show (let's face it, most people talk about the ladies in this musical), Mr. Hanson strikes the right balance as the aging lawyer in search of his remote youth.

Honorable mentions: Noah Robbins, Brighton Beach Memoirs; Jude Law, Hamlet; Donna Migliaccio, Ragtime; Julia Stiles, Oleanna.

Ragtime DVR Alert!

Cast members from the revival of Ragtime will be hitting the TV airwaves this weekend with various appearances:

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18:
Quentin Earl Darrington, Christiane Noll, Robert Petkoff and Stephanie Umoh will appear on Good Morning America during the “One Warm Coat Drive” segment tomorrow morning Friday, December 18. The nationally syndicated live appearance will air at approximately 8:05a on ABC, Channel 7 in the Tri State area.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19:
Quentin Earl Darrington, Christiane Noll and Robert Petkoff visit NY-1's Onstage Audio studio for a round table interview with host Donna Karger.
On Stage airs on NY-1 News on Saturday, December 19 at 9:30a and 7:30p; Sunday, December 20 at at 9:30a and 7:30p; Monday, December 21 at 9:30p and late night/Tuesday morning, December 22 at 12:30a.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20:
Quentin Earl Darrington and Stephanie Umoh sit down with WCBS-TV anchor Dana Tyler for an in studio chat about making their Broadway debuts in the hit musical.
The segment will air on the WCBS Morning News on Sunday, December 20 at 7:55a on Channel 2 in the tri-state area.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21:
Christiane Noll will perform “Back to Before” on ABC's The View live on Monday, December 21. The appearance will air in the 11:30a half hour on the nationally syndicated program on Channel 7 in the tri-state area.

"Ragtime" to present Monthly Talkbacks starting 12/15

Ragtime is pleased to announce a new monthly “Talkback Tuesday” series, Ragtime Talk Time, beginning Tuesday, December 15th. Ragtime Talk Time is free to anyone attending Tuesday evening performances when the talkbacks are scheduled.

The debut installment of Ragtime Talk Time will feature Tony Award® winning songwriting team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty discussing their process of creating the score for Ragtime, which garnered them Broadway’s triple crown – the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards, as well as their celebrated 26-year collaboration as one of the foremost theatrical songwriting teams of their generation.

Based on E.L. Doctorow’s epic acclaimed novel, Ragtime features direction and choreography by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, a majestic 28-piece orchestra led by musical director James Moore, and features a company of 40, starring Ron Bohmer (Father), Quentin Earl Darrington (Coalhouse Walker Jr.), Christiane Noll (Mother), Robert Petkoff (Tateh), Bobby Steggert (Mother’s Younger Brother), Stephanie Umoh (Sarah), with Christopher Cox (The Little Boy), Sarah Rosenthal (The Little Girl), Mark Aldrich (Willie Conklin), Aaron Galligan-Stierle (Henry Ford), Jonathan Hammond (Harry Houdini), Dan Manning (Grandfather), Michael X. Martin (J.P. Morgan), Mike McGowan (Stanford White), Donna Migliaccio (Emma Goldman), Josh Walden (Harry K. Thaw), Savannah Wise (Evelyn Nesbit), Eric Jordan Young (Booker T. Washington).

Ragtime is produced by Kevin McCollum, Roy Furman, Scott Delman, Roger Berlind, Max Cooper, Tom Kirdahy/Devlin Elliott, Jeffrey A. Sine, Stephanie McClelland, Roy Miller, LAMS Productions, Jana Robbins, Sharon Karmazin, Eric Falkenstein/Morris Berchard, Wendy Federman, Jamie deRoy, Sheila Steinberg, Lauren Stevens, Independent Presenters Network, Held-Haffner Productions, HRH Foundation and Emanuel Azenberg in association with The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

At the dawn of the century, everything is changing…and anything is possible. Based on E.L. Doctorow's celebrated epic novel and 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 wife, a determined Jewish immigrant and a daring young Harlem musician -- united by their courage, compassion and belief in the promise of the future. Their personal journeys come alive as historic figures offer guidance and diversion - among them escape artist Harry Houdini, auto tycoon Henry Ford, educator Booker T. Washington and infamous entertainer Evelyn Nesbit. Together, their stories celebrate the struggle between tradition and independence all in pursuit of the American dream.

The celebrated production team includes scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Santo Loquasto, lighting design by Donald Holder, sound design by Acme Sound Partners, hair and wig design by Edward J. Wilson and orchestrations by William David Brohn.

RAGTIME tickets prices are $46.50, $86.50 and $126.50 (including $1.50 facility fee) and available by calling Ticketmaster at 212-307-4100 or visiting www.ticketmaster.com.

Simpler Yet Still Sublime: "Ragtime"

Some might feel it is too soon for a revival of Ragtime, but there is no time like the present for this exhilarating, moving epic musical based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow. The show is well known for its opulent original production, a history pageant that spared no expense in becoming a theatrical event. That production lingers in the hearts and minds of many theatre-goers for its superb original cast, and the Tony-winning score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. It also is remembered for the less than stellar reception it received the first time around, finding itself in competition with the critical darling The Lion King across the street, losing the Best Musical Tony and closing when Garth Drabinsky's Livent collapsed after 834 performances and a financial loss.

Imported from the Kennedy Center, this production strips away the physical extravagance that some felt overwhelmed the first production, finding at its heart the story of three diverse families whose lives somehow intersect during the post-Gilded Age. More faithful to the source material than the film adaptation, the musical Ragtime opens with one of the most extraordinary pieces of expository writing known to musical theatre. In nine minutes, we are introduced to every major character, every theme and every thread of plot which we are to follow for the next two and a half hours.

An archetype family of affluent WASPS living in Westchester find themselves rattled from their suburban complacency by the discovery of an abandoned African American baby in their garden. The family's lives are forever changed by this moment, by taking in the young woman and exposing themselves to much of the unjustices and darker underbelly of the American dream (as experienced by the immigrant Tateh, who also becomes intertwined in their lives in the second act). Doctorow's original novel finds these fictional characters encountering many historical figures such as Evelyn Nesbitt, Harry Houdini, Emma Goldman, Henry Ford, J.P. Morgan and Booker T. Washington. Those characters are also supplanted into the musical, where they serve as observers and commentators on the main fragments of the plot.

Comparisons with the original production are inevitable, especially given it's been less than ten years since the original closed at the (now) Hilton Theatre. However, director-choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge, in removing the opulence turns this large musical into an actor driven piece. It's not as drastic as the family band version of Sweeney Todd from a few seasons back, but it places further emphasis on the characters, who are less stately and more realized in this production. Rather than overwhelming the audience in its history, Dodge focuses on the human connections providing great emotional intensity in her stage visuals.

Quentin Earl Darrington plays Coalhouse with an unaffected earnestness that is tragically contrasted by his grief-stricken vigilantism in the second act. Stephanie Umoh has the the inenviable task of filling Audra McDonald's Tony award winning shoes as the ill-fated Sarah, but if she doesn't make you forget her predecessor, she certainly rises to the occasion. Ron Bohmer finds considerable dimension in Father, a man aware of change around him but so grounded in his fastidious manner he can't accept or adapt to it. Even more pleasantly surprising is his ability to make his character sympathetic. Rob Petkoff exudes considerable warmth and charm as the immigrant turned filmmaker Tateh. Bobby Steggert proves exceptional as Mother's Younger Brother, simmering with angst and finding himself through activism, and later joining Coalhouse in his quest for justice.

The emotional core of the entire musical is to be found in Christiane Noll's layered, multifaceted portrayal of Mother. The character with the most overwhelming arc, Mother emerges from docile housewife to an independent woman aware of herself and her responsibility in the world. Noll, known mostly as the woman who wasn't Linda Eder in the original Jekyll & Hyde, comes into her own with a star making turn that is sure to be the talk of the spring's awards season. She finds humor and pathos in the most subtle nuances of her performance, enhanced by the singing actress' sumptuous soprano.

The intimacy of Dodge's staging is further enhanced by the three-tier set by Derek McLane. Utilizing set pieces and lighting, the stage becomes a Ford factory, the house in New Rochelle, the Tempo Club in Harlem, Atlantic City and the Morgan Library, among other locales. The skeletal abstract nature of the design creates some striking tableau vivants, particularly those seen at the very top of the show and during "New Music." Supporting actors are often found on a tier of the set, observing the story going on below and is ultimately a spare and effective use of the space. Santo Loquasto, costume designer of the original production, repeats the honor here. The lighting design is by Donald Holder, whose work here is the most atmospheric aspect of the scenography.

I have had the privilege of seeing this musical twice already, once on its first preview and again the other evening (where I found myself behind Ben Brantley). It's no secret among friends and fellow bloggers that this was the musical production I've been looking forward to the most this season. One of the most powerful scores of the last twenty years, Flaherty's music runs the gamut of period styles including cakewalks, rags, marches as well as soaring anthems and lingering ballads. Ahrens' lyrics are among her best. One of the strengths of this revival is its retention of William David Brohns Tony-winning original 28 piece orchestration, complemented by exceptional singing. The only severe flaw I tend to find with the show is that it tends to wear its heart and ambition on its sleeve far more than it should, and Terrence McNally's libretto, while an exceptional example of adapting a novel for musical theatre, fails to match the elegance of the score.

If the current revival at the Neil Simon Theatre is in every capacity less stately than the original production, it's a stirring, overwhelmingly emotional event. Already, I am aching for the opportunity to see the show again, as I don't know if I've ever been so moved by a musical production. I saw the original production of The Light in the Piazza a whopping twelve times, and that's my personal record and I wouldn't be surprised if this enthusing, affirming revival smashes that record. I can only hope that this time, Ragtime is welcomed to Broadway with the open arms it deserved the first time around.

A Glimpse at "Ragtime"

The revival opens this Sunday at the Neil Simon...

Two Pictures

Two musical productions that most excite me this season are The Addams Family and the revival of Ragtime. Here is the first glimpse of the former in Vanity Fair. Bebe Neuwirth and Nathan Lane star as Morticia and Gomez. Jackie Hoffman is Grandmama, Kevin Chamberlin is Uncle Fester, Zachary James is Lurch, Krysta Rodriguez is Wednesday and Adam Riegler (Cubby Bernstein) is Pugsley. Not pictured are Terrence Mann, Carolee Carmello and Wesley Taylor. The new musical has its world premiere in Chicago on November 13, and starts preview performances at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne on March 4.


Then there's the revival of Ragtime. I've already seen it once, and am going back again next week. The show opens at the Neil Simon Theatre on 11/15. Acclaimed photographer Joan Marcus was in taking new press shots of the Broadway company, and this striking image is one of my favorite stage pictures of the evening - the tableau of the entire company seen as the curtain rises.

"Their Time...Our Time"

"Ragtime" First Preview - Some Random Thoughts...

- Sometimes the first preview performance can be more exciting than even an opening night. (If I get to the opening night of this one, I'll let you know...) Especially with a revival of a popular title. I stood outside the Neil Simon Theatre last night until about 7:55 watching people gathering and entering the theatre. "I can't wait." "I'm so excited." "This is supposed to be so good!" Those were some of the things I overheard being said by the excited theatregoers as they had their tickets scanned. The energy in the house was so palpable you could practically touch it.

- The house lights went down and the audience erupted into applause. We listened to the simple pre-show announcement. At that point the house lights came down entirely as the curtain rose on the entire company posed and poised on three tiers of Derek McLane's set. The audience reaction was so intense that the show was stopped before it could even begin. After about 20 or 30 seconds, the actor playing Edgar stepped downstage and we were off.

- The opening number of Ragtime is one of the best ever written. It's a mastery of musical theatre writing: establishing every major character without becoming lumbering, establishing the time and place as well as tone, and culminating in one of the most thrilling finishes known to man. All those high B naturals! Truly stunning, and its staging by director-choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge is a triumph.

- It's the very first preview so I'm not going to go into performance analysis or comparisons with original cast members. I will say that the cast is superlative. As actors, as singers and as dancers. Superlative. I also think Christiane Noll is guaranteed a Tony nomination. That is all.

- A good number of the actors were making their Broadway debuts last evening. Among them were Donna Migliaccio as Emma Goldman, Quentin Earl Darrington as Coalhouse Walker, Jr. and Stephanie Umoh as Sarah. I do expect at least one or two to be considered for the Theatre World Award.

- Again, first preview and all: there were a few technical glitches with the lighting but nothing outrageous or distracting. However, it did seem like some numbers were missing verses. I couldn't tell if it was editing or slip-ups, but not knowing was a minor distraction. The score to Ragtime remains one of the most elegant and stirring of the past twenty years.

- At the show's finale, the audience was one giant weepy mess. The actors hold out the final note of "Wheels of a Dream." In that instant between the note and the fall of the show curtain, the last thing seen by the cast onstage is the audience rising from their seats in an instant standing ovation - and not one of those where someone starts and people follow. This was genuine, heart-felt and wholly deserved.

- Rob Petkoff delivered the best save of the evening as the show curtain came down after the curtain calls.

- How lovely to hear a full orchestra essaying original orchestrations. When musical director James Moore finished conducting the exit music, the audience burst into applause that was just as vociferous as it had been for the cast onstage.

- I want to go back. And how.

The people called it "Ragtime"

For whatever it's worth, I've never felt that Ragtime was given its due the first time around. The musical adaptation of E.L. Doctorow's novel was highly anticipated, and opened with great fanfare on Broadway at the brand new Ford Center for the Performing Arts (now Hilton) Theatre. However, the musical didn't have the staying power that many thought it would have.

The show had the misfortune of opening two months after The Lion King, whose overwhelming critical success made it the hottest ticket in town for years. When it came time for the Tony Awards, The Lion King took home Best Musical, among many others. Ragtime ultimately took home four awards, with honors for Best Featured Actress (Audra McDonald), Best Book (Terrence McNally), Best Score (Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens) and Best Orchestrations (William David Brohn). The final nail in the coffin was the fall of Livent, Inc., the Canadian-based production company run by Garth Drabinsky that not only produced Ragtime, but had built the theatre in which the show had been playing.

I first became aware of Ragtime by accident. The musical opened in the middle of my freshman year of high school, and truth be told I wasn't quite up on my Broadway at that point. I knew a lot of stuff about the classics but almost nothing about contemporary musical theatre.

It was January 19, 1998 - Martin Luther King Day. I was home from school and watching The Rosie O'Donnell Show that morning. Rosie was still riding high as "The Queen of Nice," and was a constant champion for all things Broadway. Performing on the show that day was the cast of the newly opened Ragtime, presenting an abridged version of the opening prologue. This enormous cast, decked out in period costume, filled that tiny stage of Rosie's TV studio singing this stirring title song. By the time the company was singing the final pullback, I was so mesmerized and stirred, I realized I was standing as close to the TV as I could get.

I can't quite put into words the effect that musical number had on me that day. I couldn't stop thinking about it, nor could I get that hook "the people called it Ragtime" out of my head. As is usually the case when I discover someone new that fascinates me, I become obsessed and try to learn everything I could about Ragtime and its origins. That week I went to a local bookstore later that week and purchased the original novel - a book I have read more times than any other. (I was fascinated with Doctorow's narrative structure). I went to the library and researched all the major characters represented in the story, especially since I had never heard of most of them at the time.

In spite of all this attention and obsession, I never got to see the original production. It closed in January 2000 after 834 performances. I didn't see my first show on Broadway until that March. I knew the score backwards and forwards from its 1996 Toronto concept album and the definitive 2-disc Broadway cast recording, listening to both with great regularity. The two show albums led me to follow the careers of the original stars: I saw Marin Mazzie and Brian Stokes Mitchell in Kiss Me Kate, Mark Jacoby in Sweeney Todd, Audra McDonald in 110 in the Shade and Carousel at Carnegie Hall and Judy Kaye in Souvenir. I even saw little Lea Michele in Spring Awakening.

Tonight I will be at the Neil Simon Theatre for the first preview of the new revival of Ragtime, which has transferred from a successful run at the Kennedy Center. It's hard to believe that I've gone almost 12 years without ever managing to take in a live production, but it's all coming full circle. And while I'm at the theatre tonight cheering on this new cast and new production, I want to show you the performance that started it all for me:

"Ragtime" Rehearsal Video

I didn't think we'd be getting another production of Ragtime so soon after the original closed (some would say prematurely). The musical was announced to be part of the 2008 lineup at NYCO, with the idea of reuniting original cast members under the direction of Frank Galati (who directed the original 1998 production). For whatever reason, that fell through and was replaced by Candide.

Then last spring, the musical was part of the Kennedy Center season. The run extended from three weeks to five, and sold out for the entire engagement. Reviews were exceptional, and word of mouth positive. Suddenly word on the street was that the show, based on E.L. Doctorow's acclaimed 1975 novel, was being considered for Broadway transfer. Now, this new production starts previews this Friday at the Neil Simon Theatre. I am so excited because I will in the audience that evening to welcome this exceptional piece of musical theatre back to NY. Here is a video from Broadway.com of the press rehearsal, with performances and interviews that got me pumped up for what's to come:

Casting complete for "Ragtime"

Casting for the highly anticipated Broadway revival of Ragtime was announced yesterday. Many of the principal actors from the sold out Kennedy Center production will be transferring to NY, including Christiane Noll as Mother, Quentin Earl Darrington as Coalhouse Walker, Jr., Ron Bohmer as Father, Bobby Steggert as Mother's Younger Brother and Donna Migliacco as Emma Goldman. New to the cast are Robert Petkoff as Tateh, Savannah Wise as Evelyn Nesbitt and Stephanie Umoh as Sarah.

The show begins previews at the Neil Simon Theatre on October 23, with an opening night set for November 15. The original Broadway production ran for two years at what is now the Hilton Theatre, overshadowed by The Lion King and done in by criminal producing, it closed in the red after only 834 performances (in an ideal world, a show like Ragtime should have had the success of The Lion King). The revival won't be as expensive to produce as the original (I doubt we'll ever see anything near the likes of Garth Drabinsky's spectacles ever again), and has already been acclaimed for its emphasis on the story and characters over scenography. Plus, the revival will be using the entire original 28 piece orchestration.

My only qualm with the production has been the artwork - the new window card art has been released and while some find it superb, I find it rather lacking. Then again, I guess it would be hard to top that iconic image of the title emblazoned across the Statue of Liberty from 1998. However, I've never judged a musical by its poster; no matter my thought about the artwork, it's what's onstage that counts. And what Broadway has at the Neil Simon this fall is likely to be an epic win.

Here are a couple of brief interviews with Christiane Noll, Quentin Earl Darrington and director-choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge from earlier this year:

In Rhythm & Rhyme

It's been rumored for weeks, but today it becomes official. Ragtime will be receiving its first-ever Broadway revival! The recent Kennedy Center production, directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, will begin previews at the Neil Simon Theatre on October 23, with an opening date of November 15.

The musical, which won Tonys for its book and score, but famously lost "the big one" to The Lion King, ran at the behemoth Ford Center for the Performing Arts (now simply the Hilton Theatre) and closed prematurely due to the shady business dealings of impresario Garth Drabinsky and his Livent, Inc. (Or was the show the undoing of Livent?)

Original cast members included Brian Stokes Mitchell, Peter Friedman, Marin Mazzie, Marc Jacoby, Tony-winner Audra McDonald, Judy Kaye, Lynnette Perry and Steven Sutcliffe. The cast was enormous, one of the largest in recent memory. (Lea Michele was Tateh's daughter, Anne L. Nathan understudied Judy Kaye). The orchestration called for 28 pieces in the pit. The lavish staging, which cost a cool $11 million in 1998, was noted for offering pyrotechnics, a functioning model-T and a lot of ornate period costumes.

The show ran for two years in New York, lasting 834 performances. An original London production was well-received but short-lived, earning Maria Friedman an Olivier Award for her performance as Mother.

Ragtime is a successful and unbelievably faithful adaptation of E.L. Doctorow's novel, first published in 1975. In fact the musical works far better than Milos Forman's 1981 film adaptation. It is also, hands down, the best work of composing team Flaherty and Ahrens. (Terrence McNally provided the libretto).

This musical will always have a seminal place in my heart. I never did see the original production, but was immediately intrigued by the show when I first heard of it. For whatever reason I was home from school one morning and had the TV on. "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" was on and she presented the cast in an excerpt of the title song. From those three or four minutes alone, I was immediately curious about this brand new musical. Ragtime was the first score that I appreciated that was not a product of the Golden Age, and got me interested in learning about contemporary musical theatre. And here I am eleven years later!

Walking among my yesterdays to 1998, I recall picking up the concept cast album, the first contemporary show album I ever bought. Plus, I found a copy of the novel in a used book store for $.25. I delved into the book when I was a freshman in high school, reading it three times in that year alone. The narrative, weaving a tapestry of three diverse families who are fatefully linked to one another, fascinated me. It was the first time I ever heard of such figures as Emma Goldman or Evelyn Nesbitt. Doctorow managed to link the fictional families with actual historical events and figures. As one who was obsessed with history, this fictional treatise of the turn of the 20th century in New York compelled me. I've read the book at least ten times since.

One month after the Broadway closing, I was in Oxford, England visiting my brother where I bought the Original Broadway Cast recording and have played it countless times since. The music has never ceased to be stirring, in its fusing of period styles and integrated storytelling. I've always been especially impressed with the nine minute opening number. It deftly manages to be completely expository and introduce all of the principal and supporting characters without ever once becoming muddled or confusing. Not to mention they retained the novel's famous opening line in the prologue. Taking into consideration its ambitious and serious subject matter, the show is never boring and quite often incredibly moving.

The show is still large in scope, but the creative team hopes that it will be a more intimate experience in the Neil Simon. Casting for the new revival has yet to be announced, though it's believed that the Kennedy Center cast will be offered the chance to reprise their roles in New York.

This is easily the production I anticipate for the coming Broadway season. First preview anyone...?