Review: Racism, Immigration, and the American Dream in This Ragtime Revival
The revival of the musical Ragtime at New York's Lincoln Center highlights themes of racism, immigration, and the American Dream. It features powerful performances and intertwines the stories of a wealthy family, an immigrant, and a black pianist facing injustice. The production emphasizes the importance of nonviolent social change in the face of adversity.
- ▪Ragtime first premiered on Broadway nearly 30 years ago and remains relevant today.
- ▪The revival features a cast of nearly 40 performers, led by Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy.
- ▪The musical tells three intertwined stories set in the early 20th century, focusing on themes of pluralism and opportunity.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Entertainment Review: Racism, Immigration, and the American Dream in This Ragtime Revival The musical contemplates the best way to achieve social change in the face of injustice. Eric Boehm | From the June 2026 issue Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL Add Reason to Google Media Contact & Reprint Requests <img src="https://d2eehagpk5cl65.cloudfront.net/img/c800x450-w800-q80/uploads/2026/04/minisragtime-800x450.jpg" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto" width="1200" height="675" alt="minisragtime | Ragtime" /> (Ragtime) Nearly 30 years have passed since Ragtime first premiered on Broadway, but the musical's layered story about pluralism, opportunity, and the rule of law seems, if anything, more relevant now.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Reason Magazine.
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