Test your knowledge of the iconic musical Ragtime and discover how well you know its rich history. Based on E.L. Doctorow’s acclaimed novel, Ragtime brings a captivating blend of historical events and fictional stories to life. From its Tony Award-winning score to its vibrant cast of real historical figures like Harry Houdini and Booker T. Washington, the show has left its mark on Broadway history. How much do you know about this beloved production and its journey from Toronto to Broadway and beyond?
Adaptations
- The 2024 New York City Center gala production of 'Ragtime' featured Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, and Brandon Uranowitz in lead roles.
International Productions
- The original Toronto production of Ragtime opened at the Ford Centre for the Performing Arts on December 8, 1996.
- The original Norwegian production of Ragtime in 2018 marked the first time the musical was performed in a foreign language.
- The musical incorporates real historical figures including Harry Houdini, Evelyn Nesbit, and Booker T. Washington.
Musical Composition
- The Tony Award-winning orchestration for the Broadway revival of Ragtime featured 26 musicians, expanding to 38 players for the original cast recording.
Notable Tours
- The 2012 Shaw Festival included 'Ragtime' in its lineup, celebrating its 51st season with Thom Allison and Alana Hibbert leading the cast.
Production Facts
- The Broadway debut of Ragtime was the first production in the newly opened Ford Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.
- Ragtime received 13 Tony Award nominations in 1998, leading the nominations that year but ultimately losing Best Musical to Disney's The Lion King.
- Audra McDonald won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress for her role in Ragtime.
- The musical showcases the contrast between three diverse groups in the United States during the early 20th century.
- A virtual reunion of the original Broadway cast took place on March 26, 2021, livestreamed on the web series Stars in the House.
- Ragtime had its US premiere at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles in June 1997 before moving to Broadway in 1998.
- The Manhattan Concert Productions staged a one-night-only concert on February 18, 2013, at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center with a star-studded cast including Lea Salonga and Norm Lewis.
- A concert benefitting the Entertainment Community Fund was held on March 27, 2023, at the Minskoff Theatre, featuring original Broadway cast members Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra McDonald.
- Ragtime the musical is based on the 1975 novel of the same name by E.L. Doctorow.
- The developmental concert at Ellis Island on August 8, 2016, featured immersive elements, anticipating a full production that would employ in-ear monitoring technology for the audience.
- Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre introduced a new version of Ragtime in October 2017, with a streamlined cast of only 16 actors.
- The Providence's Trinity Repertory Company's 2018 production of Ragtime saw Wilkie Ferguson III and Mia Ellis as Coalhouse Walker Jr. and Sarah.
- Philadelphia's Arden Theatre included Ragtime in its 2019 season, featuring Nkrumah Gatling and Terran Scott under the direction of Terrence J. Nolen.
