Mitchell is currently preparing to lead the U.S. premiere of the Lynn Ahrens/ Stephen Flaherty/ Terrence McNally musical in Los Angeles June 15.

Livent spokesman Ian Rand said May 8 that Mitchell will rejoin the Toronto company when it begins Broadway previews Dec. 26, 1997 at the new $22.5 million Ford Performing Arts Center on 42nd Street in New York.

Toronto Ragtime has announced that it will close August 31, 1997 in preparation for the wholesale move to Broadway.

The adaptation of E.L. Doctorow's classic novel stars Mark Jacoby (Show Boat) as Father, Marin Mazzie (Passion) as Mother, Brian Stokes Mitchell (Kiss of the Spider Woman) as Coalhouse Walker Jr., Audra McDonald (Carousel and Master Class) as Sarah, Steven Sutcliffe as Mother's Younger Brother, and Peter Friedman as Tateh.

The production is directed by Tony-Award winning Frank Galati and produced by theatre mogul Garth Drabinsky, and also features Jim Corti as Harry Houdini, Lynette Perry as Evelyn Nesbitt, Richard Allen as Booker T. Washington, Larry Daggett as Henry Ford, Camille Saviola as Emma Goldman and Vanessa Townsell-Crisp as Sarah's Friend. Not to mention Paul Soles as Grandfather, Mike O'Carroll as J.P. Morgan, David Mucci as Willie Conklin, Paul Franklin Dano as Edgar and Lea Michele as the Little Girl.

Tickets for the Broadway production are currently on sale by calling (212) 307-4100.