MUSICAL NOSTALGIA

By Guest Author July 7, 2006

Set in the United States in the early 20th century, Stephen Flaherty’s 1998 Tony Award-winning musical, “Ragtime,” interweaves stories of a wealthy Protestant family; a poor Jewish immigrant and his daughter, and an educated black musician from Harlem, the woman he loves and their child. Based on E.L. Doctorow’s novel of the same name, the show is set to ragtime-inflected music and offers a portrait of the period’s political unrest, social reformations, and struggles of immigrants and African Americans, as well as the experience of the white ruling class as they resist changes in their society. Prominent historic figures, such as Emma Goldman, J.P. Morgan and Booker T. Washington, are characterized throughout the show. Presented by the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Summer Musical Program and by the Westfield Young Artists’ Cooperative Theatre, “Ragtime” is directed by Cynthia Meryl.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Victoria Theater, 1 Center St., Newark; July 14-23; $26, $15 for children under 14. (888-466-5722)

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO