#1
Posted: 11/11/09 at 5:15pm
Just got out of "Ragtime" (which was fabulous) and my friend who was with me told me about this op-ed in the Midland (MI) Daily News regarding a local production of "Ragtime" Apparently, the show was a bit "off color."
Tuesday reader's view: A vain attempt
Published: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 11:05 AM EST
To the editor:
â??Ragtime the Musicalâ?? was probably the worst musical I have seen put on by Music Society in the last twenty years. Compared to such ragtime hits as heard in the movie â??The Stingâ?? it was certainly a poor adaptation of that, although it may have been acceptable in the bordellos of St. Louis and New Orleans, the birthplace of ragtime. Although the leads did an outstanding job there was an awful lot of yelling and screaming rather than actual singing. I attend these performances and contribute to both Music Society and Theatre Guild to be entertained by their shows, not to be subjected to a vain attempt to make me feel guilty as a Caucasian about social and racial injustice that occurred 100 years ago.
I see it as a political effort on the part of liberals to silence citizens from expressing criticism of the current administration of our multiracial president, who however for just that reason works hard to ignore his white heritage and the white environment in which he grew up. This musical, if you can call it that, was first produced in Canada in 1996, clearly in an attempt to embarrass this country, because of its opposition to the U.S. going after a mass murderer. Judging by the audience when I attended the show, they did not seem like the people who would contribute to either Music Society or Theatre Guild. I think I will join them
Bill Sandt
Midland
Article
Tuesday reader's view: A vain attempt
Published: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 11:05 AM EST
To the editor:
â??Ragtime the Musicalâ?? was probably the worst musical I have seen put on by Music Society in the last twenty years. Compared to such ragtime hits as heard in the movie â??The Stingâ?? it was certainly a poor adaptation of that, although it may have been acceptable in the bordellos of St. Louis and New Orleans, the birthplace of ragtime. Although the leads did an outstanding job there was an awful lot of yelling and screaming rather than actual singing. I attend these performances and contribute to both Music Society and Theatre Guild to be entertained by their shows, not to be subjected to a vain attempt to make me feel guilty as a Caucasian about social and racial injustice that occurred 100 years ago.
I see it as a political effort on the part of liberals to silence citizens from expressing criticism of the current administration of our multiracial president, who however for just that reason works hard to ignore his white heritage and the white environment in which he grew up. This musical, if you can call it that, was first produced in Canada in 1996, clearly in an attempt to embarrass this country, because of its opposition to the U.S. going after a mass murderer. Judging by the audience when I attended the show, they did not seem like the people who would contribute to either Music Society or Theatre Guild. I think I will join them
Bill Sandt
Midland
Article
"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert
Updated On: 11/11/09 at 05:15 PM
