Now is Our Time, Ragtime: The Official Ragtime Love Thread — Page 6

Can we discuss a little bit the differences between the original production and this production? I didn't see the original, and knew most of the music before I saw this revival.

There are some definite differences, even between the cd and what they sing onstage. Most interesting to me is that they cut the first scene of the second act (the dream?) from this production.

I believe "Harry Houdini, Master Escapist" has more or less been cut since the first tour and is no longer part of the show. Other songs, such as "He Wanted to Say" have been cut down or included as optional songs. I'm glad that they included it in this production.

The biggest differences for me are in the staging. The OBC staging was opulent, with huge set pieces, but in my opinion the staging was somewhat uneven. Some scenes were performed using large set pieces (moving ships for "Journey On;" the upstairs and downstairs of a house for "Courtship/New Music;" a moving bridge during "Success"), while others were performed on a nearly empty stage. Because the Ford Center's stage was so large, the actors were sort of swallowed up by the empty stage space. Graciella Daniele's choreography was inspired, though, and IMO better than Marcia Milgram Dodge's.

I think Ragtime benefits a lot from the current staging. I haven't seen it in DC, but I think they struck a nice balance between spectacle and intimacy and the staging is on the whole more consistent than in the OBC production. There've been some cuts here and there, even since DC from what I've heard, but the production that's playing on Broadway now is pretty close to my ideal version of the show.

At the talk back someone asked about it tonight. They said they don't know yet.

^same here

Audra McDonald was at the matinee today.

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Caught the Matinee, really enjoyed the show, had Orchestra seats, looks like it was pretty much a full house. It is really too bad the show is closing. : (

Audra McDonald came in by herself, sat in an Aisle seat a couple of rows ahead of us. Several people approached her (before the show and during intermission) and asked for her autograph, wonder it they knew she played Sara at one time.

so I was at Seth's Broadway chatterbox today and Bobby Steggert mentioned that they'd be recording 6 songs "Your Daddy's Son", "Wheels of a Dream", "New Music", "Ragtime", "Buffalo Nickel.." and one other that i'm forgetting that will be on a compilation of Ahrens & Flaherty's new work.

YES!!!!

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Hopefully that one other song would be Back to Before.

Blockhead24, can you please give us a brief run down about what else Bobby said at Seth's Chatterbox, especially for those of us who could not attend? Thanks.

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