Inside “Ragtime”: The Return of an American Musical Epic

For many, the hit of Broadway’s current season is the revival of the Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (book by Terrence McNally, based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow) musical “Ragtime” produced by Lincoln Center Theater. Times have evolved since the musical’s original Broadway production in 1998, and this moving, emotional, painful, and ultimately inspiring new revival makes the show’s characters and issues even more relevant for our present day. Along with the fictional character of Coalhouse Walker Jr. and the archetypal characters of Father, Mother, and Younger Brother, the show includes several characters who were the celebrities and influencers of turn-of-the-century New York. In this episode, Anna Grace Barlow, who plays the role of Broadway star Evelyn Nesbit, and Rodd Cyrus, who plays the role of iconic illusionist Harry Houdini, join The Gilded Gentleman for a behind-the-scenes talk about their characters and their experience performing in the show.