‘Ragtime’ looks to be something special
ALBANY, N.Y. » Park Playhouse has been offering free theater in Albany’s Washington Park since 1989, but according to two cast members, this year’s production of “Ragtime” looks to be something special.
For starters, Benita Zahn and Molly Rose McGrath point out It is the largest show Park Playhouse has ever produced. It has a cast of 35, a large orchestra, period costumes, intricate lighting and sound, and a complex story to tell.
Zahn, who is both a member of the Park Playhouse board of directors and a member of Actors Equity, plays the radical Emma Goldman in the production. She says “’Ragtime’ has been on the board’s radar for several years. “As we’ve grown artistically, financially and technically we can finally give this wonderful work the production it deserves.” She adds, that because the theme that runs through the show is “justice for all,” she insists, “This is the perfect time for us to be doing it.”
McGrath who plays Mother in the show agrees. “’Ragtime’ is set at the beginning of the 20th century. But if the period was changed to the beginning of the 21st century no one would notice.” Being reflective, she adds, “It’s scary to consider that we are still dealing with the same social problems 100 years later.”
“Ragtime” is a musical adapted from the sprawl-
ing E.L Doctorow novel. At the heart of the story is Coalhouse Walker Jr., a proud African-American musician, who is in love with a woman who is living with their infant child with a prosperous white family. When a crowd of racists humiliate Coalhouse and desecrate his new car, events spiral out-of-control and end in violence.
Contrasting this tragedy is a tale of a Jewish immigrant artist who prospers through the new art of telling stories through the use of moving pictures.
Caught in the middle is Mother, a woman who discovers her flourishing independence amidst the chaos of an America which is being torn apart by social inequity.
The show is linked by encounters with famous and notorious people from the era. One of those is Emma Goldman, a radical who in 1919 was deported to Russia because of her inflammatory speeches. Zahn, who is a news anchor at NewsChannel 13, says playing the outspoken Goldman is a pleasant change of pace for her. “Because of my position I cannot speak out on public affairs. This role gives me an opportunity play a strong politically involved individual. In some ways I think she (Goldman) represents all of today’s women who walk around wearing Resist t-shirts.”
McGrath sees the role of Mother as a symbol for women who endure sexism. “It’s a wonderful experience playing this woman who comes to realize her own strength and power. Over the course of the play she evolves from being a dutiful and supportive wife to become a forward thinking independent woman.”
While both actors are excited about the material they are beyond ecstatic about the music. “It’s amazingly beautiful,” says McGrath, who has a reputation for being one of the finest singers in the area. She is in awe of how the score helps her develop her character. “The vocal arc matches the growth of Mother. As she becomes a more aware person the music becomes more intricate and soaring. It takes me to the top of my range and might be the most perfect score I’ve ever sung.”
Zahn calls the score “operatic” and finds it hard to believe how perfectly it fits the open-air space at Washington Park. “We have a perfect cast who does justice to this multi-layered score. The audience is going to love it.”
The audience is an important reason the two Saratoga County residents make the long commute to rehearsals nightly and for performances in Albany from June 29 to July 29.
This is the fifth show at Park Playhouse for each performer and neither regards it as a sacrifice. “There is nothing I’d rather be doing with my time,” says McGrath. “This rehearsal experience has been special since the first reading. We cry at the end of the run every night. Every single night.”
Zahn is proud that “Ragtime” is offered free of charge. “What a great thrill to be performing in front of audiences who might not otherwise be able to afford a ticket to a musical of this quality. There might be many young people who come to the show and have their life changed by experiencing a show like this.”
She asks, “What better way could a person spend a summer than by entertaining people and touching lives?”
“Ragtime,” Park Playhouse, Washington Park, Albany. June 29-July 29. Performances 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. Admission free on the hill. Reserved lawn seats $16-$24. (518) 434-0776.