City Center's 24-25 Season: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life — Page 12

Intermission: lines that I don’t think normally get applause but did tonight: “this country needs a swift kick in the pants” “this is not the America we came here for”



New music is probably one of the best theatrical sequences I’ve seen in a long time


Joshua Henry and Nichelle Lewis have the most gorgeous voices

The resounding thought for me walking away from Ragtime is “what America will we show our children”

Go just to hear Make Them Hear You. Joshua Henry’s voice is just jaw dropping

Jordan Catalano said: "“Suffs” this afternoon and “Ragtime” tonight. I’m mentally drained. This was a nearly perfect production of one of the greatest musicals ever written. A few highlights for me /

I fall in love with Brandon Uranowitz a little more every single time I see him on stage and tonight was no different. He’s so amazing.

Ben Levi Ross is such a special talent and I feel we must protect him at all costs and cast him in at least two shows a season.

Josh Henry was just so damn good. “Make Them Hear You” I knew would be special tonight and I was not proved wrong.So many faces on that stage just covered in tears (his included) while singing it. The only thing I’d change about his performance was his costume. His suit made him look like a used car salesman in 1972.

Can’t wait to go back this weekend

"

Lucky you Jordan, how do you have time to see so many shows night after night... Are you retired or in the industry? I saw the original production back when in college and was blown away by Audra, Marin and Stokes and how grand the production was and that gorgeous score! Unfortunately, late to the game on this one as it's been sold-out but hopefully it will transfer as that seems to be what everyone is saying here.

Saw the show tonight (Weds).





Wow. Can't even begin to find the words to describe the beauty here.

Jordan Catalano said: "“Suffs” this afternoon and “Ragtime” tonight. I’m mentally drained. This was a nearly perfect production of one of the greatest musicals ever written. A few highlights for me /

I fall in love with Brandon Uranowitz a little more every single time I see him on stage and tonight was no different. He’s so amazing.

Ben Levi Ross is such a special talent and I feel we must protect him at all costs and cast him in at least two shows a season.

Josh Henry was just so damn good. “Make Them Hear You” I knew would be special tonight and I was not proved wrong.So many faces on that stage just covered in tears (his included) while singing it. The only thing I’d change about his performance was his costume. His suit made him look like a used car salesman in 1972.

Can’t wait to go back this weekend

"

1. Suffs and Ragtime the day after a Trump win literally might send me into an asylum. Kudos to you. Im tearing up just thinking about it.

2. I hope it transfers and i hope both BU and BLR are Tony contenders. Perfect performances.

and what i really posted to comment on:

3. YES re Henry's costume! He looks misshapen in it, like he has a muscled torso but comically fat limbs? WE thought it was a prop of some sort, like bulky because there would be a later reveal? One of very few things I hope they fix if they move to Bway.

I saw Ragtime fo the first time last night. I loved it. I have now listened to the soundtrack. That said why on earth did they change the last note to a pause and then a quiet note??? I know it is a little optimistic for how scared some of us may be regarding the America we are showing our children but during the pause last night someone started applauding and then there was laughter before the last note. On the soundtrack the ending is so majestic and brilliant. Maybe if there wasn't the laughter I'd say it differently but I do feel like if they did the original ending I wouldve been standing before the last note was complete.

Seeing Ragtime last night was so cathartic and much needed. You could feel the palpable energy and fire in the audience, cheering at a bunch of lines that now resonate so differently. Multiple standing ovations. I really hope this transfers.

Well, the rest of the run is sold out, so there is no being able to covince anyone to see it now.

I was a bit underwhelmed after tonight's performance. Mostly at the structure of the show itself. But also with a few performances.



You can't beat that original cast. They brought such conviction to the roles and their voices were all stellar. Not so in this cast. And the Encores! bug-a-boo showed its ugly head again...that sound designer/tech should be shot.



I felt that Coalhouse's story was so stereotyped and predictable. Sure it probably could have happened. But it just sort of plodded along tonight. And Mitchell was such a passionate, charismatic performer and that certainly lifted the proceedings. Henry has the voice, but not the magic.



Same with Levy. Marin Mazzie was perfection...all feminine warmth and charm (is that sexist?). Levy was a bit more steely and her voice a bit grating. And Lewis' Sarah sort of fades into the background. I mean, who can compete with the memory of Audra. Uranowitz was excellent as Tateh and Ben Levi Ross a fine Younger Brother. Other supporting actors were also a bit underwhelming. Again...that original cast!



Nice that they did this. But Broadway? Maybe not.

Skip23 said: "

I was a bit underwhelmed after tonight's performance. Mostly at the structure of the show itself. But also with a few performances.



You can't beat that original cast. They brought such conviction to the roles and their voices were all stellar. Not so in this cast. And the Encores!bug-a-boo showed its ugly head again...that sound designer/tech should be shot.



I felt that Coalhouse's story was so stereotyped and predictable. Sure it probably could have happened. But it just sort of plodded along tonight. And Mitchell was such a passionate, charismatic performer and that certainly lifted the proceedings. Henry has the voice, but not the magic.



Same with Levy. Marin Mazzie was perfection...all feminine warmth and charm (is that sexist?). Levy was a bit more steely and her voice a bit grating. And Lewis' Sarah sort of fades into the background. I mean, who can compete with the memory of Audra. Uranowitz was excellent asTateh and Ben Levi Ross a fine Younger Brother. Other supporting actors were also a bit underwhelming. Again...that original cast!



Nice that they did this. But Broadway? Maybe not.



"

Most on this board did not have the opportunity to experience the perfection of the original production - I did and how can you compare that cast especially Audra, Marin Mazzie and Stokes!

Saw it this afternoon. Wonderful, moving musical. I loved Joshua Henry the most, but also loved Caissie Levy.

BUT ... this is one of those musicals that peters out in the second act. Was it always so, or is it just this cast?

poisonivy2 said: "this is one of those musicals that peters out in the second act. Was it always so, or is it just this cast?"

It's an unbalanced show: Act 1 is overstuffed, and Act 2 has some filler. Act one feels like it's ending with New Music, then again after Wheels, and then finally after Till We Reach. In act two, you have an almost-consecutive 10 minutes of fluff between What A Game and Atlantic City. It lets the audience breathe, but drives the plot to a halt. (Buffalo Nickel is both a fun novelty number and a moment for the audience to cheer for Tateh.) Ahrens & Flaherty admit to writing Sarah Brown Eyes as an excuse to get Audra off the bench in act two, and some productions don't give the song more justification than that.

On top of that, the man set up as our noble hero in act 1 starts going on a rampage. It can be tough to root for someone fighting fire with fire. Tateh is also missing at the start of the act (deliberately). That puts a good chunk of runtime on the shoulders of the WASPs.

In this production, I didn't think the fireworks were big enough between Father & Younger Brother and Father & Mother's big act 2 book scenes, and Father is a deceptively tricky role. When everything builds off what comes before it, that means "He Wanted To Say" and "Back to Before" and the Morgan Library sequences don't land as effectively as they could have.

IMHO.