Ragtime
Show Tickets: Show Opens in the Near Future
Discount Broadway Tickets For Ragtime: Future Show
Ragtime Summary
- Show Status: Future
- Genre: Musical
- Ragtime is 2 Hours 10 Minutes long, including an intermission of 15 minutes
- 8 Shows per week
- Previews Begin: September 26, 2025
- Show Opens : October 16, 2025
- Show Closes: January 4, 2026
Three families in pursuit of the American Dream at the dawn of the 20th Century: A Black pianist, a Jewish immigrant and a wealthy white family - all grasping for the same dream, if only they can hold on to it.
What's Ragtime Like?
Ragtime is a sweeping, emotionally charged musical that blends historical events with fictional characters to explore early 20th-century America.
It features a lush, symphonic score and intricate storytelling that weaves together the lives of a Black pianist, a white upper-class family, and Jewish immigrants. Themes of justice, identity, and hope are central, as the characters confront racism, poverty, and the promise of change.
The show balances intimate moments with grand ensemble numbers, offering both heart-wrenching drama and uplifting optimism. Visually and musically rich, Ragtime is both a history lesson and a deeply human portrait of a transforming nation.
Is Ragtime Good for Kids?
Ragtime is not ideal for young children, but may be appropriate for older teens (ages 13+) depending on maturity.
The show deals with serious and sometimes intense themes, including:
- Racism and racial violence
- Murder and injustice
- Immigration struggles
- Adult language and mature situations
While the music and storytelling are powerful and educational, parents should be aware that the content can be emotionally heavy and includes depictions of violence and discrimination. For teens ready to engage with those themes, Ragtime can be a meaningful experience.
Ragtime on Broadway Background
Ragtime is a Tony Award-winning musical with a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, adapted from E.L. Doctorow’s 1975 novel. It interweaves the stories of three diverse groups in early 20th-century America:
- African Americans seeking justice
- White suburbanites facing societal change
- Eastern European immigrants chasing the American Dream.
The musical premiered in Toronto in 1996 before opening on Broadway in 1998 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, where it ran for 834 performances. Its original production was noted for its sweeping score, innovative staging, and themes of racism, class division, and social upheaval.
A 2009 Broadway revival followed, and in 2025, a new limited-run Broadway revival will open at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, led by director Lear deBessonet.
The production features cast members from the acclaimed 2024 City Center concert staging, including Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, and Brandon Uranowitz.
Theatre Information
Vivian Beaumont Theatre
150 West 65th Street
New York, NY 10020
New York, NY 10020
Seats:
1,080
Entrance:
65th Street, between 10th and Broadway
Theatre
Information
Cast Members
- Coalhouse Walker Jr.
- Joshua Henry
- Mother
- Caissie Levy
- Tateh
- Brandon Uranowitz
- Father
- Colin Donnell
- Sarah
- Nichelle Lewis
- Mother’s Younger Brother
- Ben Levi Ross
- Evelyn Nesbit
- Stephanie Styles
- Emma Goldman
- Shaina Taub
- Harry Houdini
- Rodd Cyrus
- Booker T. Washington
- John Clay III
- J.P. Morgan / Admiral Peary
- John Rapson
- Henry Ford
- Jeff Kready
- Grandfather
- Tom Nelis
- Willie Conklin
- Jacob Keith Watson
- The Little Boy (Edgar)
- Matthew Lamb
- The Little Girl
- Tabitha Lawing
Producers
Lincoln Center Theater
Tom Kirdahy
Kevin Ryan
Robert Greenblatt
Production Credits
- Director
- Lear deBessonet
Creative Team
- Book
- Terrence McNally
- Music
- Stephen Flaherty
- Lyrics
- Lynn Ahrens
- Original Book
- E.L. Doctorow