Events & Shows

This sweeping musical portrait of early 20th Century America tells the story of three families in the pursuit of the American Dream.

Written by the award-winning composer/lyricist team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (Once on This Island, Seussical and Lucky Stiff), noted playwright, Terrence McNally, and based on E.L. Doctorow’s distinguished novel, Ragtime is the winner of the 1998 Tony Awards for Best Score, Book and Orchestrations, and both the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical and Best Score. Called by TIME Magazine “A triumph for the stage,” and by the International Herald Tribune “the best musical in twenty years,” this acclaimed musical is filled with pageantry, emotion and hope, bursting onto the stage like no other musical.

At the dawn of a new century, everything is changing… and anything is possible. Set in the volatile melting pot of turn-of-the-century New York, three distinctly American tales are woven together – that of a stifled upper-class wife, a determined Jewish immigrant and a daring young Harlem musician – united by their courage, compassion and belief in the promise of the future. Together, they confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair… and what it means to live in America.

The Tony-winning score is just as diverse as the melting pot of America itself, drawing upon many musical styles, from the ragtime rhythms of Harlem and Tin Pan Alley to the klezmer of the Lower East Side, from bold brass band marches to delicate waltzes, from up-tempo banjo tunes to period parlor songs and expansive anthems. A truly unique and powerful portrait of America, Ragtime is sure to inspire actors and audiences alike!

Mainstage Content Advisory: The Playhouse does not rate subject matter as sensitivities vary from person to person. If you have questions about content, age appropriateness, or other aspects of the show (ie strobe lights and other theatrical affects), please contact the ticket office at 515-277-6261.

The performance at 2:00 PM on Sunday, April 15, will have live audio description, provided by IRIS. Please contact our ticket office at 515-277-6261 if you would like to use this free service.

The performance at 2:00 PM on Sunday, April 15, will have ASL interpretation, provided by Deaf Services Unlimited. Please contact our ticket office at 515-277-6261 if you would like to use this free service.