Review: 'Ragtime' Reaches Deep Into The Heart, Mind And Soul
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
So I’m hoping that I can give Wagon Wheel Center for the Art’s production of “Ragtime” a push in the right direction because it’s just an stunning show. While there are a few shows left in the season, “Ragtime” feels like the top show of the year. There’s so much to take in, so much going on in the story, so many characters to follow and care about – and the actors are incredible. And with so many themes in it relevant to the Independence Day holiday, now is a great time to take in this rich, powerful, historical musical.
Once you see it, then you need to go tell others how it affected you so they, too, can buy their tickets and be moved.
The story line encompasses three groups of people – upperclass white suburbanites, represented by Mother, the matriarch of a family in New Rochelle, N.Y.; African Americans, represented by Harlem musician Coalhouse Walker Jr.; and immigrants, represented by Tateh, a Latvian Jew. Historical figures such as Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington, Henry Ford and Emma Goldman also are interwoven in the story.
It takes place in 1906 at the peak of ragtime’s popularity.
The musical starts out with a unique introduction of each character by the characters themselves. Father (Scott Fuss) tells you in third person that he’s an amateur explorer, while Younger Brother (Charlie Patterson) tells you in third person that he’s looking for something to believe in, and so on. The introductions help set the story up, but once they’re all done, the story just continues to grow and move quickly along.
Audiences are introduced to the white upperclass family first as Father is leaving to journey to the North Pole with Admiral Perry. Mother (Lottie Prenevost) is left behind with their son, Edgar (Alek Fehlmann), Grandfather (Mike Yocum) and her brother, Young Brother (Charlie Patterson).
Prenevost gives such a superb performance that her strong voice is like icing on the cake. While her voice is an ear’s delight throughout the show, her solo “Back to Before” in Act II was a personal favorite.
Mother, like the other characters in the musical, undergoes a metamorphosis spurred on when she finds an African American baby buried alive in her garden. Her motherly instincts kick in, and when the baby’s mother, Sarah (Erica Durham), is found by police, Mother surprises even herself by not only taking responsibility for the baby but also for Sarah. Sarah is then spared from facing attempted murder charges.
If you saw the last Wagon Wheel show, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” you’ll remember Durham as the delightful Rosemary Pilkington. In “Ragtime,” she not only gives a great performance, but also steps it up. She matches her acting talent with a great voice, especially on the song “Your Daddy’s Son” and her duet of “Sarah Brown Eyes” with Coalhouse (Chuckie Benson).
Coalhouse is a ragtime musician from Harlem, who also is the father of Sarah’s son. He doesn’t know he is a father right away because he left Sarah before she told him, but when he returns to win her back, he discovers the news.
Thinking of someone to compare Benson’s soulful voice to, I kept going back to the incomparable Luther Vandross, but maybe a little deeper. Benson’s voice was meant to be heard, either solo like on the powerful song “Make Them Hear You” or with Durham on “Sarah Brown Eyes.”
In his story, Coalhouse faces racism, injustice and loss thanks to volunteer firefighters. Benson impeccably takes his character on a ride from a happy-go-lucky musician to a man with rage who only wants what is right in the name of justice.
The story of Sarah and Coalhouse leads Young Brother to find his purpose – he wants to help Coalhouse fight the injustice that took so much away from him. Patterson was Mr. Ovington in “How to Succeed,” but it is in “Ragtime” where audiences get to see his talent. He is such a presence on the stage and really comes across as a young man coming into his own. He doesn’t get his own solo, but on group songs like “New Music” you can still hear him and feel him.
Patterson is one to keep your eye on, not only for Wagon Wheel shows, but also beyond.
Tony Humrichouser has directed a number of shows at the Wagon Wheel over the last couple of years, but for “Ragtime” he returns as an actor. Starring as Tateh, the Jewish immigrant from Latvia, he easily reminds audiences of his talent on the stage.
Tateh goes from an immigrant with an American dream, to an immigrant who just wants to keep his daughter (Piper Ellis) safe to – well, I’m not spoiling the whole story – but Humrichouser delivers a profound performance. In this day and age where a certain presidential candidate wants to build a wall and keep certain immigrants out, it’s good to be reminded that America is a country built on the backs of men and women from other countries. With his profound performance, Humrichouser stirs the heart to remind audiences of the struggles an immigrant goes through to come here, be here and stay here.
There’s a scene where a man wants to buy Tateh’s daughter from him and Tateh releases his fury. Humrichouser has always a calm person in my dealings with him, so to see him explode on stage like that makes for an intense, memorable scene.
As for the historical figures, Cameron Mullin gave a perfect performance as Booker T. Washington, while Kira Lace Hawkins was again a perfect casting for the anarchist and immigrants advocate Emma Goldman. Barrett Riggins made an impression as Houdini, an immigrant himself.
Director and choreographer Scott Michaels has brought to life a new show to Wagon Wheel and Warsaw that should not be missed. It’s one of his best shows yet.
Also, costume designer Stephen R. Hollenbeck serves up a smorgasbord of fashion and style. Everything from the hats and coats to the dresses and outfits on Evelyn Nesbit (Kayla Eilers) will transport you to 110 years ago.
There’s so much to enjoy in this production and take in, it’s easy to forget one of the many highlights. However, when you go see this show – and you should – you’ll delight in everything it has to offer.
My rating of “Ragtime” (out of four): 4.
Tickets for “Ragtime” at the Wagon Wheel are $36 for adults, $16 for children 12 and under, $20 for students $13 through college and $28 for seniors. Tickets can be purchased online at www.wagonwheelcenter.org, over the phone at 574-267-8041, and in person at the theatre.[[In-content Ad]]
Latest News
E-Editions
So I’m hoping that I can give Wagon Wheel Center for the Art’s production of “Ragtime” a push in the right direction because it’s just an stunning show. While there are a few shows left in the season, “Ragtime” feels like the top show of the year. There’s so much to take in, so much going on in the story, so many characters to follow and care about – and the actors are incredible. And with so many themes in it relevant to the Independence Day holiday, now is a great time to take in this rich, powerful, historical musical.
Once you see it, then you need to go tell others how it affected you so they, too, can buy their tickets and be moved.
The story line encompasses three groups of people – upperclass white suburbanites, represented by Mother, the matriarch of a family in New Rochelle, N.Y.; African Americans, represented by Harlem musician Coalhouse Walker Jr.; and immigrants, represented by Tateh, a Latvian Jew. Historical figures such as Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington, Henry Ford and Emma Goldman also are interwoven in the story.
It takes place in 1906 at the peak of ragtime’s popularity.
The musical starts out with a unique introduction of each character by the characters themselves. Father (Scott Fuss) tells you in third person that he’s an amateur explorer, while Younger Brother (Charlie Patterson) tells you in third person that he’s looking for something to believe in, and so on. The introductions help set the story up, but once they’re all done, the story just continues to grow and move quickly along.
Audiences are introduced to the white upperclass family first as Father is leaving to journey to the North Pole with Admiral Perry. Mother (Lottie Prenevost) is left behind with their son, Edgar (Alek Fehlmann), Grandfather (Mike Yocum) and her brother, Young Brother (Charlie Patterson).
Prenevost gives such a superb performance that her strong voice is like icing on the cake. While her voice is an ear’s delight throughout the show, her solo “Back to Before” in Act II was a personal favorite.
Mother, like the other characters in the musical, undergoes a metamorphosis spurred on when she finds an African American baby buried alive in her garden. Her motherly instincts kick in, and when the baby’s mother, Sarah (Erica Durham), is found by police, Mother surprises even herself by not only taking responsibility for the baby but also for Sarah. Sarah is then spared from facing attempted murder charges.
If you saw the last Wagon Wheel show, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” you’ll remember Durham as the delightful Rosemary Pilkington. In “Ragtime,” she not only gives a great performance, but also steps it up. She matches her acting talent with a great voice, especially on the song “Your Daddy’s Son” and her duet of “Sarah Brown Eyes” with Coalhouse (Chuckie Benson).
Coalhouse is a ragtime musician from Harlem, who also is the father of Sarah’s son. He doesn’t know he is a father right away because he left Sarah before she told him, but when he returns to win her back, he discovers the news.
Thinking of someone to compare Benson’s soulful voice to, I kept going back to the incomparable Luther Vandross, but maybe a little deeper. Benson’s voice was meant to be heard, either solo like on the powerful song “Make Them Hear You” or with Durham on “Sarah Brown Eyes.”
In his story, Coalhouse faces racism, injustice and loss thanks to volunteer firefighters. Benson impeccably takes his character on a ride from a happy-go-lucky musician to a man with rage who only wants what is right in the name of justice.
The story of Sarah and Coalhouse leads Young Brother to find his purpose – he wants to help Coalhouse fight the injustice that took so much away from him. Patterson was Mr. Ovington in “How to Succeed,” but it is in “Ragtime” where audiences get to see his talent. He is such a presence on the stage and really comes across as a young man coming into his own. He doesn’t get his own solo, but on group songs like “New Music” you can still hear him and feel him.
Patterson is one to keep your eye on, not only for Wagon Wheel shows, but also beyond.
Tony Humrichouser has directed a number of shows at the Wagon Wheel over the last couple of years, but for “Ragtime” he returns as an actor. Starring as Tateh, the Jewish immigrant from Latvia, he easily reminds audiences of his talent on the stage.
Tateh goes from an immigrant with an American dream, to an immigrant who just wants to keep his daughter (Piper Ellis) safe to – well, I’m not spoiling the whole story – but Humrichouser delivers a profound performance. In this day and age where a certain presidential candidate wants to build a wall and keep certain immigrants out, it’s good to be reminded that America is a country built on the backs of men and women from other countries. With his profound performance, Humrichouser stirs the heart to remind audiences of the struggles an immigrant goes through to come here, be here and stay here.
There’s a scene where a man wants to buy Tateh’s daughter from him and Tateh releases his fury. Humrichouser has always a calm person in my dealings with him, so to see him explode on stage like that makes for an intense, memorable scene.
As for the historical figures, Cameron Mullin gave a perfect performance as Booker T. Washington, while Kira Lace Hawkins was again a perfect casting for the anarchist and immigrants advocate Emma Goldman. Barrett Riggins made an impression as Houdini, an immigrant himself.
Director and choreographer Scott Michaels has brought to life a new show to Wagon Wheel and Warsaw that should not be missed. It’s one of his best shows yet.
Also, costume designer Stephen R. Hollenbeck serves up a smorgasbord of fashion and style. Everything from the hats and coats to the dresses and outfits on Evelyn Nesbit (Kayla Eilers) will transport you to 110 years ago.
There’s so much to enjoy in this production and take in, it’s easy to forget one of the many highlights. However, when you go see this show – and you should – you’ll delight in everything it has to offer.
My rating of “Ragtime” (out of four): 4.
Tickets for “Ragtime” at the Wagon Wheel are $36 for adults, $16 for children 12 and under, $20 for students $13 through college and $28 for seniors. Tickets can be purchased online at www.wagonwheelcenter.org, over the phone at 574-267-8041, and in person at the theatre.[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092