Roderick Lawrence Will Lead The Cast Of RAGTIME At Cain Park

Complete casting has been announced for Cain Park's upcoming production of Ragtime, running from June 13 - June 30 with an official opening scheduled for June 14. The production will feature a cast of 25 actors.

The cast will be led by Cleveland-native Roderick Lawrence (National tour of The Lion King) as Coalhouse Walker Jr. who has been performing in New York City and Los Angeles and will make a special return home for his lead role in Ragtime. Featured actors include Bridie Carroll (National tour of Wicked) as Mother, along with Mariah Burks (Toxic Avenger) as Sarah, and Scott Esposito (Godspell) as Tateh.

Rounding out the company are Nyla Watson as Sarah's friend, Anna Barrett as Evelyn Nesbit, Kate Leigh Michalski (Toxic Avenger, Rock of Ages) as Emma Goldman, Anthony Savage-Williams (Memphis) as Booker T. Washington, Michael Rogan as Grandfather/JP Morgan, Sam Nasar as Houdini, Elise Pakiela as Little Girl, Jake Spencer as Edgar, Danny Simpson as Father, Will Price as Younger Brother, Sara Chapman as Coalhouse Follower, Darian Wilson (Memphis) as Harlem Woman/dance captain, Amanda Tidwell as Brigit, Tony Heffner (Rock of Ages) as Henry Ford, Will Sanborn as Willie Conklin, Frank Ivancic (Music Man in Concert, Memphis) as Policeman, Jack Hale as Baron's Assistant, Adam Kirk as Black Lawyer, Nate Summers as Harlem Man, Anthony Harris Jr., as Henson and Kirstin Henry as Kathleen. Makay Johnson, John Kost, Reyna Moran, and Cameron Olin are swings.

Based on the novel by E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime features a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. The Cain Park production is directed by Joanna May Cullinan with musical direction by Jordan Cooper and choreography by Imani Jackson.

The creative team includes Set & Lighting design by Trad A Burns & Ben Gantose, costume design by Tesia Benson, sound design by Carlton Guc, Ben Danielson as Assistant Stage Manager and stage management by Tom Humes.

Nominated for 13 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Ragtime tells the story of three families in the pursuit of the American Dream. Together, they confront history's timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair...and what it means to live in America. The Tony-winning score is just as diverse as the melting pot of America itself, drawing upon many musical styles: from the ragtime rhythms of Harlem and Tin Pan Alley to the klezmer of the Lower East Side, from bold brass band marches to delicate waltzes, from up-tempo banjo tunes to period parlor songs and expansive anthems.

Ragtime won the 1998 Tony Awards for Best Score, Book and Orchestrations, and both the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical and Best Score. Time Magazine called it "a triumph for the stage" while the Huffington Post described it as "the ultimate musical for our time."

Ragtime tickets are $25 for the June 13 preview (no discounts) and $32 in advance for all other performances. Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster.com, at Ticketmaster outlets, and at the Cain Park Ticket Office (in person and 216-371-3000) as of June 4. Performances are Thursdays-Saturdays at 7pm and 2pm on Sundays. Cain Park is located at 14591 Superior Road.

Ragtime is supported by WCPN, WCLV, and WKSU. Cain Park season sponsors include the City of Cleveland Heights, the Friends of Cain Park, and InterContinental Hotels Cleveland.

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