Stafford Arima (Bare, Carrie), who earned an Olivier Award nomination for staging the London premiere of Ragtime, will helm the 8 PM concert of the Lynn Ahrens-Stephen Flaherty-Terrence McNally musical for Manhattan Concert Productions that features a chorus of over 100 singers from around the country.
Tony and Olivier Award nominee Miller (Sister Act), who is set to star as the Leading Player in the Broadway revival of Pippin, will take on the role of Sarah, opposite previously announced Tony nominee Lewis (Porgy and Bess, Side Show, Les Miserables) as Coalhouse Walker, Jr.
Ragtime also features Tony Award winner Salonga (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Flower Drum Song) as Mother, Tony Award nominee Howard McGillin (Anything Goes, Drood, Phantom of the Opera) as Father, Michael Arden (The Times They Are A Changin', Aspects of Love) as Younger Brother, Tony Award winner Dick Latessa (Follies, Hairspray) as Grandfather, Manoel Felciano (Sweeney Todd) as Tateh, Tony winner Tyne Daly (Master Class, Gypsy) as Emma Goldman, Tony Award nominee Phillip Boykin (Porgy and Bess) as Booker T. Washington, Tony nominee Kerry Butler (Xanadu, Catch Me If You Can) as Evelyn Nesbit, Matt Cavenaugh (West Side Story) as Henry Ford, Jose Llana (Flower Drum Song) as Harry Houdini, Michael McCormick (Chaplin, Curtains) as J.P. Morgan, Jarrod Emick (Damn Yankees) as Willie Conklin, NaTasha Yvette Williams (Porgy and Bess) as Sarah's Friend, Annie star Lilla Crawford as the Little Girl and Lewis Grosso (Newsies) as Lewis. Based on the E.L. Doctorow novel, Ragtime interweaves the stories of three distinct families with historical figures to offer a snapshot of America at the turn of the century.
Ragtime has a book by Tony Award winner McNally, music by Flaherty and lyrics by Ahrens. The musical opened on Broadway at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts Jan. 18, 1998, earning Tony Awards for Best Score, Best Book, Best Orchestrations and Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Audra McDonald. A 2009 revival played the Neil Simon Theatre.
David Loud will serve as music supervisor, with Sheilah Walker conducting. The concert also features the New York City Chamber Orchestra. The staging will have lighting by Howell Binkley and scenic design by Beowulf Boritt.
"We're thrilled to see this new, non-traditional concert version of Ragtime come to Avery Fisher Hall. With its stellar cast of principals, a large ensemble of Ragtime alums from many different productions and its immensely talented choruses, it will be a telling of E. L. Doctorow's classic to remember. We are proud and happy to support the mission of Manhattan Concert Productions," the writers said in a statement.
For tickets phone (212) 875-5030.
