Ragtime Press Release

Ragtime Comes to the Thomaston Opera House in Celebration of America's Semi-quincentennial

[Thomaston, CT] — At the dawn of the 20th century, a family from New Rochelle, the people of Harlem, and a hopeful immigrant find their lives colliding in a nation on the brink of change. Presented in celebration of America's 250th anniversary, Landmark Community Theatre invites audiences to experience Ragtime, the sweeping, soaring musical based on E.L. Doctorow's acclaimed novel. Filled with unforgettable music and stories of hope, hardship, and the pursuit of the American dream, Ragtime brings our nation's history vividly to life through the eyes of everyday people fighting for their place in it.

Under the direction and choreography of LCT board member Foster Evans Reese, this production brings together a company of nearly 40 performers for a limited run at the Thomaston Opera House. Reese leads a creative team that includes Music Director Sean Lewis, Assistant Director Patricia Guarantano, and Stage Manager Morgan Griffin.

"The message of Ragtime remains profoundly important today because it acts as a mirror to our modern world," said cast member Chuck Stango, who plays J.P. Morgan. "Even though it is set over a century ago, it wrestles with the exact same social, political, and human fractures we see in the headlines right now."

The cast stars Alyssa Fontana Bunel as Mother, Eric Lindblom as Father, Mensah Robinson as Coalhouse Walker Jr., Samantha Rae Bass as Sarah, Meric Martin as Tateh, and Ben Dressel as Younger Brother, alongside Olivia Johnson as Emma Goldman, Ty Scurry as Booker T. Washington, Vincent McCoy as Harry Houdini, and Taylor Dembski as Evelyn Nesbit. Patrick Hearn plays Grandfather, with young performers Archie Esposito and Anneke Martin as the Little Boy and Little Girl. Gianni Perugini, Chuck Stango, and Tiernan Shea round out the principal cast as Henry Ford, J.P. Morgan, and Willie Conklin, respectively, with Melissa Paul-Perez as Sarah's Friend. They are joined by an ensemble featuring Jillian Alena, Phoebe Amankwah, Amanda Benecchi, Jeremy Bond, Josh Brooks, Michael P.M. Calabrese, CJ Calzone, Livia Carew, Shelby C. Davis, Benjamin Fleury, Chrissy Flynn, Aspen Hogrefe, Matthew LeBlanc, Katerina Levasseur, Tierra Lynn, Destiny Mea, Karen Robinson, Joshua Rodis, Wendy Scola, Helen Seda, Daniel Tortora, Stephanie Varanelli-Miles, and William Wilson.

Ragtime features a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow, and is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International with a 9-piece orchestration led by Sean Lewis. Nominated for 13 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Ragtime blends ragtime, gospel, and marches into a sound as diverse as the America it portrays, anchoring a story that asks how far the nation has come — and how far it still has to go.

Ragtime plays at the Thomaston Opera House, 158 main st. Thomaston, CT, October 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 for a total of 8 performances. Friday and Saturday evening performances begin at 8 pm with Sunday matinees beginning at 2 pm. Tickets are available online at www.LandmarkCommunityTheatre.org or by calling the Box Office 860-283-6250.

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Landmark Community Theatre

Media Contact:Andrea Bingham

andrea@landmarkcommunitytheatre.org

860-283-8558 x102

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