Review: RAGTIME Sets the Standard at Broadway At Music Circus

A question that’s often posed is, “What constitutes good art?” For me, it’s a piece that stretches my knowledge while dispelling assumptions. It’s something that might make me uncomfortable, even if I’m not sure why. It’s a work that evokes such strong emotions that I am left thinking about it for days. Ragtime is good art. Broadway at Music Circus has outdone itself with this powerful production about social justice, feminism, and tenacity. Based on the novel of the same name by E.L. Doctorow, Ragtime opened on Broadway in 1998 and won four Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score.

Ragtime takes us on a journey to the turn of the 20th century, where industrial and societal gains contribute to mounting tensions and racial turmoil. It incorporates real-life historical figures with fictional characters to paint a picture of excess, suffering, and resistance. Two minorities, Jewish immigrant Tateh and African American pianist Coalhouse Walker, Jr., are central to the themes of social inequality and persistence. Veering slightly from the novel, Tateh comes to America with just his daughter in search of a better life. Stuck in the tenements, he desperately searches for a way out for himself and the Little Girl. He finds it in his art, silhouettes he cuts himself for five cents each. Soon, he has moved on to flip books and amassed enough wealth to provide comfortably for the Little Girl while realizing the American dream. Coalhouse Walker, Jr., on the other hand, is a ragtime musician with a steady gig who is trying to settle down with his love, Sarah, and their infant son. A senseless act of vandalism leads to tragedy and catapults Coalhouse into a figurehead of Black resistance, and his Model T into a symbol of restitution and freedom. Interspersed within the story are those who support them: Mother, a woman who realizes her abilities after Father leaves to explore the North Pole; her son, The Little Boy, whose psychic abilities and natural curiosity make for an endearing character; and Younger Brother, whose sense of honor and talent with explosives make him a valuable asset to Coalhouse’s cause. Historical figures are peppered throughout the piece, dispersing various tidbits of wisdom. Emma Goldman speaks out against capitalism, Harry Houdini looks at mortality, J.P. Morgan represents the American dream, and Evelyn Nesbit is symbolic of the exploited female. Together, this cast of characters highlights the growing pains of an evolving society.

Leading the journey is the strongest cast I’ve ever experienced. The brilliance of their performances is difficult to put into words. It’s best to be felt as a live, immersive experience. Sacramento native Teal Wicks is back home from Broadway as Mother, a burgeoning feminist who discovers her inner strength and capabilities as she distances herself from Father’s antiquated views. This role was made for Wicks, whose rendition of “Back to Before” should be on every woman’s playlist. She also melds seamlessly with Josh Grisetti’s Tateh in “Our Children.” Grisetti inhabits the persona of a desperate man intent on pursuing the American dream, using his anger at the system to catapult himself to the top. His numbers, “Gliding,” “A Shtetl Iz Amereke,” and “Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc.,” are both mesmerizing and inspiring. Unfortunately, we discover that his coveted American dream doesn’t apply to every man. Coalhouse Walker, Jr., is played by Kevin Stephen McAllister, whose powerhouse vocals and commanding stage presence are enhanced by Emilie Kouatchou’s sweet countenance. Her gentle aura belies her own flawless vocals, and she and McAllister bring down the house with the hopeful “Wheels of a Dream” and the poignant “Sarah Brown Eyes.” The entire cast is flawless, and audience favorite “’Till We Reach That Day” had everyone holding back tears with jaws agape at Amma Osei’s unparalleled voice.

Creative projections by Adam Flemming complete the atmosphere of the early 20th century while providing a stunning backdrop for the round. A touching addition is the images of the many real people who followed in Coalhouse’s footsteps, showing that America still has strides to make in pursuit of the American ideal. Thoughtful choreography and direction by Gerry McIntyre infuse the piece with a sensitivity to the minority experience and lend hope for continuing change. This is Broadway at Music Circus’ very best, and the most emotionally charged and powerful piece of theatre I have ever seen, bar none. Ragtime has lessons for us all, even if we think we already know them.

Ragtime plays at Broadway at Music Circus through August 13. Tickets may be found online at BroadwaySacramento.com, by phone at (916) 557-1999, or in person at the Box Office at 1419 H Street in Sacramento.

Photo credit: Charr Crail

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