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Book ByTERRENCE MCNALLY
Music By
STEPHEN FLAHERTY
Lyrics By
LYNN AHRENS
Based on the Novel “Ragtime” by E.L. Doctorow
Audition Dates: Sunday, February 9 and Monday, February 10, 2025
Sunday Auditions begin at 10:00 a.m. The registration will close at 10:30 a.m.
Monday Auditions begin at 7:00 p.m. The registration will close at 7:30 p.m.
Performances: May 2-4, 9–11, & 16–18, 2024
Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
Auditions will be held at the Players Guild of Dearborn: 21730 Madison, Dearborn, MI 48124.
You must complete the audition form and conflict calendar found at www.playersguildofdearborn.org before arriving. Please list all actual and possible conflicts.
Director
JERRY HAINES
Music Director
BETH WONDOLOWSKI
Choreographer
JANEEN BODARY
Based on the novel of the same name by E.L. Doctrow, Ahren’s and Flaherty’s Ragtime is a compelling epic capturing the American experience at the turn of the 20th century. Tracking three diverse families in pursuit of the American dream in the volatile “melting pot” of New York, Ragtime confronts the dialectic contradictions inherent in American reality: experiences of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair. Over the course of the show, the worlds of a wealthy white couple, a Jewish immigrant father and his motherless daughter, and an African American ragtime musician intertwine. Together, they discover the surprising interconnections of the human heart, the limitations of justice and the unsettling consequences when dreams are permanently deferred. Featuring many of the historical figures that built and shaped turn of the century American, this musical sweeps across the diversity of the American experience to create a stirring epic that captures the beats of the American experience: the marches, the cakewalks, and, of course, the ragtime.
Character Descriptions
In reference to the character descriptions below –The characters in this show are written with he/him or she/her pronouns. However, we seek to be as inclusive as possible and ask actors to list on the audition form the roles they most identify with.
The ages listed are the “playing ages” of characters. Actors who fall out of these parameters with respect to their own chronological age may still audition for any role.
Coalhouse Walker, Jr: A proud and talented pianist, confident and stubborn. Sophisticated with a romantic demeanor and a gentle heart. Should be able to move. Piano playing is helpful but not essential. Male, 25-35
Ethnicity: African Descent, African American
Vocal Range: Ab to G, with a sustained high F#
Sarah: A washwoman, filled with a strong will to live, fueled by an innocent spirit, falls deeply in love with Coalhouse after much resistance. Female, 20-30
Ethnicity: African Descent, African American
Vocal Range: Lyric Soprano with strong mix, low G# to high F# on staff
Mother: The consummate wife and mother, a kind woman who is gentle, compassionate, optimistic, and accepting of others. Female, 30-40
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Vocal Range: Lyric Soprano / Mezzo with strong mix, low G to high Eb on staff
Father: Mother’s professionally successful husband, cautious, resistant to change, fancies himself an amateur explorer. Male, 35-50
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Vocal Range: Baritone, B to E on staff
Younger Brother: A passionate anarchist, he is intense, obsessive, and high strung, influenced by Emma Goldman’s teachings. Male, 25-35
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Vocal Range: Tenor / Baritone with strong top range, B to high F#
Tateh: An immigrant, intelligent, passionate, and creative artist. Full of drive and heart. Wears the trials and tribulations of his past on his sleeve. Eastern European / Latvian dialect. Male, 30-40
Ethnicity: Eastern European / Jewish / Latvian-American
Vocal Range: Baritone / Tenor, Db to high F#
Sarah’s Friend / Ensemble: Passionate, soulful, sings the gospel number for Sarah’s funeral Female, any age.
Ethnicity: African Descent, African American
Vocal Range: Gospel Lyric Soprano or Alto, low G to stratospheric scat top note
Emma Goldman / Ensemble: Eastern European / Jewish immigrant, anarchist. Female 35-60
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Vocal Range: Alto, low G# to Db
Harry Houdini / Ensemble: Hungarian immigrant, internationally famous magician. Male, 30-40
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Vocal Range: Tenor, middle C to high G
Evelyn Nesbit / Ensemble: Vaudevillian performer, the “it-girl of her time.” Female, 20-30.
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Vocal Range: Soprano / Belter, middle C to Db
Willie Conklin / Ensemble: Irish-American fire chief who is racist and takes out his anger on Coalhouse. Male, 30-45
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Vocal Range: Tenor / Baritenor
Adult Ensemble (Specific roles will be filled from the Harlem, Immigrant, and New Rochelle ensembles)
Booker T Washington, Henry Ford, JP Morgan, Admiral Peary, Matthew Henson, Judge, Grandfather, Kathleen, Brigit, Attorneys, Bureaucrats, Reporters, Baseball Fans, people of New Rochelle / Harlem / Immigrants, Factory Workers, Firemen, Demonstrators, Vacationers.
Ethnicity: Varies
Vocal Range: All
YOUTH CASTING
Little Boy: An earnest boy who has grown up in privilege. Open hearted to people that are different from him and has the precocious innocence of youth. Male, 10-12 years old
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Vocal Range: voice not yet changed
Little Girl: Tateh’s daughter. Her arrival in America is marked by sickness and hunger. She is scared of her new surroundings and loyal to her father, her only living relative. Female, 10-12 years old
Ethnicity: Eastern European / Jewish / Latvian-American
Vocal Range: Mezzo / Soprano
Young Coalhouse Jr: Innocent and pure. Son of Coalhouse and Sarah. This role appears briefly at the end of the play and has no lines or songs. Male, 4-6yo
Ethnicity: African descent, African-American
A Note from the Director
We are so excited you are joining us to audition for Ragtime. Please dress appropriately and comfortably with proper footwear to dance. Please do not dress in character.
**We will have singing and reading cuts chosen for you at auditions, and until we have those selected we encourage you to become familiar with the show as a whole, or various roles you are interested in.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
21730 Madison St, Dearborn, MI, United States, Michigan 48124, 21730 Madison St, Dearborn, MI 48124-3601, United States,Dearborn, Michigan, Allen Park
Tickets
