New Staging of RAGTIME Begins Tonight at The 5th Avenue Theatre

The 5th Avenue Theatre is creating a rich and evocative new production of Ragtime, a tale of family, heart and perseverance at the turn of the 20th century that is a timely story about the immigrants who helped make the United States the diverse and thriving nation it is today.

As a leading producer of innovative and cutting edge musical theater, The 5th is excited to bring Peter Rothstein back to Seattle to continue to develop an intimate 16-person staging of the sweeping epic, which is based on his previous direction of the musical at Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis. Rothstein, whose previous 5th Avenue credits include Guys and Dolls and Oklahoma!, has been developing this new staging of Ragtime for several years.

Playing tonight, October 13, through November 5 (press opening Friday, October 20), tickets for Ragtime start at $29 and will go on sale August 16. Tickets can be purchased at www.5thavenue.org, by phone at 206-625-1900 or at the Box Office at 1308 5th Avenue in Downtown Seattle.

Set in the volatile melting pot of New York City, this musical theater masterpiece weaves together three distinct American stories: an upper-class wife, a determined Jewish immigrant and a daring young Harlem musician, all united by their desire and belief in a brighter tomorrow. Ragtime's glorious Tony Award-winning score has scintillating music and an intensely compelling story of love at its core. Ragtime features a Tony Award-winning book by Terrence McNally and a Tony Award-winning score by Stephen Flaherty with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens.

Ragtime will feature a stellar cast of local, national and Broadway acclaim including: Joshua Carter (National Tour: Once; 5th Ave: Little Shop of Horrors, Spamalot) as Tateh, Kendra Kassebaum (Broadway: Come From Away, Assassins, Wicked) as Mother, Douglas Lyons (Broadway: The Book of Mormon, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) as Coalhouse Walker Jr., DaNyel Fulton (New York: Jasper in Deadland, National Tour: Hair) as Sarah, Matthew Kacergis (5th Ave: Disney's The Little Mermaid, Village: Billy Elliott) as Younger Brother and Louis Hobson (5th Ave: A Room with a View, Assassins, Paint Your Wagon) as Father.

Previews begin Friday, October 13, 2017. Opening Night: Friday, October 20, 2017 (press night). Closing Performance: Sunday, November 5, 2017. Schedule: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays - 7:30 PM; Fridays - 8:00 PM; Saturdays - 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM; and Sundays - 1:30 PM & 7:00 PM at The 5th Avenue Theatre (1308 5th Avenue, Downtown Seattle). Visit www.5thavenue.org or call the Box Office at (206) 625-1900 for tickets (starting at $29)

The non-profit 5th Avenue Theatre is the nation's premier incubator for new musical theater. Since 2001, the Seattle-based company has produced 18 new musicals. To date, nine (including the sensational hit Disney's Aladdin) have moved on to Broadway premieres, earning a combined 15 Tony Awards, including two for Best Musical (Hairspray and Memphis). The 5th Avenue Theatre is also known for its world class, critically acclaimed productions of musicals chosen from both the contemporary canon and the Golden Age of Broadway.

Unique in its Chinese-inspired design, this exquisite theater opened in 1926 as a venue for vaudeville and film. Today, under the leadership of Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong, Managing Director Bernadine C. Griffin and Producing Artistic Director Bill Berry, this non-profit theater company attracts an annual attendance of more than 300,000, including over 20,000 subscribers-one of the largest theater subscriptions in North America.

In addition to its main stage productions, The 5th Avenue Theatre is also committed to encouraging the next generation of theatergoers through its extensive educational outreach programs. For more information about The 5th Avenue Theatre, its season and its programs, visit www.5thavenue.org.