My View: RAGTIME…Opening Night at Bay Street Theater

RAGTIME, the Tony Award-winning musical opened at Bay Street Theater this weekend and we were guests of Bay Street Theater Board Member and theater impresario Riki Kane Larimer for the festivities.  This new production was brilliant on all levels and the commentary in the Playbill by Artistic Director Scott Schwartz and Executive Director Tracy Mitchell was spot on describing the imaginative, creatively directed RAGTIME we were about to see.

From Tracy & Scott

“ When Ragtime premiered on Broadway in 1998, it took the theatre world by storm and immediately became viewed as a new classic of musical theater.  It’s epic yet deeply personal story, it’s sweeping and Tony Award-winning score, and its powerful message of social justice combined with a deep love of America and the possibility of the American Dream resonated deeply.  It still does today, perhaps even more so.  Will Pomerantz, Bay Street’s Associate Artistic Director who has brought us many gorgeous productions over the past nine years including Evita, had a vision to strip this great musical to its essentials, house a smaller cast size that has ever been attempted with this material, and an innovative production concept, in order to explore the deep truths and heighten the emotions within.”

“We hope that RAGTIME will inspire and move you as much as it has us over the process of bringing it to Sag Harbor”.

Mission accomplished Bay Street!   Standing Ovations with tears and cheers throughout.

Production photo Lenny Stucker

RAGTIME

ERIC SEGAL ,friend, EDA SOROKOFF, MARC ROUTH, SIMONE GENATT, SCOTT SCHWARTZ, DOUG DENOFF, RIKI KANE LARIMER, TRACY MITCHELL, JAMIE DEROY

RIKI KANE LARIMER

The cast includes Kyrie Courter (Sarah); Derrick Davis (Coalhouse); Lora Lee Gayer (Mother); Zachary Prince (Tateh); Daniel Jenkins (Father); Harrison Bryan (Younger Brother); Davon Williams (Booker T. Washington); Clyde Voce (Matthew Henson); Rachel Parker (Sarah’s Friend); Taylor Jackson (Harlem Woman); Cathryn Wake (Evelyn Nesbit); Victoria Huston-Elem (Emma Goldman); Ryan M. Hunt (Willie Conklin); Cecelia

Ticktin (Kathleen), Will Hantz (The Boy); Sonnie Betts (The Girl); and Ian Lowe and Brianna Kaleen as Swings.

The creative team on Ragtime is: Will Pomerantz (Director); Christopher Grant and Lauren Grant (Co-Choreographers); James Bassi (Musical Director); Rick Sordelet (Fight Director); Anna Louizos (Scenic Designer); Hunter Kaczorowski (Costume Designer); Meghan O’Beirne (Associate Costume Designer); Mike Billings (Lighting Designer); Dalton Hamilton (Assistant Lighting Designer / Programmer); Jon Weston (Sound Designer); John Millerd (Associate Sound Designer); Brian C. Staton (Projection Designer); Andrew Diaz (Props Designer); Ryan Touhey (Orchestrator); Tommy Kurzman (Hair/Makeup Designer); James FitzSimmons (Production Stage Manager); and Christine Catti (Assistant Stage Manager).

WILL POMERANTZ, SCOTT SCHWARTZ, TRACY MITCHELL

STEPHEN SOROKOFF & RIKI KANE LARIMER

TRACY MITCHELL & PAUL ANTHONY

DOUG DENOFF & TRACY MITCHELL

JAMIE DEROY, RIKI KANE LARIMER, EDA SOROKOFF

EDA SOROKOFF & RIKI KANE LARIMER

TOVAH FELDSHUH, ANDREW LEVY,  EDA SOROKOFF STEPHEN SOROKOFF

COMING ATTRACTION