NJ Papermill Playhouse...RAGTIME Review

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 4:08pm

RAGTIME Review

In 1998 one of the most thought provoking and celebrated new musicals of our era opened at a new home on Broadway. Unfortunately, much like the last presidential election; power, greed, and commercialism trumped that years Tony Awards and “The Lion King” beat the star spangled blockbuster “Ragtime” for best new musical! Although its’ initial American cast boasted the likes of Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Marin Mazzie; its Broadway birth was, in retrospect, entirely too short. No need to worry theatre enthusiasts, the telling tale is alive and well, this time at New Jersey’s Papermill Playhouse, and will once again have audiences glowing in its glorious rapture.

Director of the original London production and now this version (playing at the Playhouse until July 17th), Stafford Arima has created a version of Ragtime that is hauntingly imaginative. One would assume that a show this expensive to produce could never be done again in its full grandeur. How wrong of an assumption that would be. Gone is the swing and the Model-T, but aside from those two minor instances, and probably because of those circumstances, this version is so indicatively nuanced.

“Ragtime” is set in the opening decade of the 20th century. Ragtime music was captivating and changing the nation. At the time, nobody would realize just how the expression of broken rhythms moving at a lightning speed would latter define the entire era. The “sound of distant thunder” is irrevocably marked in “Ragtime” as the changing America and world of the early 1900’s foresees the impending World War. The struggle of rich white Americans, poor negro slaves, and starving immigrants will never again be depicted so intensely as they are in Arima’s version.

Thanks in large part to the immeasurably talented cast that has been assembled; this is a “Ragtime” for the record books. With visions of the originals so firmly instilled in ones mind, it is a true testament that Neal Benari as Tateh outshines his predecessor and the extremely talented Kenita R. Miller matches the incomparable Audra McDonald stride for stride. Leading lady Rachel York as Mother was out, but understudy Emily Herring has the role all by tied up incase York should pull an Applegate…her mother was splendidly mature and moving. David Hess and Shonn Wiley bring the right amount of conviction and determination to their respective roles as Father and Brother. And Justin Lee Miller as Coalhouse Walker, Jr. has a voice that can be heard for miles. The talented ensemble also deserves high praise as they sing, act, and dance their hearts out number after number.

The incomparable cast, Arima’s direction, Liza Gennaro’s moving choreography, and the incredible orchestra have all come together to create a “Ragtime” not to be missed. Buy yourself a ticket, jump on the train to NJ, and prepared to be taken on a near perfect ride!

Updated On: 6/12/05 at 04:08 PM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 4:13pm

Rachel was out already? This was only the fourth or fifth performance. Seeing it this coming week.

[hannahshule]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 4:19pm

She was doing a gala Benefit for Julie Andrews that she'd been scheduled to do before she signed on for Ragtime. She should be at most other performances though.

[nmartin]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 4:24pm

Updated On: 6/12/05 at 04:24 PM

[FosseBoi]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 4:25pm

How was "You Were Your Daddys Son"!?

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 4:33pm

Unbelievable...seriously...Kenita R. Miller is BREATHTAKINGLY WONDERFUL in the role. The girl is goin' places.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 6:42pm

Anyone else seen it yet?

[hypertruffle]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 6:46pm

I plan to see the matinee after my English final (This Thursday). Will Rachel be able to perform then?

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 6:54pm

Yes, I'm sure...It was a one day only thing more than likely, she has been performing. Although, her understudy played the role in the national tour and is more than comprable.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 7:37pm

I saw it. I posted my review on allthatchat.com but will paste it here:


Just came home from the first performance of Ragtime at the Papermill playhouse in Millburn, NJ. I arrived excited to see my favorite show and left wondering why the production company ever even redesigned it for London. The show itself is still intact and outstanding performances include David Hess (Father), Rachel York (Mother) and Kenita Miller (Sarah)who all brought amazing warmth and heart to their roles. Their singing voices, without doubt were inpecible!
Coalhouse Walker Jr. though in fine voice and great acting delivered his lines in a way that left alot to be desired. I felt at times that he confused the audience with his delivery. Tateh also had a great voice and acted wonderfully. For some reason, he just didn't do it for me, especially in "Our Children". Chemistry was lacking during the crucial scene which lays the development of a relationship between the two. I just couldn't imagine Mother falling in love with him. The only other issue I had was direction. This only became an issue during the Hostage scene in which Coalhouse makes his decision and walks out. They way they protrayed his ultimate end left me empty and emotionless. It wasn't as powerful as I expected....or did I expect too much?

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 7:48pm

Hmmm..interesting, thought it was extremley powerful and if there was one thing I totaly bought it was the chemistry that Tateh had w/mother. Then again, I saw the understudy mother and she was great. Loved what they did with it - A & F's best score to date...wondeerfuly moving!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 7:55pm

Thanks for your very well written review La Cage. Ragtime is one of my favorite shows. You're right, I think it's A&F's best work.

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 8:17pm

I want to see this production so badly but my friend just backed out. "I don't do Jersey." Grrr. If anyone here is up for meeting up with a twenty-something stranger from Chicago to catch the train from NY to Jersey...
Updated On: 6/12/05 at 08:17 PM

[jmnpublications]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 9:17pm

Thanks for posting these early reviews. I'm eagerly awaiting my trip to see this show on July 3.

BTW, Hannahshule is right. Rachel York was absent because of her special guest appearance at the Goodspeed tribute to Julie Andrews on Saturday night. She will definitely be in RAGTIME for tonight's press opening and for the rest of the run (with the exception of July 8, when she is booked to perform a Cole Porter Celebration at Wolf Trap with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marvin Hamlisch).

Rachel had made a number of commitments prior to taking on the role of Mother. She has been replaced by Liz Callaway in tomorrow's Broadway by the Year: 1962 and by other artists in the Guild Hall's tributes to Cy Coleman and Charles Strouse.

I'm so glad to hear her understudy did a great job.

lc

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/13/05 at 9:13am

"I dont do Jersey" HUH! Did you respond "I dont do our friendship then!" cause ya should have! :)

Go see it, its great!

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 6/13/05 at 9:32am

LOL. I thought of responding by telling her "I don't do our friendship," but I figure that since we both want to see Avenue Q and she'll probably see My Sweetheart's the Man in the Moon (the show about Evelyn Nesbit that's opening June 16th in New York) with me, I might as well just passively accept her change of mind on Ragtime.

*sigh* But I do still want to see the show. It would be the third time I've seen a production of Ragtime live. I'm going to ask my one other close friend in New York to come with me and if she says no, then let the BroadwayWorld.com pleas for company begin.

[WildhornFanatic]

Posted: 6/13/05 at 9:58am

My friend is the Coalhouse understudy. I wonder how he did, because he was always incredible at school.

[LittleFish8386]

Posted: 6/13/05 at 10:01am

Is there any pictures from this show yet?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/13/05 at 11:58am

"incase York should pull an Applegate"

Huh? Did York break her foot? Have they scheduled a Broadway revival? This makes no sense.

What about the staging? Is it similar to the London version or is it similar to Broadway, but only missing the swing and the Model-T?

"and left wondering why the production company ever even redesigned it for London"

I felt the staging was one of Ragtime's biggest weaknesses on Broadway. It kept flip-flopping from huge spectacle, to minimalist, with some rather questionable choreography and blocking. There were glorious scenes quickly followed by unusual or incomprehensible scenes that would change the narrative and/or inexplicably ignore characters previously introduced only to have them pop up again an hour and a half later. I absolutely LOVE the score and I thought the show was a great idea, but when I saw it on Broadway, it seemed as if the show could never decide what it wanted to be or how it would tell its story.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/13/05 at 12:30pm

It was a joke, in case something should happen to York, her replacement (like D'Amboise) is more than ample to step up to the plate.

This version is entirly minimalist...splendid and not overbloated, exactly how I think it should be.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 6/13/05 at 12:53pm

la cage... you always have the most intelligently written reviews! can you tell me more about the staging other than just the minimalism? was the costumes and set as minimalist as it was in london? and they did keep "he wanted to say" right?

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/13/05 at 2:14pm

I didnt see it in London, so I only have the Broadway and tour production to compare it to...but the costumes were very reminisant of the Broadway production, but yet simple just as they needed to be. The coreography has been cut a lot, but what is there is very innovative. Since there is now Swing during the swing song, the coreography is all swing motion coreography - lovely!

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 6:19pm

WILDHORN FANATIC - out of curiousity, who's your friend?

I just saw the name of someone I know in the ensemble cast list on playbill or something - pretty cool!

Any photos out there of this one yet?

[Justice]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 8:36pm

Few questions...

During "Success" does the rafter come down like it did on B'way? I know this is a different production, but that was one of my all-time favorite scenes from the B'way production. I could do without the swing and the Model T, btu not the symbolism of the falling rafter.

Also, with all the changes, is it more like the scaled down tour version (cut pieces of numbers) or is it the full score intact?

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 9:35pm

I have to admit that I didn't really like the original Broadway production. I found it very cold, as the Ford Center is a ridiculously huge theater and the sets basically stole the show in a story that is very much about humanity. However, I bought the CD anyway and continued to appreciate the score over the years. I actually finally got a chance to sing it, as I played Father in a recent production (that closed only a few days ago). Our production was also minimalist, and I now appreciate "Ragtime" a lot more than I did before.

There, that's my story.