Final Casting Announced for Paper Mill's RAGTIME

Paper Mill Playhouse (Michael Gennaro, President and CEO) is pleased to announce the final production of the 2004-2005 season, the Tony Award-winning musical, Ragtime with Book by Terrence McNally (Master Class, The Full Monty, Love! Valour! Compassion!), Music by Stephen Flaherty and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (Dessa Rose, Seussical, Once On This Island, My Favorite Year) based on the E.L. Doctorow novel "Ragtime."

You may have seen the spectacle, now come and see the critically acclaimed award-winning London version Directed by Stafford Arima, Choreographed by Liza Gennaro, and with Musical Direction by David Loud. The cast of Ragtime features Neal Benari as Tateh, Quentin Earl Darrington as Coalhouse Walker, Jr., David Hess as Father, Kenita Miller as Sarah, Jayne Paterson as Mother, and Shonn Wiley as Younger Brother. The ensemble includes Alona Bach, Julie Bell, Allison Blackwell, Debra Cardona, Derrick Cobey, Jeff Cyronek, Garrett Eucker, Tom Gamblin, Adia Ginneh, JamAl Green, Kevin Hale, Emily Herring, Alison Mahoney, Kasey Marino, Kyle McLaughlin, Justin Lee Miller, Joe Reid, Greg Roderick, Kathryn Raskin, Daniel Lee Robbins, Kelly Janine Rucker, Matthew Scott, Byron J. St. Cyr, Greg Stone, Meredith Suttles, Scott Sussman and Betsy Wolfe.

The creative team for Ragtime includes Sets & Costumes by Robert Jones, Lighting by Mark Stanley, Sound by Randy Hansen & Peter Hylenski, and Hair & Wigs by Bettie O. Rogers. The Production Stage Manager is Richard C. Rauscher.

Ragtime is a timeless tale of innocence lost and freedom won. Based on E.L. Doctorow's novel, Ragtime, the Tony Award­winning musical tells the story of Coalhouse Walker Jr., a fiery black piano man who demands retribution when his Model T is destroyed by a mob of white troublemakers. Walker's love interest is a young girl named Sarah who has been taken in by a WASP family ruled by "Father," a patriarchal figure who dominates his household and submissive wife with his overbearing presence. Tateh is a Jewish immigrant who unwittingly finds himself involved in the birth of the motion picture industry after inventing a flip book for his daughter. Ragtime takes us into the lives of these characters in a tale of turn-of-the-century America that also features such historical figures as Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington, J.P. Morgan and Henry Ford. The musical is patriotic and unyielding, celebrating America¹s greatness, persistence, vitality and hardships.

Ragtime begins performances on Wednesday, June 8, 2005 and runs through Sunday, July 17, 2005. OPENING NIGHT IS SUNDAY EVENING, JUNE 12 AT 7:30PM. The performance schedule is Wednesdays at 8:00PM, Thursdays at 2:00PM & 8:00PM, Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 2:30PM & 8:00PM and Sundays at 2:00PM & 7:30PM. Tickets $31 - $68 are on sale now. Student rush tickets are $16 and available day of performance in person with current ID. For tickets call 973.376.4343 or order online at www.papermill.org.