‘Ragtime’ is Still Resonating with Audiences 30 Years Since its Broadway Debut

June 10, 2026

The Broadway musical "Ragtime" is experiencing its third and most resonant run at Lincoln Center, earning 11 Tony nominations including best revival nearly 30 years after composers Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens first created it. The show depicts three interconnected families in early 20th-century New York—Black Americans in Harlem, Jewish immigrants, and wealthy white suburbanites—through a story that audiences now perceive as strikingly contemporary rather than historical. The production features powerful performances that regularly earn mid-show standing ovations, with audiences returning multiple times to share the experience across generations.

Who is affected

Composers Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens
The late playwright Terrence McNally (book writer)
Director Lear deBessonet
Actors Brandon Uranowitz, Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, Nichelle Lewis, Ben Levi Ross, Colin Donnell, and Shaina Taub
Broadway audiences attending performances at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater
Black Americans, Jewish immigrants, and other immigrant communities who see their experiences reflected in the show
Women of color who identify with themes of voicelessness and finding strength

What action is being taken

The musical is currently running on Broadway at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater through August 2
Performances are drawing standing ovations, often mid-act and during specific songs like "Wheels of a Dream"
Audiences are returning to see the show multiple times with family members across generations
The creative team is allowing actors to fill a pause in the final number with their own interpretations each night

Why it matters

The revival demonstrates how historical narratives can gain new relevance across different time periods, with themes of discrimination, immigration, and American identity resonating powerfully in 2026 despite the unchanged text from 1998. The show provides a space for multigenerational and cross-cultural dialogue about American identity, offering what the director describes as an opportunity to examine "the promise and the wound of America right next to each other." Its success as a front-runner for best musical revival, after the original lost to "The Lion King" in 1998 and a 2009 revival lost to "La Cage aux Folles," suggests audiences are finding particular meaning in its themes during this contemporary moment. The production's ability to evoke varied emotional responses—from hope to grief to rage—reflects its function as a mirror for current societal tensions and aspirations.

What's next

A 2027 tour with deBessonet and the Broadway run's creative team will bring the show to a wider audience around the country. The current Broadway run concludes on August 2.

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint