Lincoln Center Theater announces RAGTIME at Vivian Beaumont Theater
Photo credit: Marc J. Franklin
Lincoln Center Theater has announced that incoming Artistic Director Lear deBessonet’s inaugural season will open with a new production of her acclaimed New York City Center Gala revival of RAGTIME, which plays in the Vivian Beaumont Theater from 26 September 2025-4 January 2026.
Confirmed cast members include Tony® nominee Joshua Henry (deBessonet’s Into the Woods, Carousel) as Coalhouse Walker, Jr., Olivier® and Grammy® nominee Caissie Levy (Hair, Frozen) as Mother, and Tony Award-winner Brandon Uranowitz (Leopoldstadt, LCT’s Falsettos) as Tateh.
RAGTIME is a sweeping musical adaption of E.L. Doctorow’s novel that follows three fictional families in pursuit of the American Dream at the dawn of the 20th Century: Black pianist Coalhouse Walker, Jr. and his beloved Sarah, Jewish immigrant Tateh and his little girl, and a wealthy white family led by matriarch Mother. All grasping for the same dream, if only they can hold onto it.
Featuring a lush score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, a stirring book by Terrence McNally, and original orchestrations by William David Brohn, all of whom won Tony Awards for their work, RAGTIME weaves fictional narratives with real historical figures and events, creating a rich tapestry that blurs the line between personal struggle and national identity, making history feel both intimate and epic.
LCT Artistic Director Lear deBessonet (Tony-nominated for her celebrated 2022 revival of Into the Woods) directs a new production, envisioned for the grand Vivian Beaumont stage. She said: “RAGTIME feels like the perfect way to begin my tenure as Artistic Director of this very sacred place. As we celebrate the legacy of LCT and the level of art that has been achieved over the last four decades, it is important for us to continue to be inspired by the sublime possibilities of theater through stories that demand to be told. Such a story is RAGTIME.”
Full cast and creative team will be announced soon.