REVIEW: A ROLLICKING RENDITION OF RAGTIME AT THE ENCORE! THEATRE

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this

Popular American musical playing March 24-27 in Spring Valley

  

By Miriam Raftery

 

March 22, 2011 (Spring Valley) – Director Jean Isaac calls Ragtime a show that “will get inside your soul.” Drawn to the musical’s epic scale and powerful yet timeless themes, she observes, “It’s a beautiful story to be told," then adds that it's important to tell the story anew in today’s turbulent times.

 

Isaac delivers a moving interpretation, brought to life through often stellar performances by the Young Actors’ Theatre cast. 

 

Unlike some youthful acting troupes, YAT includes actors from age 8 up to 24, bringing richness and and maturity to key roles. 

 

The musical's themes of bigotry and injustice, the roots of radicalism, and the enduring power of love, as well as depictions of immigrants’ struggles and workers’ protests in a society dominated by wealthy robber baron industrialists, all resonate with today’s audiences. Indeed, one can find many parallels in current news headlines.

 

The storyline ties together three seemingly disparate sets of characters representing Jewish immigrants, black Harlem, and a wealthy WASP family in New Rochelle. Detailed and sometimes lavish costumes by Lisa Grant, three ensemble groups of singers, and an orchestra complete with saxophone, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, guitar, banjo, trumpet, and piano under the musical direction of John Nettles added pizzazz to this production of Ragtime.
 

Perry Lee provided both exuberance and emotional depth in his compelling portrayal of Coalhouse Walker, the ragtime pianist from Harlem. We feel his pain as the once carefree and debonair musician, scarred by tragedy, resorts to drastic actions in his quest for justice. Lee, also a talented dancer, directed choreography as well as starring in the show.

 

Marcos Melero, a music education major at SDSU, delivered a solid and moving performance as Tateh, the Latvian Jewish immigrant determined to build a better life for himself and his daughter in America.
 

The plot's catalystic event occurs when Mother, the WASP matron portrayed by Lauren Clough, discovers a baby in her garden.  She insists that she will take responsibility for both the child and his mother, Sarah, played by K’Ashia Galvan, who was driven to abandon her child out of desperation. Galvan’s proud yet sweet nature, despite her seemingly incomprehensible act, ultimately stirs the audience and makes later events all the more disturbing.
 

Clough’s strong voice handles Ragtime's sometimes-challenging musical numbers adeptly. But she missed opportunities to show key reactions in two pivotal scenes that could have foreshadowed later plot turns and built romantic tension. Her character’s shock at Father (Cody Littlefield) for betraying Walker to police, and later, surprise when a famed silent movie director reveals his true identity were absent.  Still, we sense her essential goodness--and loneliness, evidence that wealth and happiness do not go hand in hand. (Note: This role is double cast and Stephanie Johnson will be portaying Mother this weekend.)

 

The script skillfully interweaves real historical figures with fictitious characters, adding to a sense of reality in the program. Nicola Barrett shone as the lusty vaudeville star, Evelyn Nesbit. Andrew George, Alex Koutsenok and Ryan Dietrich all delivered solid performances as automobile magnate Henry Ford, Socialist leader Emma Goldman, and capitalist J.P. Morgan. Other cameo roles included Booker T. Washington and Harry Houdini, both capably delivered, though the latter lacked the flamboyance one hoped to see in a master showman.
 

Robbie Squier (The Little Boy) might’ve been a show stealer for his charm, except for technical problems with his microphone that made it hard to hear most of his lines. Adela Colarado's expressive looks were ideal for the long-suffering Little Girl. Other noteworthy roles included Cody Littlefield as Father, whose character undergoes an evolution of its own that leads to a surprising plot twist, and SeeJay Lewis as Younger Brother, who develops empathy for society’s downtrodden. Ryan Sandvick also gave a convincing if unsettling performance as the bigoted bully, Willy Conklin.
 

Based on a novel by E.L. Doctorow, Ragtime was nominated for 13 Tony Awards on Broadway; a film version racked up 8 Academy Award nominations and several Grammy nominations.
 

The story lines, though set in the early 1900s, hold meaning for audiences today. As in real life—then and now-- some characters in Ragtime overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges to attain the American Dream, while for others, that dream remains a bitter and unattainable illusion.

Young Actors’ Theatre presentation of Ragtime continues at the Encore! Theatre, located at 9620 Campo Road in Spring Valley, with performances on March 24, 26 and 26 at 7 p.m. plus a 2 p.m. matinee on March 27. For tickets and information, call (619)670-1627 or visit www.yatsandiego.org.

 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.