Charity Angél Dawson Withdraws From RAGTIME Due to Injury
Dawson was set to appear in the ensemble and as 'Sarah's Friend' in the upcoming revival.
By: Michael Major Aug. 26, 2025
Charity Angél Dawson has announced that she has withdrawn from the upcoming Broadway revival of Ragtime due to an injury. The Waitress star was due to begin rehearsals for Lincoln Center's upcoming production of the musical, but has since dropped out after the injury has flared up.
"I will not be joining the cast of Ragtime after all," she shared. "This injury has flared up ... I couldn't walk the other day. I can't sit up straight right now. It hurts to stand for more than a minute."
Dawson announced the news in an Instagram video, sharing that the production had been very supportive of her leading up to rehearsals beginning. She was set to appear in the ensemble and as Sarah's Friend.
"It's very, very disappointing, but I'm okay. I'm sad, you know, I'm frustrated. I was right there, I know it's close, but no dice, but it's okay. I know that all is well and all will be well. I'm processing through my feelings. I opened the floor to my feelings. I said, 'Hey, ome on in, sit down, let's talk about it, how we feel about this.' So I'm walking through that and I'm okay. I gotta take care of this body.
It's best for me to step out and step back because the process needs to move forward. It's such a short process. That's just the way it has to go. I'm fine with it. I'm so grateful to the entire creative team and producers and Lincoln Center. They just were so gracious and they've had so much compassion and understanding around this.
They were aware that it had flared before we started rehearsals, but was kind of inching its way toward getting better. They were willing to make concessions. Every department came to me and was like, 'Look, we're making sure we got you."
Ragtime begins preview performances begin on September 26th, with an official opening night set for October 16th.
"I'm so grateful to them and to everybody over there. I wish the whole cast and crew and team the best, the very best as they mount this marvelous piece. So I just want to say, I love you all. I love everybody and I'm alright."
The musical will star Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, Brandon Uranowitz, Colin Donnell, Nichelle Lewis, Ben Levi Ross, Tony Award-winner Shaina Taub, John Clay III, and Rodd Cyrus, Anna Grace Barlow, Nick Barrington, and Tabitha Lawing.
They will be joined by ensemble members Nicholas Barrón, Lauren Blackman, Briana Carlson-Goodman, Jordan Chin, Billy Cohen, Rheaume Crenshaw, Charity Angél Dawson, Ellie Fishman, Jason Forbach, Ta’Nika Gibson, David Jennings, Kaleb Johnson, Marina Kondo, Morgan Marcell, Kane Emmanuel Miller, Tom Nelis, Kent Overshown, Kayla Pecchioni, John Rapson, Deandre Sevon, Jacob Keith Watson, and Alan Wiggins. Swings and off-stage understudies for the production will be Eean Sherrod Cochran (dance captain), Kerry Conte, Nick Gaswirth, Jackson Parker Gill, Jenny Mollet, Matthew Scott, and Ellie May Sennett.
Featuring a lush score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, a stirring book by Terrence McNally, and original orchestrations by William David Brohn, all of whom won Tony Awards for their work, Ragtime weaves fictional narratives with real historical figures and events, creating a rich tapestry that blurs the line between personal struggle and national identity, making history feel both intimate and epic.
The creative team for the Lincoln Center Theater production of Ragtime includes Ellenore Scott (choreography), David Korins (set design), Linda Cho (costume design), Adam Honoré (lighting design), Kai Harada (sound design), 59 Studio (projection design), Tom Watson (hair and wig design), Ann James (sensitivity specialist), and The Telsey Office, Craig Burns, CSA (casting). Music Director James Moore will conduct a 28-piece orchestra featuring original orchestrations by William David Brohn, and vocal arrangements by Stephen Flaherty. Cody Renard Richard is the production stage manager.
Ragtime is a sweeping musical adaptation of E. L. Doctorow’s novel that follows three fictional families in pursuit of the American Dream at the dawn of the 20th Century: Black pianist Coalhouse Walker, Jr. (Joshua Henry) and his beloved Sarah (Nichelle Lewis), Jewish immigrant Tateh (Brandon Uranowitz) and his little girl, and a wealthy white family led by matriarch Mother (Caissie Levy). All grasping for the same dream, if only they can hold onto it.
