Ragtime & My Love of Theatre
Storytelling, talent, and unpredictability are part of fuels my love of live theatre.
People sometimes see my affinity for live theatre and likely think, “OK, obsessed much?” And I suppose that’s fair. But if you were to ask me why, I’d point you to the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra concert-style production of “Ragtime,” by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, as it’s the kind of show that embodies what I think makes theatre - especially musical theatre - great.
First is the storytelling. “Ragtime” is based on a novel set in 1906 in America. It tells the unfortunately still relevant stories of people affected by racism, police violence, immigrant rights, feminism, celebrity distraction, and political upheaval. And it does so by focusing on the humanity of its characters. Even in a concert-style version, the story is clear, and the characters emerge . . . but that’s also because of the second point.
Number two is the talent. We are so very fortunate that in Cincinnati, we have a world-class pops orchestra (and symphony), but in addition, we are home to the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, which is internationally known for many of its programs. My favorite is the musical theatre program, which is the oldest of its kind in the country. And conductor John Morris Russell and the team that produced “Ragtime” tapped into that talent pool - current students and alumni. Alton Fitzgerald White (“The Lion King” on Broadway and many more) not only stars as "Coalhouse Walker, Jr.” but he also directed the show. He’s joined by fellow CCM and Broadway alumni Nikki Renee Daniels (“Company,” “Hamilton," The Book of Mormon”) and Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins,” “Beauty and the Beast”). That alone would be enough to justify buying a ticket.
But . . . there’s more!
There’s veteran performer Klea Blackhurst, whose performance as “Emma Goldman” was bombastic and fantastic. Mark David Kaplan, a last minute replacement for “Tateh,” was exceptional. Erica Gabriel nearly tore the house down as “Sarah’s Friend,” Recent CCM graduate Haley Root (“Evelyn Nesbit”) took advantage of every moment, and rising seniors Nicholas Pattarini (passionately sang like a star) and Jackson Reagin (who is as versatile as one can be) were also excellent. And there’s the local talent, like one of my favorites, Deondra Means, whose “Booker T. Washington” was underutilized. Brian Richardson played the “Grandfather,” while Allen Middleton (“J.P. Morgan) and Joshua Steele (“Henry Ford”) were superb in their roles as well. And the youngsters on stage, Paul Hahn and Maggie Zink, held their own with their adult costars.
Finally, the ensemble of singers was made up of students in the musical theatre program at CCM (directed by Diane Lala and Ian Axness) and members of the internationally known American Spiritual Ensemble.
And, of course, there’s the gigantic orchestra of local musicians, including Julie Spanger on piano, who is one of the fantastic faculty at CCM, too. There’s something fulfilling about seeing people that I know succeed, especially on stage. And I have relationships with many of these performers.
Finally, the reason I love live theatre is because anything can happen. That’s evidenced by Ms. Brown’s microphone failing her twice tonight. Once, they brought her a handheld to use, but when that failed, she boldly stopped the number and waited until they found a solution so that her show-stopping performance of “Back to Before” would not be interrupted or deterred. It paid off; she was given a standing ovation following the son. A less experienced performer might have stumbled through the tech issues; when she stopped the number, my friend leaned over and said, “I love her.” The excitement of that moment topped off a gorgeous evening of luscious music and powerful storytelling.
Next season, the Pops are staging a concert version of “Chicago.” We’re calling about tickets first thing on Monday morning.
There are more reasons than what I’ve shared here that explain my love of theatre. But rest assured, storytelling, talent, and the unpredictable nature of it all certainly justify it!
“Ragtime” plays once more tomorrow at 2pm at Music Hall across from Washington Park in downtown Cincinnati. Tickets and more can be found here.
I hope those involved read your review!