Piedmont Opera presents 'Ragtime'

Ragtime, the multiple Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning musical with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen Flaherty, and book by Terrence McNally comes to Piedmont Opera this week.

It opened on Broadway in 1998, and shares the stories of a Harlem musician, a white upper-class family, and Eastern European immigrants in early 20th century America. Celebrities of the day like Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington and Emma Goldman are weaved into the story along with music that won the Tony Award for Best Original Score. North Carolina Black Repertory Company director Jackie Alexander will lead the Piedmont Opera production.

The nostalgic music of Ragtime takes you back to the early 1900s, but what's striking to director Jackie Alexander is the show's relevance today, tackling issues of race, immigration, police brutality and women's rights.

“It introduces us to characters that we can all identify with,” says Alexander. “And then the end, understand, you know, I've always believed it's very easy to hate what you don't know. And I think most people in our country live in their own world with no understanding, and sometimes no desire to connect with or understand those outside of that world. This play allows you to step into those other worlds and kind of see these lives and get to know these people you don't know about that you've only judged without really knowing who they are and what they're going through.”

Alexander says that entrée into these characters' lives allows audience members an opportunity to reflect on commonality in our shared experiences without being judged. He says the strength of each character creates empathy as well.

“The Black lead character Coalhouse is a strong, proud man,” he says. “And it's 1906. And again, in my opinion, Coalhouse wasn't an anomaly in 1906. I think this was who most black men were. Although if you watch movies and stories, you wouldn't think that. The immigrant worker who's willing to sacrifice everything and work tirelessly to protect his daughter. Emma Goldman, a woman who's strong enough to stand up to the most powerful men in America. Mother, a woman who stands up to her husband again in 1906. To stand on the side of what's right.”

Ragtime is an enormous production with a lavish set, dozens of actors on stage and lots of moving parts. But Alexander says his mission is straightforward.

“Making sure that the vision is clearly articulated,” says Alexander. “So the audience can truly follow us. Like each story, transitioning from the different worlds. Krisha Marcano, who's choreographing the show for me is key, you know, her eye and just the way that people move and the way these different worlds interact. But really, it's just seamlessly weaving our way through this journey, because it's quite the journey. There's 60 people on stage! Just navigating that from a producing standpoint has to be scary. And we're also just, we're in a pandemic. But again, it's the right show to do. So, that's one of those things of stepping up and saying, ‘Yeah, this is tough. This is challenging. This is probably not the best time to do this.' But it is the right time to do this because this speaks to what's going on and that's what art is supposed to do. It's supposed to speak to what's going on, no matter what the sacrifice. Do what's right.”

The Piedmont Opera production of Ragtime directed by Jackie Alexander opens Friday, March 18 at the Stevens Center of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in downtown Winston-Salem.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This transcript was lightly edited for clarity.