Ragtime debate!!!

[jam_man]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 1:47am

We were starting to seriously threadjack another thread over a debate about Ragtime's offstage troubles. So, feeling slightly guilty for kind of causing it, I decided it was time for a new Ragtime thread!

So let's pick up where we left off - and everyone else is welcome, too, of course!

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 1:48am

To this day, one of my most memorable afternoons in the theater. One of the most beautiful, heartstopping and breathtaking musicals I've ever seen.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 1:50am

You had me waiting for this thread, I kept refreshing the page, lol.
I think Ragtime is a masterpiece. The opening number is just mind-blowing and Mother's 11 o'clock number "Back to Before" is one of my favorite showtunes. I expected this show with its amazing score, huge cast, and great themes to become a hit the size of Les Miserables. I know the off-stage issues highly affected the show and yet I don't think the show would have become a hit like Wicked or Spamalot. It's not the kind of show that is highly appreciated by tourists and people in love with crowd-pleasers.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 1:51am

I'd love to join in. What exactly is the debate?

[jam_man]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 1:58am

It could be about a great many things. Why did it lose the Tony? How much would the Tony have helped it? Does it work better as the epic it originally done as or in the stripped down version in London or in Jersey? Who should die for Stokes not getting his Tony? You know, whatever.

Just a tad off-topic, but I'm currently listening to Forbidden Broadway's "Gagtime." I LOVELOVELOVE Ragtime, but Gagtime is almost as brilliant in it's own way, too!

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:05am

Will someone enlighten me on the fruad that happened with Ragtime?
EDIT: nevermind, read it on the other thread

Updated On: 1/15/06 at 02:05 AM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:20am

I listened to the OBCR for the first time today. Now I wish I'd been able to see it.

[jam_man]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:26am

Welcome to the club - now start resenting The Lion King!

Go ahead! Resent!

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:28am

Oh, I've resented The Lion King for years already, this just adds fuel to the fire.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:33am

I don't resent the Lion King itself. I more resent Elton John writing for the theatre. I really dislike his scores.

[QMAN03]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:37am

I'm guessing Ragtime lost to Lion King. I've never seen any incarnation of this nor heard the music. Does anyone know of any productions that are happening now or in the near future?

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:50am

I ADORE Ragtime. My first theatre experience, and undoubtedly one of the best. Didn't Ragtime win Best Book and Best Score Tonys? One would think that that would justify a Best Musical win, but I guess it doesn't always work out that way. I definitely recommend that you get the OBCR if you've never heard it, since it's pretty widely regarded as one of the best scores of the 1990s, at the very least.

Anyway, I've never seen a stripped-down production, but I'm quite skeptical as to whether one would be as enjoyable as the full original production. This show, though it has tons of heart and very touching stories, is partly about the spectacle of the changing turn-of-the-century world. I feel that that is a necessary frame of reference for completely understanding and enjoying the show. Maybe a minimalist production would surprise me, though, and it's better that the show be mounted on a smaller scale than not produced at all.

[respeck]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 3:09am

All I know is Ragtime was one of the first things that really made me love musical theatre. Brilliant!

[Urban]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 3:12am

Do I of all people need to comment on my love of "Ragtime". :p

[iwearshoes]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 3:16am

I had the pleasure of working props for a production of Ragtime in one of Orange County’s prestigious theaters. We used the sets and props from the tour. I was unfamiliar with the score and the show until I worked it. Our cast was amazing and every single night I stood off-stage and watched in wonderment and loved every minute. Count me in on the ragtime love!

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 3:18am

Ragtime love! Check!

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 3:15pm

Bumping this, although there's already a lot of Ragtime love going around today.

Can someone who saw the Papermill or another scaled-down production comment on what they thought of it? Did you prefer it to the full-scale production? I've heard good things, but personally I just can't imagine Ragtime without the bells and whistles, because those things are just part of the show for me.

[singtopher]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 3:38pm

All I know is, according to Ms. Mazzie herself, Livent is what cause the demise of Ragtime.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 3:53pm

A magnificent musical! Robbed of the Tony! GYPSY and WEST SIDE STORY also lost the Tony for Best musical. So at least it's traveling in very esteemed company.

[jv92]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 4:30pm

Well, the reason why Ragtime lost the Tony Award is because the awards are corupt. I'm sure someone like Cy Feuer, who I believe is a Tony voter, did not vote for Lion King, being that most of the old timers (Sondheim, Fred Ebb, John Kander to name a few) hate it. But I'm sure someone else who is a bit newer to the scene who is a Tony voter, voted for it because either 1- they thought it was great theatre because they love commericalized spectacle or 2- they were connected to Disney.
The same thing goes for this year's Spamalot vs. PizzzaDRS debacle. Of course we all know Pizza and DRS deserved most of the prizes, but the Tony voters like commericalism and they like spectacle, so they vote for the commerical spectacle.

About Gypsy and West Side Story though-
Gypsy and West Side Story, as brilliant as they are, were not the big hits of their day. In 1959, everyone flocked to Sound of Music because 1- It had a Rodgers and Hammerstein score and 2- It was the biggest hit. (Similar to something like Spamalot on today's term, only Sound of Music is of course better) The Tonys back them were similiar to today being promotional tools. If people are seeing Sound of Music and it says on the maquee TONY WINNER, it is bound to stay open.
Same thing with West Side. Music Man was a bigger hit and the Tony people wanted to see Music Man run even longer and have TONY WINNER on the marquee.

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 4:41pm

Ragtime is near perfect in my eyes. Exactly what I like in a story: Intertwining tales that manage to be both personal and epic at the same time. The music and lyrics are beautiful and really bring you back to that time and experience through the character's eyes.

Man would I love to direct this show, or at the very least Set Design it or play Mother's Younger Brother.

Akiva

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 5:45pm

We should just start our own awards and ditch Tonys!

I miss Ragtime... sooo much.

[QMAN03]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 5:48pm

So their are no productions of this planned in the near future? Broadway or touring or regional?

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 6:18pm

Feel free, Akiva.

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 6:19pm

Touche

Akiva