The musical ponders the most effective path to social reform in the face of injustice.
Almost three decades have elapsed since Ragtime opened on Broadway, yet the musical’s layered exploration of pluralism, opportunity, and the rule of law feels more timely than ever.
The revival that began last year at New York’s Lincoln Center is anchored by electric performances from Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy, guiding a cast of nearly forty performers. Together, they unfold three interconnected narratives set in the first decade of the 20th century: a wealthy white family, a Latvian Jewish immigrant with a young daughter, and a successful Black pianist who endures racism and faces tragedy invoked by federal agents.
The immigrant initially grapples with hardship amid New York’s tenements but stumbles upon an entrepreneurial opening when a stranger offers a dollar for a flip-book he made to entertain his little girl. “Tomorrow, we’ll craft more of these, and we will sell them for two dollars!” he proclaims.
Through the pianist, portrayed by Henry, the musical wrestles with how best to forge social change in the face of injustice. At first, he yields to the intoxicating lure of revenge. Later, he recognizes that true justice can be realized only when it is nonviolently “demanded by ten million righteous men”—foreshadowing the civil rights struggle to come.
