E. L. Doctorow News

Berkeley Playhouse continues their tenth anniversary season of professional theater for family audiences with their largest production of the season, Ragtime. A sweeping musical epic of hopes and dreams in an America facing change at the turn of the 20th century, Ragtime boasts Tony Award-winning score and lyrics by the Broadway powerhouse duo, Stephen Flaherty and Lynne Ahrens (Once on This Island, Anastasia, Suessical) and a book by four-time Tony Award-winner Terrence McNally (The Full Monty, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class), based on the celebrated novel by E. L. Doctorow. Celebrating its twentieth anniversary of opening on Broadway this month, the original 1998 production was nominated for a staggering thirteen Tony Awards and fourteen Drama Desk awards.

Stephen Flaherty's catchy and powerful melodies and Lynn Ahren's poignant lyrics 'It was the music of something beginning, an era exploding, a century spinning. In riches and rags, and in rhythm and rhyme. The people called it Ragtime.' can be heard at Maine's very own Ogunquit Playhouse running now until August 26th. I was lucky enough to sit down and chat with ensemble member Megan Lione to talk about how the story of Ragtime is more important than ever, as it is a piece of theatre that discusses diversity, inclusion, and love. Lione says 'The cast is incredible, all ages and backgrounds. It's really amazing.'

Stray Dog Theatre will present Ragtime: The Musical in August. Set in the volatile melting pot of New York at the turn of the century, three distinctly American tales are woven together.

Ragtime, the stirring Lynn Ahrens-Stephen Flaherty-Terrance McNally musical about American society at the turn of the 20th century - based on the E. L. Doctorow novel of the same name - premieres on the Murfreesboro stage of the Center for the Arts, directed by Rachel Jones and starring a cast of Middle Tennessee's favorite performers.

Newcomer to the Ritz Theatre lands a larger than life Disney role this summer for Young and Old.

I had the honor of seeing the original Broadway cast of the Tony winning musical Ragtime as my very first Broadway show. So, as you can guess, I am absolutely thrilled to see that the BroadHollow Theatre Company has added it to their Spring season. This exciting incarnation, directed by Marian Waller, runs through July 9th at East Islip's BayWay Theatre and then heads over to BroadHollow's Elmont location beginning August 5th.

Gallery Players announces the final show of its 50th season with the critically acclaimed and timely, Ragtime.  At the dawn of a new century, everything is changing…and anything is possible.  Ragtime comes to Brooklyn, a show which Bloomberg News has hailed as "explosive, thrilling and nothing short of a masterpiece.

Music Theatre International (MTI), the world's leading licensor of musical theatre has awarded the Courage In Theatre Award to Cherry Hill High School East for their current production of RAGTIME.

Louis Baker has had a varied career in the entertainment world. As an actor, he studied under three prestigious performers: Bill Duke, Haile Gerima, and Debbie Allen. He has worked as a voiceover artist in the animation world, co-produces with his wife a family-centered web series called Faces of Offense, and has played a variety of roles on stage in shows such as Tommy, West Side Story, and The Wiz. But none of those parts are as meaningful to Louis as his current one - playing the historically-based author/orator Booker T. Washington in the Actors Repertory Theatre of Simi's production of Ragtime. The show closes this weekend, but we cornered Louis after last Sunday's performance to talk about his character in the context of the current political turmoil in America, which, unfortunately, is not that much different from what was depicted in E. L. Doctorow's famous novel.

The musical Ragtime, which plays through this Sunday, December 4, at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, is an important work that weaves actual historical personages into the fabric of its three intersecting stories: an upper-class white family, the African American ragtime pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr., and the Latvian immigrant Tateh. Two of the historical characters in the musical had profound impacts on American political history, which have heightened relevance due to the emotionally charged 2016 election, refocusing attention on matters of race, class, and immigration. This weekend, we interviewed the actors portraying anarchist Emma Goldman and educator/orator Booker T. Washington in the show, which will be featured in advance of this weekend's final performances of this essential work of musical theater.

RAGTIME: The Musical, currently being presented brilliantly by Actors' Repertory Theatre of Simi at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center through December 4, 2016, is set in the volatile melting pot of turn-of-the-century New York. Based on the classic E. L. Doctorow novel, featuring a Tony Award-winning book by Terrence McNally, RAGTIME weaves together three distinctly American tales -- that of a stifled suburban mother represented by Mother, the matriarch of a white upper-class family in New Rochelle, New York; Tateh, an inventive Jewish immigrant from Latvia; and Coalhouse Walker Jr., a daring young Harlem musician - all united by their courage, compassion and belief in the promise of the future in America at the turn of the 20th Century.

Theater Latte Da continues its season with the classic Broadway musical, Ragtime. It's the turn-of-the-century, everything is changing and anything is possible. Based on E.L. Doctorow's landmark novel, Ragtime is set in the volatile melting pot of New York City. Three distinct American stories are woven together-a determined Jewish immigrant, a daring Harlem musician, and a stifled woman of privilege united by their courage, compassion and belief in a better tomorrow. Together they confront what it means to be an American at the dawn of a new century. With a compelling book by Terrence McNally and a glorious score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, Ragtime was nominated for 13 Tony Awards and was awarded Best Book and Best Score.

Ragtime is an epic musical that characterizes the changing times in America at the turn of the last century. Curtain Call's production will continue in The Kweskin Theatre through October 22 at the Sterling Farms Theatre Complex, 1349 Newfield Avenue, Stamford. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Conflicts due to race, immigration and gender... you would think this turn-of-the-century story would seem like ancient history but instead it feels fresh and relevant as today's headlines. RAGTIME plays through Oct. 23 at Theater Latte Da and stars a new local actor, David L. Murray, Jr., whom we get to know in 6 Questions & a Plug.

The concert presentation might have wrapped up last night, but that doesn't mean it's the end of Ragtime. Event presenter Suzanne Friedman has an eye towards an immersive, full production of the acclaimed American musical on Ellis Island in 2017.

Ragtime On Ellis Island is pleased to announce that a limited number of seats to the highly anticipated site-specific developmental concert on Monday, August 8, will be distributed to the public by way of an online ticket lottery

Ragtime On Ellis Island just announced that Tony Award winner and Original Broadway cast member Brian Stokes Mitchell (Shuffle Along, Man of La Mancha) and acclaimed stage and television star Andy Mientus (Spring Awakening, Les Miserables) have joined the lineup of the highly anticipated site-specific developmental concert on Monday, August 8. The all-star cast, directed by Sammi Cannold (Violet on a moving bus at A.R.T; Assistant Director for Diane Paulus & Rachel Chavkin), will perform a selection of songs from the Tony Award-winning musical that features music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and a book by Terrence McNally. The concert is being presented by Suzanne Friedman with an eye towards an immersive, full production of the acclaimed American musical on Ellis Island in 2017.

The Tony Award-winning musical Ragtime will receive a one-night site-specific developmental concert on Ellis Island on August 8, 2016. An all-star cast of Broadway and Off-Broadway veterans including Olivier winner Laura Michelle Kelly, Tony and Grammy nominee Brandon Victor Dixon, Emmy winner Michael Park, Robert Petkoff, Shaina Taub, and five-time Emmy nominee Georgia Engel will perform a selection of songs from the American musical with music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Sammi Cannold will direct the concert in anticipation of a full production in 2017.

Under amateur licence from Josef Weinberger Ltd., Bishopsgate Institute and Centre Stage London will perform a staged concert of Ahrens and Flaherty's Ragtime - The Musical for six performances only in June 2016. Ragtime - The Musical  is based on the 1975 novel Ragtime by E L Doctorow and features music by Stephen Flaherty,  lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and book by Terrence McNally - all of which won Tony Awards in 1998. This production will run at the Bishopsgate Institute in the heart of the City of London from 14 to 19 June.