Ragtime - From Toronto to Broadway

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 1:04am

How different was the show when it first opened in Toronto compared to when it opened on Broadway?

[Jon]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 6:09am

Evelyn Nesbit and Houdini had a second act duet on the concept CD, a different song in Toronto, a third variation in Los Angleles, and no duet at all (just some solo lines in the Atlantic City number) by the time it reached Broadway.

One other staging change: In Toronto, in the Act 2 opening magic trick, Houdini reappeared at the back of the theatre (orchestra level) and came down the aisle to return to the stage. On Broadway, he reappeared in one of the side boxes. The difference: in Toronto, there was easy direct access from backstage to the lobby. On Broadway, he would have had to run outside onto 43rd Street to get from the stage to the lobby.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 10:37am

So other than that, no huge rewrites and the like?

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 11:49am

I seem to remember that the pyro/fireworks at the end of the opening and closing were cut after Toronto also.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 11:58am

^ Yeah, I remember seeing that in the documentary.