PR2017 Jun 16
Theatre Tuscaloosa 9500 Old Greensboro Road #135 • Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35405 • PHONE 205.391.2277 • FAX 205.391.2329 • theatretusc.com
June 16, 2017
Contacts:
Adam Miller, Managing Director
205.391.2925/amiller@sheltonstate.edu
Harley Sabbagh, Media Contact
205.391.2277/hsabbagh@sheltonstate.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THEATRE TUSCALOOSA TO PRESENT SUMMER MUSICAL: RAGTIME
TUSCALOOSA, AL – Theatre Tuscaloosa will conclude the 2016-17 Season: Share the Dream with its summer musical, Ragtime, July 14-23 in the Bean-Brown Theatre on the Martin Campus of Shelton State Community College.
The hope and promise of the American dream is coursing through the veins of turn-of-the-century New York in this 1998 Tony Award-winning musical. The inspiring stories of an upper-class wife who opens her home and her heart; a determined Jewish immigrant and his daughter who pursue the American Dream; and a daring, young Harlem musician who seeks love and liberty are masterfully woven together as the original melting pot is on the verge of boiling over. Underscoring everything is a new sound, a new beat, and a new rhythm for a new time—Ragtime.
“The early 20th century ragtime style was a sound that crossed many different cultures and brought people together. Art does that,” says executive producer and director Tina Turley. “Ragtime is an epic musical. Its music is glorious, and the stories and characters are extremely engaging. Ragtime reminds us of who we are. The cast, the technical elements, and the music are worthy of E. L. Doctorow’s amazing piece of literature about a historical period when everything was ragtime!”
Tying the fictional characters in the story to the historical period are the appearances of a number of real-life historical figures. Harry Houdini, J.P. Morgan, Henry Ford, Evelyn Nesbit, Emma Goldman, and Booker T. Washington all make appearances, helping the audience to understand the political and social culture in which the main characters’ struggles take place.
Ragtime the Musical is based on E. L. Doctorow’s novel, Ragtime. The novel has received wide critical acclaim, including the National Book Critics Circle Award and the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters Award. It was also recognized by Time magazine in its list of “100 Best English-Language Novels from 1923-2005.”
The play’s music was composed by Stephen Flaherty with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. The book was written by Terrence McNally.
The cast includes Nate Blakley, Murphy Branch, Dorcas Britford, Da’Vontay Brown, Margaret Carr, David Cordell, Colton Crowe, Dorothy Davis, Dylan Davis, Royce Garrison, Carli Hardon, Anna Lee Hawkins, Brent Jones, Josh Kauffman, Ashlynn Koontz, Julia Landon, Crystal Lassiter, Olivia LeComte, Kiana Little, Bradley Logan, Johnathon Lyons, Melinda Marshall, Caroline Pope, Sophia Priolo, NorQuina Rieves, Brodrick Ryans, Andrew Smith, Helen Smith, Ivan Taylor, George Thagard, Davida Tubbs, Landon Turner, Grace VandeWaa, Meredith Vaughn, Lisa Waldrop, and John Walker.
The production team includes Leslie Poss, musical director; Ashlyn Lambert, stage manager; Blair Andersen, choreographer; Wheeler Kincaid, scenic designer; Erin Hisey, lighting designer; and Jeanette Waterman, costume designer.
Theatre Tuscaloosa’s 2016-17 Season: Share the Dream is presented in cooperation with Shelton State Community College and is supported by the City of Tuscaloosa, Mercedes-Benz, WVUA23, and Townsquare Media. Ragtime is supported by Ameriprise Financial, Buffalo Rock, Randall-Reilly, Robertson Banking Company, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Realizing the Dream Series, and the Alabama State Council on the Arts.
Ragtime will be presented July 14-23 in the Bean-Brown Theatre on the Martin Campus of Shelton State Community College. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday, July 15. Matinee performances will be at 2:00 p.m. on Sundays; Wednesday, July 19; and Saturday, July 22. A pay-what-you-can dress rehearsal will be presented on Thursday, July 13 at 7:30 p.m., a portion of proceeds of which will benefit the Charlie Dennis Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Tickets are $22 for adults, $18 for seniors and members of the military, and $14 for students. Special rates are available in advance for groups of ten or more.
Tickets and more information are available at www.theatretusc.com or 205.391.2277.
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Theatre Tuscaloosa is a 501c3 not-for-profit community theatre located on the Martin Campus of Shelton State Community College. Theatre Tuscaloosa has been enriching the greater Tuscaloosa community since 1971 through quality theatrical productions and educational outreach.