All-Star D.C. Cast Announced for RAGTIME at Ford's Theatre

Ford's Theatre Society announced full casting and design team for the musical Ragtime directed by Peter Flynn, choreographed by Michael Bobbitt and with Music Direction by Christopher Youstra. Ragtime plays March 10 to May 20, 2017, at historic Ford's Theatre.

The production features an all-star D.C. cast including Kevin McAllister as Coalhouse Walker, Jr., Tracy Lynn Olivera as Mother, Nova Y. Payton as Sarah and Jonathan Atkinson as Tateh.

Based on E.L. Doctorow's celebrated 1975 novel, the Tony Award-winning musical Ragtime confronts both the unbridled optimism and the stark reality of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When the lives of a wealthy white family, a daring Harlem musician and a determined Jewish immigrant intersect, their fates are inextricably bound and profoundly changed. Ragtime features an expansive musical score, striking relevancy and a who's who of 20th-century historical characters.

"Ragtime is a beautiful musical that is set during a period of rapid American growth and change in the early 1900s," said Director Peter Flynn. "With themes and circumstances resembling our own modern news cycle, I expect audiences will experience a heighted sense of listening and a deeper sense of consciousness when hearing this simple story of American Dreams. I am honored and excited to direct this particular musical at this time in Washington."

McAllister, Olivera, Payton and Atkinson are joined in the cast by Christopher Bloch (Grandfather, J.P. Morgan), Felicia Curry (Sarah's Friend), Rayanne Gonzales (Emma Goldman), James Konicek (Father), Gregory Maheu (Younger Brother), Justine "Icy" Moral (Evelyn Nesbit), Christopher Mueller (Harry Houdini), Jefferson A. Russell (Booker T. Washington), Stephen F. Schmidt (Harry K. Thaw, Adm. Peary) John Leslie Wolfe (Henry Ford) and Elan Zafir (Stanford White, Willie Conklin).

Ragtime ensemble members are Maria Egler, Eben K. Logan, Sean-Maurice Lynch, Ines Nassara, Rayshun LaMarr Purefoy, Karen Vincent and Tobias Young. The company also includes Henry Baratz and Holden Browne as Little Boy and Kylee Geraci and Dulcie Pham as Little Girl (roles rotate every other performance).

THE DESIGNERS:

Scenic Designer Milagros Ponce de León's gilded multi-level platforms and rolling staircases reflect the lines of early 20th-century architecture, while Clint Allen's Projection Design allows for swift transitions between the grittiness of the city and its tenements, the hope and light of Atlantic City, and the small-town life of New Rochelle.

The Ford's Theatre Ragtime design team also includes Choreographer Michael Bobbitt (Spelling Bee, 1776, others) Music Director and Additional Vocal Arrangements by Christopher Youstra (Spelling Bee, Little Shop of Horrors, others) Costume Designer Wade Laboissonniere (110 in the Shade, Freedom's Song, others) Lighting Designer Rui Rita (A Christmas Carol, The Guard, others), Sound Designer David Budries (Freedom's Song, Spelling Bee, others), Hair and Make-up Design by Anne Nesmith (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, 110 in the Shade, others), Orchestrations by Kim Scharnberg (Freedom's Song; Hello, Dolly!; others), Dramaturg Jennifer L. Nelson and Dialects and Voice Director Leigh Wilson Smiley.

The production team also includes Production Stage Manager Craig A. Horness and Assistant Stage Manager Taryn Friend.

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Tickets for Ragtime are now on sale and range from $20-$73. Discounts are available for groups, senior citizens, military personnel and those younger than age 35.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES AND EVENTS:

A sign-interpreted performance is March 30, 2017, at 7:30 p.m. There are audio-described performances of Ragtime on April 4 at 7:30 p.m. and May 13, 2017, at 2 p.m. A captioned performance is scheduled for May 6, 2017, at 2 p.m.

Free First Preview: March 10 at 7:30 p.m.

In an effort to broaden access to our theatre programming, Ford's Theatre Partners with TodayTix to give out free tickets for the first preview of each mainstage production in our 16-17 season. The Free First Preview for Ragtime is March 10 at 7:30 p.m. Visit www.fords.org/free for full lottery entry details.

Ragtime Meet and Mingle: April 15 following 7:30 p.m. performance

Following the performance of Ragtime at Ford's Theatre, talk theatre with fellow audience members and members of the cast at nearby restaurant Asia Nine, around the corner on E Street near Ford's Theatre. Event is free. Cash bar available. Performance tickets sold separately at www.fords.org.

Ragtime Under 35 Night: April 21 and May 19 following the 7:30 p.m. performances

Patrons younger than 35 can purchase discounted tickets to the 7:30 p.m. performance of Ragtime and enjoy a complimentary glass of beer or wine after the show. Hang out with like-minded young arts fans, meet new people and see Ford's Theatre in a brand new light. Tickets may be purchased in advance at www.fords.org. Use promo code UNDER35. You must show ID at the Box Office once arriving at the theatre. Limit of six per person.

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One of the most visited sites in the nation's capital, Ford's Theatre reopened its doors in 1968, more than a hundred years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Operated through a partnership between Ford's Theatre Society and the National Park Service, Ford's Theatre is the premier destination in the nation's capital to explore and celebrate Abraham Lincoln's ideals and leadership principles: courage, integrity, tolerance, equality and creative expression.

The Ford's Theatre Society was founded under the guidance of executive producer Frankie Hewitt, who, during her 35-year tenure, established Ford's as a living, Working Theatre producing performances that highlighted the diversity of the American experience. Since the arrival of Paul R. Tetreault as Director, critics and the theatregoing public have recognized Ford's for the superior quality of its artistic programming. With works from the nationally acclaimed Big River to the world premieres of Meet John Doe, The Heavens Are Hung In Black, LiberTy Smith, Necessary Sacrifices, The Widow Lincoln and The Guard, Ford's Theatre is making its mark on the American theatre landscape. In the last decade, the mission of Ford's Theatre Society expanded to include education as a central pillar. This expansion led to the creation and construction of the Center for Education and Leadership, which opened in February 2012. Currently, under the leadership of Board of Trustees Chairman Eric A. Spiegel, Ford's enters a second phase of strategic planning to ensure the organization's place as a national destination for exploring Lincoln's legacy and the American experience through the intersection of history, performance and education.

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