In this episode of Half Hour, Jeff and Richie take a close look at the 2025 Broadway revival of Ragtime at Lincoln Center Theater’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, with Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, Brandon Uranowitz, and Colin Donnell leading the cast. They compare Lear deBessonet’s Broadway staging to the earlier New York City Center presentation, weighing the strength of the performances, the impact of a more pared-back production, and how the material lands with today’s audiences.

The conversation covers the score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, Terrence McNally’s book, design choices that support or undercut the storytelling, and what this revival might mean for the upcoming Tony Awards. Jeff and Richie also discuss how Ragtime’s mix of fictional and historical figures speaks to contemporary questions about race, class, immigration, and the American dream.

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