Just 15 minutes before Ragtime star Joshua Henry took to the stage for opening night of the Broadway revival October 16, he received a heartfelt note from none other than his Tony-winning predecessor in the show, Brian Stokes Mitchell, who originated his role of Coalhouse Walker, Jr. in the original 1998 production of the Lynn Ahrens-Stephen Flaherty musical.
Henry posted a video to Instagram of his real-time reaction opening it, joking that it was a "bad idea" to read the tear-jerking letter right before showtime. Just reading the introduction, "Dear Joshua," Henry was already holding back tears.
The full note, penned on photo of Mitchell from the original Ragtime production, read: "Coalhouse is now in your hands and heart and head and body and voice and soul. Make them hear you. Happy opening. With love and brotherhood, Stokes." See Henry's video where he reacts to the letter below.
The revival of Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Terrance McNally's Ragtime officially opened at Lincoln Center Theater's Vivian Beaumont Theater on Broadway October 16 after beginning previews September 26. The 14-week limited engagement continues through January 4, 2026. Freshly appointed LCT Artistic Director Lear deBessonet is at the helm after creating the production last year for a short run at New York City Center.
Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, and Brandon Uranowitz lead the cast as Coalhouse Walker, Jr., Mother, and Tateh, respectively, with Colin Donnell (Anything Goes) as Father, Nichelle Lewis (The Wiz) as Sarah, Ben Levi Ross (Dear Evan Hansen) as Mother's Younger Brother, Shaina Taub (Suffs) as Emma Goldman, John Clay III (New York, New York) as Booker T. Washington, and Rodd Cyrus (The Light in the Piazza) as Harry Houdini, all reprising their performances from the New York City Center run. The Broadway cast also features Anna Grace Barlow as Evelyn Nesbit, Nick Barrington as The Little Boy, and Tabitha Lawing as The Little Girl.
The ensemble features Nicholas Barrón, Lauren Blackman, Allison Blackwell, Briana Carlson-Goodman, Jordan Chin, Billy Cohen, Rheaume Crenshaw, Charity Angél Dawson, Ellie Fishman, Jason Forbach, Ta’Nika Gibson, David Jennings, Kaleb Johnson, Marina Kondo, Morgan Marcell, Kane Emmanuel Miller, Tom Nelis, Kent Overshown, Kayla Pecchioni, John Rapson, Deandre Sevon, Jacob Keith Watson, and Alan Wiggins. Swings and understudies Eean Sherrod Cochran, Kerry Conte, Nick Gaswirth, Jackson Parker Gill, Jenny Mollet, Matthew Scott, and Ellie May Sennett round out the company. Casting is by The Telsey Office's Craig Burns.
The production features choreography by Ellenore Scott, set design by David Korins, costume design by Linda Cho, lighting design by Adam Honoré, sound design by Kai Harada, projection design by 59 Studio, and hair and wig design by Tom Watson. Music director James Moore is conducting a 28-piece orchestra playing the original orchestrations by William David Brohn, and vocal arrangements by Flaherty. Ann James is sensitivity specialist, and Cody Renard Richard serves as production stage manager.
Based on a novel by E.L. Doctorow, Ragtime blends fact and fiction telling the story of New York City at the dawn of the 20th century, with a book by Terrence McNally, music by Flaherty, and lyrics by Ahrens. The story focuses on Coalhouse Walker, Jr., a Black man who buys a Model T Ford and sets off a chain of events that encompass all levels of New York City society, along with magician Harry Houdini, industrialist Henry Ford, celebrity party girl Evelyn Nesbit, civil rights leader Booker T. Washington, architect Stanford White, anarchist Emma Goldman, a Jewish Latvian immigrant who becomes a movie director, and an upper class white family living in suburban New Rochelle.
READ: The Making of Broadway’s Ragtime, an Oral History
The musical premiered on Broadway in 1998 following a pre-Broadway bow in Toronto, with an original cast that boasted Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, and Marin Mazzie. McDonald won the second of her six career Tony Awards for her featured performance as Sarah. Even in a year otherwise dominated by juggernaut The Lion King, Ragtime managed to also win Tonys for McNally's book and Flaherty and Ahrens' score, along with Brohn's orchestrations.
The LCT staging is being produced in association with Tom Kirdahy, Kevin Ryan, Robert Greenblatt, and Lamar Richardson.
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Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, Brandon Uranowitz, and company of Ragtime
Caissie Levy and Brandon Uranowitz in Ragtime
John Clay III and company of Ragtime
Shaina Taub in Ragtime
Anna Grace Barlow in Ragtime
Joshua Henry and company of Ragtime
Nichelle Lewis and Joshua Henry in Ragtime
Joshua Henry, Ben Levi Ross, and company of Ragtime
Brandon Uranowitz and Tabitha Lawing in Ragtime
Company of Ragtime
Nick Barrington, Rodd Cyrus, and company of Ragtime
Nichelle Lewis in Ragtime
Brandon Uranowitz in Ragtime
Ben Levi Ross in Ragtime
Nick Barrington and Colin Donnell in Ragtime
Caissie Levy in Ragtime
Company of Ragtime
