E.L. Doctorow’s book on which the musical “Ragtime” is based was published in the 1970s. The production debuted on Broadway in the mid-1990s, and the story itself takes place in 1904. But the issues presented in GREAT Theatre’s latest show are as relevant today as in those time periods, actors and members of the creative team say.
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The show’s choreographer, Debra Leigh (SCSU anti-racism educator), agreed that the themes of “Ragtime” resonate now, but she said it’s also interesting to compare “what’s different, and why is it different and how is it different, and what are the lessons that have been learned and what are the lessons that still need to be learned.”
Actress Desiree Clark plays Sarah. She said she hopes that the African-American couple’s relationship in “Ragtime” comes through as pure and genuine. Clark is majoring in social responsibility at St. Cloud State University with an emphasis in race relations.
