[NEohioPAL]Berko review: Ragtime/JCC

[Roy Berko]

‘RAGTIME’ HITS RIGHT NOTES AT JCC, PREVIEWS OF COMING
ATTRACTIONS

Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS—

Lorain County Times—Westlaker Times—Lakewood News
Times—Olmsted-Fairview Times


‘RAGTIME, THE MUSICAL’ is an awesome undertaking.  It
can’t be done for full effect without a heavy
investment in costumes, sets and special effects.  It
requires a huge and talented cast.  But, most
importantly, it takes a director who has the insight,
creativity and ability to blend all these elements
together.  Fortunately for the newly revived Jewish
Community Center’s theatre program, their production
of ‘RAGTIME’ has the talented cast, the expert
technicians, and a quality director in the person of
Fred Sternfeld.

‘RAGTIME’ is set in the early 1900s during the era of
vast social changes.  It was an era, much like ragtime
did for music, that transformed the United States into
a new country.  

The play, based on the epic book “RAGTIME’ by E. L.
Doctorow, chronicles the lifestyles of those blessed
and not-so-blessed by weaving together the fictional
stories of Coalhouse Walker, an educated
African-American musician and Sarah, the love of his
life; Tateh and his young daughter, Jewish immigrants
seeking opportunity in America; and an upper-class
family clinging to the “good life” in the affluent and
peaceful community of New Rochelle, New York.  Further
woven into the plot are real historical characters in
the personages of Harry Houdini, Evelyn Nesbit, Henry
Ford, J. P. Morgan, and Emma Goldman.

The show was billed, on its New York opening as:  “The
number one theatrical event of the year.” Other
comments included,  “A brilliant work of musical
storytelling, social comment that marks a glorious
culmination for the American musical at the end of its
first century.”  Further, it was called “A powerful
liberal statement at a moment when such statements are
rare.”  It was also declared that “’RAGTIME’ is one of
those rare musicals that can be mentioned in the same
breath of “SHOWBOAT,’ ‘PORGY AND BESS’ and ‘FIDDLER ON
THE ROOF’.”

I’m not an easy sell, but I echo those reviews.  I
consider ‘RAGTIME’ to be one of the top ten musicals
ever written.

With that said, I go into productions of the show with
great fears.  With the daunting production
requirements, this is a musical, no matter the
brilliance of the script and musical score, that can
crash and burn with ease.  

My fears evaporated early into the JCC‘s production,
which is being staged in the theatre at Cuyahoga
County Community College-Eastern Campus.  It became
apparent from the inspiring opening scene that
Sternfeld had put the whole thing together with style
and skill.  Each person on stage was sure of what to
do and how to do it.  The chorus vocal blends were
wonderful.  Martin Cespedes’ choreography perfectly
fit the multi-musical moods underscored by the ragtime
sound.  The costumes transport us back to the turn of
century.  And, in spite of the fact that the music was
sometimes so loud it drowned out the spoken and sung
words of the cast, the sound-feel was right.

Before us unfolded a large Victorian house in New
Rochelle, New York.  There is Harlem, with crowds
dancing to the music of ragtime. There is a “rag ship”
with a Lithuanian widower named Tateh (father) with
his dreams of escaping with his daughter to America to
be part of the “golden medina”—the country where the
streets are paved with gold.

And as the play developed, the visual images continued
to be crystal clear through both the development of
the script and the interpretation of the music, music
that carries us through the high and lows of the
story.   Songs like “Crime of the Century,” which
tells of a murder which gained of nation-wide
attention; “Goodbye, My Love” in which Mother bids
farewell to Father who is joining Admiral Perry on an
expedition to the North Pole; “Journey On” which gives
us our exposition to Tateh and the Little Girl as they
enter America; and, “Getting Ready Rag” which
introduces us to Coalhouse Walker, Jr.

Highlight production numbers include: “The Tempo Club
in Harlem” with has some electrifying dancing, “Henry
Ford’s Auto Factory” in which humans become cogs in
the machinery for producing the Model T, “Courtship” a
well-staged composite singing number, and “What a
Game” which was an obvious audience favorite.   

The JCC cast is generally excellent.  Kyle Primous
makes Coalhouse a living symbol.  His version of
“Coalhouse’s Soliloquy” was powerful.  His dance
numbers were equally good.  Maggie Stahl Wirfel
brought understanding and compassion to the role of
Mother.  She has a fine singing voice which was well
showcased in “Goodbye, My Love,” “Back to Before” and
“What Kind of Woman.”  “Our Children,” her duet with
Marc Moritz (Tatah) was beautifully tender.   Moritz’s
Tatah was fine, except for the distracting accent
which seemed inappropriate and kept coming and going. 

Sean Szaller as Younger Brother perfectly captured the
mood of the young man caught between his liberal
ideals and WASP upbringing.  As with all the cast, he
displayed a fine singing voice which was used
effectively in his segments of “He Wanted To Say.” 
Amiee Collier (Emma Goldman) and Primous helped make
that song one of the emotional highlights of the
evening.  

Chris McCarrell (The Little Boy) and Emma Wahl (The
Little Girl) both showed stage awareness beyond their
youth.  (Emma will leave shortly for NYC to join the
original cast of the soon to open ‘CHITTY CHITTY BANG
BANG.’)  

Yolanda Christine Davis (Sarah) has a beautiful voice
but her facial expressions while she sung were
sometimes distracting, creating looks of anguish
rather than happiness.  Kristin Netzband was not
seductive and playful enough as Evelyn Nesbitt.

CAPUSLE JUDGEMENT:  As a line from the show says, “And
we will ride on the wheels of a dream.”  My
recommendation:  Go see this dream of a production! 

‘RAGTIME” runs through November 14.  For tickets call
216-382-4000 X274.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

“A STOOP ON ORCHARD STREET” allows the viewers to take
a nostalgic musical trip back to 1910 on the Lower
East Side of New York.  It shares the trials and
triumphs of the Lomansky family and their “stoop
friends” as they strive to live the American dream. 
Playing dates are November 10 through 14.  This is a
professional touring company using the Beck Center
facilities.  For tickets call 216-521-2540.

‘HIGHWAY ULYSSES” is a musical epic to be performed at
Dobama Theatre from November 19 through December 12. 
Directed by Sonya Robbins, this is a modern retelling
of the Homer tale which imagines Ulysses as a
present-day veteran, ill adjusted to life without war
and tragically aware of his inability to leave his
battlefield experiences behind him.  

Groundworks Dancetheater will include two premieres in
its November 12-14 program at Tri-C Metro Campus
Theatre.  Included will be works by Artistic Director
David Shimotakahara and guest choreographer Gina
Gibney.  For tickets and information call
216-691-3180.

‘MISS SAIGON’ returns to the Playhouse Square Center
from December 14-19.  Set in 1975 during the final
days leading up to the American evacuation of Saigon,
this is the story of two young lovers torn apart by
the fortunes of destiny and held together by a passion
and the fate of a small child.  For tickets call
216-241-6000 or visit www.playhousesquare.com.

Caeser’s Forum presents Jean Anouilh’s THE LARK, as
adapted by Chistropher Fry and Lillian Helman at
Kennedy’s Down Under, Playhouse Square Center, from
November 5 to December 11 on Friday and Saturday
evenings.   Based on the trial of Joan of Arc, the
play probes nationalism, war and religion.  For
tickets call 216-241-6000.

Convergence-Continuum Theatre presents ‘WORDS &
WEIRDS:  A CONVERGENCE OF TWO ONE-ACTS’ from October
29 through November 20.  This, the final of the
company’s season productions, includes ‘TONE CLUSTERS’
by Joyce Carol Oates and ‘WHIRLGIG’ by Mac Wellman. 
For tickets call 216-687-0074.

‘A TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL’ will be Ensemble Theatre’s next
production.  On stage in the Brooks Theatre at the
Cleveland Play House, Horton Foote’s play examines the
life of an aging widow living with her son and his
controlling wife who is determined to recapture
happiness by returning to her childhood home.  For
tickets to the November 27-December 12 run call
216-321-2930.




=====
Roy Berko's web page can be found at royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, a free on-line source, which can be subscribed to at neohiopal at lists.fredsternfeld.com.


		
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