Video: Watch Mamie Parris Sing 'Back to Before' in Goodspeed's RAGTIME

Goodspeed has shared a new video of Mamie Parris performing "Back to Before" from Ragtime. The production runs now through June 15, 2025. A powerful musical about the dreams of three American families woven together with ragtime, jazz and show tunes, Ragtime kicks off the East Haddam, Connecticut theatre's 2025 season. 

Ragtime features a book by Terrence McNally. Music is by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. The musical is based on the novel “Ragtime” by E. L. Doctorow.

Set in the volatile melting pot of turn-of-the-century New York, Ragtime weaves together the stories of three fictional families striving for the American Dream. As an affluent society woman, an imaginative Jewish immigrant, and an optimistic Harlem pianist navigate a changing world, they confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair. With a Tony Award-winning score which blends ragtime, blues, jazz and show tunes, it’s a powerful, sweeping saga of America.

Parris has been see at The Goodspeed in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, A Grand Night for Singing, The Most Happy Fella; Broadway: Cats, School of Rock, On the Twentieth Century.

The cast for Ragtime is one of the largest in Goodspeed’s history, also including Michael Wordly (Off-Broadway: Spamilton) as Coalhouse Walker Jr. Tateh will be played by David R. Gordon. Sarah will be played by Brennyn Lark (Broadway: Les Misérables, Six The Musical). Father will be played by Edward Watts (The Goodspeed: The Music Man, Thoroughly Modern Millie, 1776; The Terris: The Girl in the Frame; Broadway: Scandalous; Off-Broadway: It’s a Bird...It’s a Plane...It’s Superman, The Fantasticks). Younger Brother will be played by Behr Marshall. Little Boy will be played by Sawyer Delaney. Little Girl will be played by Sofie Nesanelis (Off-Broadway: Wedding Band).

The ensemble will feature Jordan Alexander, Shaunice Maudlyn Alexander (Broadway: Ben Platt: Live at The Palace), Mia Bergstrom, Tommy Betz (The Goodspeed: A Christmas Story The Musical), Jodi Bluestein (The Goodspeed: Maggie), Yophi Adia Bost, Jonathan Cobrda (Houdini), Jalyn Crosby, Joseph Fierberg (The Goodspeed: Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz; Off-Broadway: Empire, A Chorus Line), Mia Gerachis (Evelyn Nesbit) (Broadway: Sweeney Todd), Blair Goldberg (Emma Goldman) (Broadway: Kinky Boots, Annie Get Your Gun), Nathan Haltiwanger, Benjamin H. Moore (Booker T. Washington) (Broadway/Off-Broadway: Harmony), Jeremiah Valentino Porter, Rory Shirley, Stephen Tewksbury (Grandfather/Conklin) (Broadway: Sweeney Todd, Kinky Boots, Phantom of the Opera), and Matt Wall (The Goodspeed: No, No, Nanette; Broadway: Company, My Fair Lady, Sunset Boulevard).

Swings for this production are Henry H. Miller (Off-Broadway: The Wave) and Xavier Turner. Robin Louise Miller will understudy Little Boy/Little Girl.

Ragtime will be directed by Christopher Betts (Yale Rep: Choir Boy; Hartford Stage: Trouble in Mind, The Hot Wing King). Sara Edwards will choreograph the production (Broadway - associate choreographer: Pirates! The Penzance Musical, Harmony, The Music Man). Music direction will be by Goodspeed’s Resident Music Director Adam Souza (The Goodspeed: Over 20 productions including Maggie, South Pacific, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The 12, Summer Stock, 42nd Street, Because of Winn Dixie; Broadway/National Tour: Wicked, Kinky Boots).