Servant Stage To Present "Ragtime"

When Wally Calderon, director of the Servant Stage production of "Ragtime," first saw the production in 1999, he knew he wanted to direct it. Now, as the cast of about 50 rehearses, he looks forward to bringing the musical to the local stage. "The challenges of 'Ragtime' are in its strong content," said Calderon, who quickly added, "(The show) leaves you with hope for a future where there can be harmony and unity."

Servant Stage will present "Ragtime" at Lancaster Mennonite School, 2176 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, on three consecutive weekends, Fridays through Sundays from Sept. 16 to Oct. 2. Shows will be at 7 p.m. on Fridays, 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays.

The musical follows three groups of people who are in New York state when the story begins in 1902. Coalhouse, a musician played by Josh Green, and Sarah, played by Kylie Jo Smith, are from Harlem. Tateh, a silhouette artist, played by Andrew Zahn, and his Little Girl, played by Kate Zahn and Lauren Watts, have recently arrived from Latvia. The third group is a wealthy New Rochelle family that has made money in fireworks. The family members are known only as Mother, played by Sarah Zahn; Father, played by David Diehl; Little Boy, played by Luke Stone and Julian Ford; and Mother's sibling, Younger Brother, played by Tyler Hoover.

Calderon noted that the story focuses on a specific moment in time and what lies ahead. "It follows these groups on their journeys when they are starting to intermingle," said Calderon. "It's a story about the last moments when these groups were so separate and so foreign to one another. It comes with a lot of sensitive issues, and the biggest challenge is communicating to the audience that it's not something that only happened 120 years ago."

Calderon called "Ragtime" "colorful," noting that the show is mostly sung and includes historical figures such as Harry Houdini, vaudeville entertainer Evelyn Nesbit, and J.P. Morgan. "These characters are woven through the story to tell us these things actually occurred," he said, pointing out that the Henry Ford character sings a song about conveyor belts that discusses how mass production has begun to speed up manufacturing. Even the ragtime music itself would soon be sped up into jazz.

The cast includes several children, and Calderon noted that this is intentional. "(The) children are sort of a representation of the new century in the things they say and the way they act," he said. Although the groups represent different peoples and experiences, Calderon emphasized what they have in common. "All the parents relate to Tateh and his Little Girl and his fear of losing her, and they find themselves relating to Mother, who is feeling a pull to become something (more)," he said. "In the final picture, it shows members of each of those groups together and hopeful."

Performances are pay-what-you-will, and donations are welcome. Reservations may be made at https://servantstage.org/shows.