What Are Ahrens And Faherty's Ragtime?

Based on the novel of the same name by E.L. Doctorow, Ahrens and Flaherty’s Ragtime is a compelling epic capturing the American experience at the turn of the 20th century. Tracking three diverse families in pursuit of the American dream in the volatile “melting pot” of turn-of-the-century New York, Ragtime confronts the dialectic contradictions inherent in American reality: experiences of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair. Over the course of the show, the worlds of a wealthy white couple, a Jewish immigrant father, and his motherless daughter, and an African American ragtime musician intertwine. Together, they discover the surprising interconnections of the human heart, the limitations of justice and the unsettling

The change in his life that he has been so forcefully trying to ignore finally manages to squeeze into his heart as Coalhouse convinces Younger Brother and his men that violence will not solve injustice. Coalhouse charges them all to change society through the power of their words and by telling their children their story. (“Make Them Hear You”) Profoundly affected by their leader's sacrifice, Younger Brother, and the gang leave the Morgan Library peacefully while Father tells Coalhouse about his son. Coalhouse thanks Father for his kindness and, as he leaves the Library, is shot and killed by the

I watched many interpretations of this piece and choose key moments from each actor that played Coalhouse to portray in my song performance. When Coalhouse sings this song in the musical he is singing to many men and children in the Morgan Library. He does not use many hand gestures instead uses his face to convince the men of his struggle. In my performance, I establish my portrayal by encompassing Coalhouse’s lack of movement but use of intense face to convey the powerful message. Also, in the original version Coalhouse sings to many men and walks around and individually sings to each man or child. Due to my lack of “fellow actors” on stage, I use the audience as my prop. In my vocal performance, I start very quietly through the first two verses because Coalhouse is simply attempting to get the men's attention and listen to him. The line “That are more than black or white…” I drag out because I am letting it sink in with the audience the racial aspect of this show and Coalhouse’s struggle as a black man. Another confusing line that I emphasize is “Your sword can be a sermon / Or the power of the pen.” I do this because Coalhouse wants the audience to realize the importance of words and how much a law can help the fight for equality. The last lyrics of the song are “When they hear you / I'll be near you / Again.” In the original version, Coalhouse sings these notes