Review: Ragtime
- The Verdict
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
How lucky are we that Lincoln Center has graced us with such a beautiful production! Lear deBessonet’s main-stem transfer of New York City Center’s 2024 Gala production of the stage adaptation of E. L. Doctorow’s seminal classic Ragtime, is perhaps the most anticipated opening of the 2025-26 Broadway season. In its third Broadway run, this turn-of-the-century exploration of America continues to feel just as relevant, if not more, than it did when it first opened in 1998. With an all-star cast of theatre royalty, a massive 28-piece pit orchestra, and the backing of so classic a piece of theater, this production was set for success from its inception, and certainly does not disappoint. Yet, despite all of this, something is missing. For a story built on “new music,” this revival sounds a little too much like an echo.
This production of Ragtime was exactly what the people wanted and expected. It was a faithful revival, but stripped back almost to a Jamie Lloyd level of minimalism, allowing for the stunning performances and material to take center stage, literally and figuratively. Starring Caissie Levy, Joshua Henry, and Brandon Uranowitz as Mother, Coalhouse Walker Jr., and Tateh respectively, they led the show with grace and some of the most incredible performances in recent memory. The beating heart of the show and the one who ties the storylines together, Levy portrays the wealthy Mother’s character arc perfectly, going from a submissive wife to a woman standing up for what she knows is right against what was acceptable at the time. As expected, her voice too was extraordinary, the highlight (of course) being “Back to Before,” was devastatingly beautiful, as were her other moments throughout.
Joining the impressive ranks of former actors who have played Coalhouse Walker Jr, Joshua Henry delivers the performance of his career in his portrayal of a man plagued by racial discrimination. His unbelievably powerful baritone tears through the score as he sings the life out of some of musical theatre’s most revered numbers, including “Wheels of a Dream” and “Make Them Hear You,” earning a much-deserved standing ovation after each. The wide range of emotions he has to portray over the course of the show flow flawlessly out of his character, creating a believably flawed, human performance.
Rounding out the central trio, Brandon Uranowitz’s Tateh is the shining hope of the American Dream that still persists to this day. A Jewish immigrant from Latvia who gave up everything to move to America, he represents the hopes and dreams of so many people today who move to the United States in search of opportunity. Though his story gets a little lost in the first act, he fully owns the stage in Act II as he transforms from a poor artist into a wealthy filmmaker, an example of the success one can find in America.
In addition to the central trio, there are brilliant performances coming from the supporting cast. Colin Donnell, playing Father, delivers a fantastic performance as he explores his character’s complex emotions and morals, building to an emotional and deserved redemption in the end. Playing Mother’s Younger Brother is Ben Levi Ross, a man looking to find himself, a complicated journey that Ross navigates well. Donnell and Ross also play off of each other wonderfully, however painfully at times through their strained relationship and ideological differences. The two characters contrast each other: Father is staunchly set in the ways and social norms he knows, while Mother’s Younger Brother is willing to challenge society and stand up for what is right, much like his sister. Rounding out the wealthy family is the Little Boy, played hilariously by Nick Barrington. With some of the few moments of true comedy throughout the piece, his innocence lightens the mood of the scenes, while also being a reminder of the blissful ignorance of children in the face of tense times. Together, their opposing worldviews mirror the larger conflicts that define Ragtime itself—tradition clashing with progress, privilege colliding with conscience.
Also featured is the brilliant composer, playwright, and actress Shaina Taub as the “radical anarchist” Emma Goldman. Advocating for the rights of women and workers, she plays a character very similar to what she is known for onstage and in her real life—a fantastic example of inspired casting. In her Broadway debut, Anna Grace Barlow is magnificent and charming as Evelyn Nesbit, dazzling the audience during “Crime of the Century” and her other, sparsely scattered moments onstage. Rounding out the principal cast, Nichelle Lewis as Sarah, Coalhouse’s lover, is heartbreakingly beautiful as she sings “Your Daddy’s Son” to her infant–if only she could be heard. Her gorgeous, soulful voice lacks the required power to project over the orchestra, and is especially noticeable during “Wheels of a Dream” opposite the powerhouse that is Joshua Henry. He tempered his delivery to balance the duet so that her voice could be heard, and unfortunately, it made the song lose a bit of the strength it carries.
As an ensemble piece, every person on that stage is vital to the telling of this story, their strong voices and lively personalities filling the space under Ellenore Scott’s powerful choreography. They also play various minor characters throughout the show, truly creating the sense of unity and opportunity for everyone in the cast to have their moment in the spotlight, with a highlight being Allison Blackwell’s performance as Sarah’s Friend in “Till We Reach That Day,” the stirring Act I finale that sent the audience to intermission in a stunned silence.
Brilliantly directed by deBessonet, Lincoln Center’s new Artistic Director, she makes perfect use of both the thrust space and the immensely deep stage in her staging. Technically speaking, there is very little set, save for a few realistic pieces, designed by David Korins, that come in and out to suggest a change in location, however the stage still looks too sparse at moments. It was slightly disappointing to not have a driveable car onstage for Coalhouse, which I did not think Lincoln Center would forgo, but the version they have worked well enough. The revolve on the thrust section of the stage is utilized to great effect, especially during the courtship sequence to show the passing of time and the intertwining of storylines, which builds to the heart of the show. The set is enhanced by Adam Honoré’s simplistic lighting design, which ingeniously differentiates between storylines through specific colors: white for Mother’s family, blues for Tateh, and incandescent oranges for the African-Americans, representing the darker, less nice places they were allowed to be in at the time. The most visually striking moment of the show was during “Back to Before,” when the back wall lifted to reveal a white sheet with watercolor lighting suggesting a sunset. It was the only true abstract moment of the otherwise realistic show, and it truly paid off.
Ragtime has the same feeling as last year’s revival of Gypsy, in the sense that it did not go out of its way to bring anything brand new out of the material, but that is not to say that it is a bad thing. There is a reason that Ragtime is such a classic, revered show, and perhaps by letting the material and performances speak over everything else, it keeps this production centered around the ideas and themes that still exist today, especially now in America. Perhaps what is missing is that sense of unity in the world that the show is trying to promote. This show is so timely, and everyone should do anything they can to get a ticket to this masterpiece, because this will be one talked about for years to come. It may not be bringing “new music,” but it reminds us why the old melodies of the Ragtime era still matter.
4.5/5 stars
2 hours and 45 minutes, one intermission
Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center
Through January 4, 2026
