Your Host, William Powell, welcomes Stephen Yednock and Heather McMunigal to talk about the musical they are staring in, "Ragtime", from 2nd Star Productions. Dial 347.884.8997 to ask a question!
Based on the novel of the same name by E.L. Doctrow,
Ahren’s and Flaherty’s Ragtime is a compelling epic
capturing the American experience at the turn of the 20th
century. Tracking three diverse families in pursuit of the
American dream in the volatile “melting pot” of turn-of-the-
century New York, Ragtime confronts the dialectic
contradictions inherent in American reality: experiences
of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and
despair. Over the course of the show, the worlds of a
wealthy white couple, a Jewish immigrant father and his
motherless daughter, and an African American ragtime
musician intertwine. Together, they discover the surprising
interconnections of the human heart, the limitations of
justice and the unsettling consequences when dreams
are permanently deferred. Featuring many of the historical
figures that built and shaped turn-of-the-century America,
including J.P. Morgan, Emma Goldman, Harry Houdini,
Evelyn Nesbit and Henry Ford, this musical sweeps
across the diversity of the American experience to create
a stirring epic that captures the beats of the American
experience: the marches, the cakewalks and - of course, the ragtime.
Directed by Nathan Bowen
Produced by Jane Wingard
Music Direction by Emily Taylor
Choreography by Anwar Thomas