Woodminster's 40th season begins with 'Ragtime'

Producers Associates, Inc. will open the 40th consecutive season of the Woodminster Summer Musicals with Ragtime, playing July 7-16.

An epic story of the shaping of multicultural America, Ragtime is based on E.L. Doctorow's famous novel about the turn of the twentieth century. The lives of a wealthy white family in upstate New York, black working class people in Harlem, and Jewish immigrants at Ellis Island intertwine with each other, and with historical figures including Henry Ford, Harry Houdini, and Emma Goldman.

Music is by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and book by Terrence McNally.

Angela Dean-Bahan of Oakland plays Sarah, and Lawrence Beamen of Walnut Creek plays Coalhouse Walker Jr.

Woodminster shows are performed by a combination of professional (Actors Equity Association) actors and talented local non-professionals. This season includes local children in key roles in all three shows. Ragtime features a huge cast of 62 actors from 26 Bay Area cities ranging from Fairfield to San Mateo, and from other cities including Los Angeles and New York.

The role of Coalhouse Walker, Ragtime piano player-turned-anarchist, will be played by Lawrence Beamen of Walnut Creek. His love interest Sarah will be portrayed by Angela Dean-Bahan of Oakland. Joni DeGabriele of Novato will play Mother, with frequent Woodminster performers Noel Anthony of New York as Younger Brother, and Robert Moorhead of Piedmont as Father. Michael Kostroff of Hollywood will play Tateh, the Jewish immigrant movie director.

A full cast list can be viewed here.

Ragtime will be directed by Joel Schlader, with choreography by Harriet Schlader. Vocal director is Trente Morant, and the Orchestra, composed of members of American Federation of Musicians, Local 6, will be conducted by Brandon Adams.

Stu Klitsner as Grandfather, Grant Lowenstein as Little Boy, and Robert Moorhead as Father.

 

After "Ragtime," Woodminster's 40th season will continue with the Rodgers' & Hammerstein classic, The King and I, August 4-13, and will close with Disney's Beauty and the Beast, playing September 1-10.

Woodminster seasons are chosen based on balloting by season ticket holders, and many seasons are composed of "old favorites" that have been performed before on the Woodminster stage. This year is different, as two of the shows are relatively recent Broadway offerings that have never before been performed at Woodminster, and the third (The Rodgers & Hammerstein classic "The King and I") hasn't been performed here since 1969, Woodminster's third season.

- press release from http://www.woodminster.com/Webpages/Newsreleases/2006seasonpr/ragtimepr.html

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WHAT: "Ragtime", A Story of Multicultural America
PERFORMED BY: Woodminster Summer Musicals by Producers Associates, Inc.
WHERE: Woodminster Amphitheater in Joaquin Miller Park, 3300 Joaquin Miller Road, Oakland
WHEN: July 7-16, 2006
PERFORMANCES: July 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 8 p.m.
TICKETS: 510-531-9597 or www.woodminster.com, $21.50-$34.50 ($2 discount for children/seniors)
Book by Terrence McNally, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen Flaherty, based on the novel "Ragtime," by E.L. Doctorow

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