Members of The Actors Fund Will Have Early Access to Purchase Tickets to RAGTIME Concert; Peter Friedman Joins the Cast

The Actors Fund announced today that members of The Fund will have early access to purchase tickets ahead of the general public to the one-night only benefit concert. The unforgettable music of the Tony Award®-winning sensation Ragtime will once again be heard on Broadway in a one-night only benefit concert on Monday, April 27, 2020, at 7 p.m. at the Minskoff Theatre (200 West 45th St.). This celebratory event will star original cast members, including six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald ("Sarah"), two-time Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell ("Coalhouse Walker, Jr.") and Peter Friedman ("Tateh"). Further casting will be announced at a later date. All proceeds from this one-night only benefit concert will support The Actors Fund.

Members of The Actors Fund will be invited to purchase tickets during an exclusive member pre-sale period. To gain early access to purchase tickets, visit actorsfund.org/RagtimeMembership or call 212.221.7300 ext. 271 to join as a member by January 20 at 5 pm ET. Ticket prices will start at $150, with premium seating starting at $500. Any tickets that remain after the member pre-sale will go on sale to the public in early February at actorsfund.org/Ragtime.

Based on the classic American novel by E.L. Doctorow, Ragtime has a book by Terrence McNally (Master Class, Love! Valour! Compassion!) and a score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Once On This Island, Anastasia, Seussical). The evening will be directed by Stafford Arima, with David Loud as Music Supervisor and James Moore as Music Director and Conductor. On the original Broadway production, Mr. Arima served as Associate Resident Director, Mr. Loud as Musical Director and Conductor, and Mr. Moore as Associate Conductor.

"Our community was heartbroken at the loss of one of Broadway's great stars, my good friend and original Ragtime cast member Marin Mazzie," said Actors Fund Chairman Brian Stokes Mitchell. "Marin's courage and grace inspired everyone who knew her as well as her countless fans and generations of theater professionals. She was a true original and our cast, creative team and The Actors Fund are proud to dedicate this evening to her memory." Mazzie received one of her three Tony Award nominations for her portrayal of "Mother" in the original 1998 production. She also was posthumously awarded a 2019 Special Tony Award in recognition of her advocacy and leadership within the theater community as a brave and dedicated voice for women's health issues and organizations.

"Ragtime is a quintessential American story-it's about the struggles of immigrants seeking a better life in America, it's about the reality of racism in our society, and it's about income inequality, juxtaposing these struggles against the incredible wealth of the 1 percent," said Actors Fund CEO Joe Benincasa. "Although the story takes place a hundred years ago, the issues it presents are relevant in today's society and the current civil discourse. We're honored that Stokes, Audra, Lynn, Stephen, Terrence and so many in this original cast are bringing back this beloved musical to help The Fund continue our ongoing work of providing a supportive safety net to everyone in the performing arts and entertainment in times of need."

The original production of Ragtime opened on January 18, 1998, at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts (now the Lyric Theatre) and played for 834 performances. The show received 14 Tony Award nominations and won for Best Book of a Musical (Terrence McNally), Best Original Score (Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens), Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Audra McDonald) and Best Orchestrations (William David Brohn).

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos