Ragtime to close on 3 Jan

The new Broadway production of Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's Tony Award winning musical Ragtime has posted early closing notices and will play its final performance on 3 Jan 2010. When the show closes it will have played 28 previews and 57 regular performances. The company was told the news on 28 Dec 2009.

Producer Kevin McCollum said in a statement, "While we're saddened and disappointed to announce that Ragtime must close, bringing this beautiful and powerful production to Broadway has been a joyous experience. We couldn't have asked for a more talented and dedicated company and creative team or a more passionate team of producers."

Ragtime opened at the Neil Simon Theatre on 15 Nov 2009, following previews from 23 Oct and was originally selling tickets through to 25 Apr 2010.

The musical opened to mostly excellent reviews: Glorious (newyorktheatreguide); Strikingly staged and vividly performed; (NY Daily News); Stirring (record) Musical-theater storytelling at its most vibrant (Variety).

The musical features direction and choreography by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, and a 28-piece orchestra led by musical director James Moore.

The Broadway company stars Ron Bohmer (Father), Quentin Earl Darrington (Coalhouse Walker, Jr.), Christiane Noll (Mother), Robert Petkoff (Tateh), Bobby Steggert (Mother's Younger Brother), Stephanie Umoh (Sarah) with Christopher Cox (The Little Boy), Sarah Rosenthal (The Little Girl), Mark Aldrich (Willie Conklin), Aaron Galligan-Stierle (Henry Ford), Jonathan Hammond (Harry Houdini), Dan Manning (Grandfather), Michael X. Martin (J.P. Morgan), Michael McGowan (Stanford White), Donna Migliaccio (Emma Goldman), Josh Walden (Harry K. Thaw), Savannah Wise (Evelyn Nesbit) and Eric Jordan Young (Booker T. Washington).

Based on E.L. Doctorow's acclaimed epic novel, Ragtime turns back the clock to the dawn of the 20th century - a time when anything was possible and ragtime music filled the air. New York City was the land of opportunity. A poor Jewish immigrant sells his "moving picture" books on the street. A wealthy Victorian couple welcomes a runaway into their home. A Harlem jazz pianist turns an issue of justice into a revolution. Their personal journeys come alive as historic figures offer guidance and diversion - among them escape artist Harry Houdini, auto tycoon Henry Ford, educator Booker T. Washington, and infamous entertainer Evelyn Nesbit. Together, their stories celebrate the struggle between tradition and independence all in pursuit of the American dream.

The creative team includes scenic design by Derek McLane, original costume design by Santo Loquasto, lighting design by Donald Holder, musical direction by James Moore and original orchestrations by William David Brohn.

Ragtime originally opened on Broadway on 18 Jan 1998 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts. The musical garnered four Tony Awards including Best Book, Original Score and Best Orchestrations.

Ahrens and Flaherty's score features some of the award winning team's best-known songs including the title song, 'Make Them Hear You' and the anthem 'The Wheels of a Dream.'

Marcia Milgrom Dodge's production debuted at the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater on 18 Apr 2009 and played a sold out limited engagement through 17 May 2009.

Ragtime is produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum, Roy Furman, Max Cooper, Roger Berlind, Tom Kirdahy/Devlin Elliott, Jeffrey A. Sine, Scott Delman, Stephanie McClelland, Roy Miller, LAMS Productions, Inc., Jana Robbins, Wendy Federman, Jamie deRoy, Sheila Steinberg, Lauren Stevens, Eric Falkenstein/Morris Berchard, Independent Producers Network, HRH Foundation and Emanuel Azenberg in association with The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.