RAGTIME sets a new standard for musical revivals — Page 2

Good to hear avab802. I appreciate your opinion. I am really leaning toward buying tickets for Ragtime. I already have tickets for Hair and have time for one more show.

Updated On: 11/12/09 at 11:01 PM

Dottie, I'm missing you by a week!

Why can't Phantom 2 and Spiderman battle it out for the Hilton instead? Which ever one actually manages to open first can win.

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Pushdabutton, you'd be crazy not to go for RAGTIME over the vastly overrated SUPERIOR DONUTS and the absolutely horrendous MEMPHIS. RAGTIME is an incredible production, the other two don't even begin to compare to it in any way.

I also kinda resent the current attitude among many critics and theatre producers that if you do a more stripped back version of a big show it somehow instantly gains in credibility and artistic merit

It doesn't gain credibility and merit, it just takes away the distractions so you can focus on the content instead. Stripping down Tarzan won't instantly give it artistic merit. The material has to be good enough to stand alone without the spectacle.

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Eric, the first major difference is the size of the venue. I saw the original production at The Ford's Center and sat in either the 2nd or 3rd row in the orchestra, which was great as I was able to see the expressions of the actors. The 2nd time I saw the show, I sat in the mezzanine and actually felt very removed from the proceedings on stage as that particular theatre is rather large. The Neil Simon Theatre is a perfect venue as I felt very close to the action on stage.

That being said, I loved the grandness of set and staging and the number of people in the cast in the original production. The present cast doesn't number as many, but they fill out the set nicely.

Just a few more thoughts to add to the original message I sent you last night.

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Eric, I'll have to compare my original Playbill with the present one. The actors now in the roles of Emma Goldman, Booker T. Washington, Evelyn Nesbitt and Houdini are part of the ensemble as well, as opposed to being separate tracks.

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"but why wouldn't ALW want Phantom 2 right next to Phantom 1, like at the Shubert? "

Or even the Broadhurst which will be Vacant. Or at least I think it will be vacant I searched Playbill and IBDB and nothing is coming up in the Broadhurst after.

^But it can also backfire and put the focus on the lack or cheapness of the set (like the recent Wonderful Town revival).
The most common comment I heard after the show was "where was the set?!"

"The actors now in the roles of Emma Goldman, Booker T. Washington, Evelyn Nesbitt and Houdini are part of the ensemble as well, as opposed to being separate tracks."

I believe that they're always those respective characters, however they are onstage a great deal more with the ensemble.

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^But it can also backfire and put the focus on the lack or cheapness of the set (like the recent Wonderful Town revival).
The most common comment I heard after the show was "where was the set?!".

That goes back to my original point- the material has to be able to stand alone without the spectacle. Stripped down doesn't mean it has to be a bare stage, it just means they don't need kicklines, fireworks, and a helicopter landing onstage.

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The original production of RAGTIME was at the Ford Center for the Performing Art (now the Hilton Theatre). It was (is) a cavernous space, that doesn't lend itself to a feeling of intimacy.

The original set design was inspired by Penn Station. No, not the Penn Station now under Madison Square Garden, but the original Penn Station built at the turn of the last Century. (I think that Evelyn Nesbit's lover, the architect, had a hand in the design of the original Penn Station.)

So there were steel columns that moved in and out of the wings, depending on the scene, and there were metal catwalks that raised and lowered. The stage was framed by giant staircases.

It wasn't that any particular scene had huge (by Broadway standards) scenic elements, but the overall effect was that it was large and overwhelming - not unlike the warehouse that surrounded the original SWEENEY TODD

A large stereopticon (sp?) hung above the set at the opening, and the young boy picked up a small steropticon setting on the edge of the stage. Then upstage the audience saw the stereo images of the family's house come together, behind which was revealed the New Rochelle family in front of an image of their home. In a later scene, the house was repeated (3-dimensionally) in a much small version placed upstage to provide a forced perspective.

Scenery was more literal in the original production - an actual Model-T Ford, a home with two levels, a large front door, and a piano in the parlor. But there were other scenes that were only done with a dropped-in sign, etc. The Morgan Library backdrop was done very realistically.

I saw the Kennedy Center production of RAGTIME and it was stunning - and I saw understudies for the roles of Mother and Tateh. If anything, the more minimal settings served to heighten the focus on the story, the characters, and rich music.

Best wishes to the cast of RAGTIME for what I hope will be a superb opening night.

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Updated On: 11/14/09 at 05:38 AM

I cannot wait to see Ragtime next year when I am in NY - the show looks great.

LND is not confirmed to go to NYC but if it does - it will go to The Neil Simon. The theatre owners want it (it will sell if London works) and ALW wants it and the deal has been struck - and thats the way it works a lot of the time. Theatre owners have tentive shows to come in all the time for if they work out and then shows to back up that for if that doesn't work out. Its just the way the industy works to keep in fresh and alive and also so finacially. Every theatre in London and NYC probably has shows planned in to replace the current show that is playing there (xcept for massive shows with advances like Wicked, Mamma Mia, Phantom, Jersey Boys etc) not theatre owner wants to be stuck with an empty theatre because shows can close in a matter of weeks if they don't have great advances/hype.