Even with a huge cast, the musical manages to be powerfully affecting. We find ourselves caring about its characters, mourning their defeats and celebrating their triumphs. Yet the story is always about something more than fate of individuals. Ragtime encompasses everything from immigration to racism, from mass production to musical innovation, from automobiles to motion pictures, from celebrity trials to labor strife. Running through all of this turbulence is a religious sensibility.
Action builds The action builds towards both a tragic climax and an upbeat ending.
In the end, Ragtime tells us, America's promise lies precisely in its ability to weave together people of diverse religious and racial backgrounds. The cast is exceptional. Ragtime features several adorable children, but this is theater for grown-ups. Even adults and teen-agers may have trouble following the plot twists. The musical premiered in Toronto, where this critic saw a cast nearly identical to the one on Broadway, and played in Los Angeles to lavish praise.