Ragtime: On Second Thought

Here’s something you don’t hear from bloggers very often:  “I was wrong!” 

Back in January I wrote about the announced revival of “Ragtime” at the Kennedy Center.  I described the extreme leftist views of E. L. Doctorow upon whose novel the musical is based.  I also described the central character’s story arch which follows his path from hopeful, young and talented African-American to spiteful, vengeful domestic terrorist. 

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to see the production and I was delighted that although the script remains unchanged form the original, some slight nuances in staging, focus and character inter-action has softened the radical nature of Doctorow’s dogmatic cynicism and has illuminated truly hopeful and inspiring visions of an America to be proud of. 

For the purpose of full disclosure I should reveal that I had tangential involvement in the original production of “Ragtime” and was able to witness many aspects of the creative process.  I have always been an admirer of the piece and yet have had a resistance to its overall theme.  After wiping the tears from my face after the curtain cal in Washington DC, I began trying to figure out why this show now speaks to me in such an uplifting way.  After weeks of examination I believe I have the answer:  Blame Canada. 

OK, I’m only half-joking.  It’s not Canada’s fault, but a Canadian’s.  The original production was produced by the now defunct Livent corporation headed by Canadian Impresario and convicted felon Garth Drabinsky.  In the roaring ’90s Garth stood astride the theatre industry with a hugely successful revival of “Showboat” and multiple touring productions of blockbuster musicals in Canada.  His Canadian production and theatre owner/operator company, Livent, was envisioned as a vertically integrated production and booking organization in the style of the old Hollywood studio system.  Livent began when Garth was ousted as Chairman of Cineplex-Odeon the movie theatre chain he founded in 1979.  After leveraging its rapid expansion with miles of debt his new partner MCA sent him packing.  Garth was allowed to leave with one asset, the Pantages Theatre in Toronto and the rights to present Phantom of the Opera there. 

From those humble beginnings, Livent was born.  He paid huge amounts to attract the best creative teams and spared no expense in producing gigantic productions.  His “Showboat” revival directed by Hal Prince was infamous for its excessive budgets as well as its enormous scale… in terms of the physical production and the size of its cast. 

So Garth with his grandiose visions (mostly of himself… seriously, his autobiography is titled “Closer to the Sun”) decided in 1995 that it was time for Livent to produce an original musical instead of just staging revivals or Canadian Tours of Broadway productions.  The traditional path for the creation of a new musical begins with either a composer, lyricist (or composer/lyricist team),  book writer, director or any combination of these entities envisioning an idea that they then collaborate on and create the beginnings of a new show.  Depending on the existing reputation or track-record of the writers or director, a producer could be brought on rather early to help finance part of the writing process in exchange for an option on the script.  If the writers are unknown they usually will write an entire script and go through many revisions before a producer will pick it up. 

In the case of “Ragtime” and the “vertically integrated” vision Garth had for Livent the process was totally reversed.  Garth optioned the rights to “Ragtime” from Doctorow and sought out a team to create his show.  He actually auditioned song writing teams by having them write a handful of songs and then present them to him for his judgement.  Garth selected Terrance McNally to write the libretto and the team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty to write the score.  Graciella Danielle was selected as Choreographer with Frank Galati as Director.  McNally, Ahrens, Flaherty, Danielle and Galati was a dream team of Broadway talent and true to form Garth paid top dollar to attach them to the project. 

If you review the articles written at the time of “Ragtime’s” opening you will see a common thread in the quotes of all of these people.  They all say in gushing prose that Garth was one of the most hands-on, creatively involved producers they ever worked with.  Everything Livent did was a reflection of Garth and his philosophy.  And he often talked about a “Trilogy of America” consisting of “Showboat”, “Ragtime” and “Parade” (a musical about the lynching of Leo Frank, a Jewish man accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl in Atlanta).  Garth was quoted at the time saying “I have always felt very emotional about the way that minorities are decried and raped in different ways,” he says. “I don’t walk around waving a socialist flag; with me, it’s a matter of legal justice and social equity.”

Garth was the driving creative vision behind “Ragtime”, not the writers and not the director.  And Garth seems to have been bent on trying to illuminate all of America’s flaws through the mounting of this show.  Specifically, the troubles of America’s past with regard to racial and religious bigotry.  And he had a like-minded collaborator in Doctorow as we have already seen in my previous post on this show. 

Looking back, I can now see that the uncomfortable, cynical edge to the original “Ragtime” was the reflection of a successful Canadian business man, spurned once by Hollywood with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove to the American entertainment industry that sent him back to Canada in shame those many years ago.  And, I think, because of the underlying resentment for America that snuck through many of the scenes in “Ragtime” our audiences were reluctant to fully embrace what was a brilliant work because the emotional impact was alienating to many Americans love and pride in our country. 

Which brings us back to the Kennedy Center.  A few minor changes in the mounting of this production has made a world of difference.  First, the cast is scaled down by about 35%.  This helps the audience focus on the main characters rather than the enormous and overwhelming number of chorus and ensemble members that filled the stage originally. 

Also, the set is much more basic and not designed with “spectacle” in mind.  For example, in the beginning of the show, one character leaves New York on a ship with Admiral Perry to explore the North Pole while and immigrant ship passes them in New York harbor arriving at Ellis Island.  A fantastic song, “Two Ships Passing” then sets the stage for a handful of story arcs.   In the original production two eight-foot ships traverse the stage utilizing computerized deck automation techniques.  They looked really cool, cost a lot of money and were completely unnecessary.  In fact, they distracted from the performances of the ACTORS on stage. 

Another major improvement is the staging of the anthem “Let Them Hear You”  I discussed the lyrics of this song in my original post and this scene was most troublesome in the way that it seemed to rationalize the violence perpetrated by Coalhouse in the name of social justice.  But director Marcia Milgrom Dodge has Coalhouse collect his gangs guns during the song.  He also emphasizes the lyrics that convey the idea that using your voices and words to confront the flaws of our nation is always the solution and that violence never is. 

One last change that makes this production so much better than the original.  And this is something that the creative staff had nothing to do with.  In the middle of Act One Coalhouse Walker and Sarah sing “Ragtime’s” signature song, “Wheels of a Dream”.  It is an anthem of hope, promise, optimism and belief in all that America can be.  In the show, the song sets up the tragic events that follow and makes the evil racism that occurs even that much more hateful and despicable.  But now, in 2009, sitting blocks away from the White House, the song means so much more. 

I did not vote for President Obama and I don’t support much of anything that he or his administration is attempting to do.  But knowing the historical realities of our country’s struggle with race relations that are depicted in “Ragtime” and then knowing what has transpired and the incredible, unbelievable progress that has been made over the past 100 years, this song resonates in such a positive and inspiring way that makes it impossible to not think of our first black President and what that means to so many in our country. 

Here are Tony Award winners Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra MacDonald from the original production: 

YouTube

A final happy ending to this story:  About a year after the Broadway Opening of “Ragtime”, Livent, the vertically integrated, publicly traded company that promised to revolutionize the theatre industry, collapsed.  The same kind of leveraged debt that endangered Cineplex-Odeon, toppled it’s step-brother, Livent.  And Garth Drabinsky has been convicted of fraud and forgery. 

And, the revival of “Ragtime” at the Kennedy Center is now in negotiations for a transfer to Broadway.

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