TUTS’ Ragtime Opens at Hobby Center

Theatre Under The Stars delivers powerful story based on E.L. Doctorow’s book about immigrants and the fight for the American soul in the early twentieth century

ABOUT THE SHOW

Featuring a Tony Award®-winning score and book, Ragtime is set at a time when worlds and cultures are colliding on issues of race, class, gender equality, and politics. This ensemble musical takes a look at the past and, in it, we see our present – and the opportunities for our future. Ragtime runs April 16-28 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts.

“Ragtime is set in the first years of the 20th Century and follows the story of three families in pursuit of the American Dream,” said Dan Knechtges. “Twenty years after Ragtime opened on Broadway, the themes it dealt with are even more relevant today. We’re still grappling with issues of race, class, gender equality and political clashing. I love works of theatre that give us some answers and inspire us to create a more equitable society.”

Ragtime, will be directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, who was nominated for a Tony Award® for Best Direction for the 2009 revival of Ragtime. Joining her on the production are Brad Haak as musical director, Kevin Depinet as set designer, Colleen Grady as costume designer, Matthew Richards as lighting designer, and Andrew Harper as sound designer.

THE CAST OF RAGTIME

Leading off the cast is Ezekiel Andrew as “Coalhouse Walker, Jr.,” Danyel Fulton as “Sarah,” Evan Kinnane as “Younger Brother,” Courtney Markowitz as “Mother,” Ryan Silverman as “Father,” and Robert Petkoff, reprising his Broadway role as “Tateh.” Maya Kaul as “Little Girl”, Michael Karash as “Little Boy,” and Noah Gamarra and Rayekeis Smith sharing the role of “Coalhouse Walker III”.

Rounding out the company Doug Atkins (“Willie Conklin”), Kevin Cooney (“Grandfather”), Emma Degerstedt (“Evelyn Nesbit”), Chris DeProphetis (“Henry Ford”), Trey Harrington, Paul Hope (“JP Morgan”), Mark Jammal, Regina Morgan, Rachel Osting, Rebecca Russell, Stephonne Smith (“Booker T. Washington”), Kim Stengel (“Emma Goldman”), Josh Walden (“Houdini”), Denise Ward, LaBraska Washington, and Phil Young.

Ezekiel Andrew (Coalhouse Walker, Jr.) A crossover artist of both opera and musical theater, Ezekiel Andrew has delighted audiences across the county. As a lover of Disney cartoons, Andrew has played several of his favorite Disney characters including King Triton in The Little Mermaid (LaComedia Dinner Theater), Kerchak in Tarzan (Lubbock Moonlight Musicals) Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater Company), and most recently the Beast in Beauty and the Beast (White Plains Performing Arts Company).

Danyel Fulton (Sarah) Favorite credits include: The Wiz (Dorothy, The Muny), Jasper In Deadland, (Ammut, Prospect Theater Company), Hair (Dionne, 2nd National Tour) Ragtime,(Sarah,The 5th Ave and Asolo Rep), The Trip To Bountiful, (Thelma, Capital Repertory Theater), The Wiz, (Dorothy, Harlem Repertory Theater), Ain’t Misbehavin, (Charlayne, HRT), Time To Love, (Aisha, National Black Theater). Danyel received Audelco nominations for Outstanding Female Performance as Dorothy, Charlayne, and Aisha and BroadwayWorld’s Critics Choice for Sarah at The 5th Ave.

Evan Kinnane (Younger Brother) will be making his TUTS debut! Recent credits include Jerome Robbins Broadway, Gypsy (Yonkers), Singing in the Rain, A Chorus Line (Bobby) at the Muny. Newsies (Davey) The Mystery of Edmund Drood (Bazzard) Wagon Wheel. Equus (Alan Strang) Sons of the Prophet (Joseph) Hair (Claude) at the Boston Conservatory. He recently moved to New York and can’t wait to join everyone in Texas to share in this important piece of theatre.

Courtney Markowitz (Mother) A now proud Houston “local,” Courtney has previously been seen on the TUTS stage in Mary Poppins, Into the Woods, Bonnie & Clyde, and Lizzie. Broadway: Jekyll & Hyde, opposite Constantine Maroulis & Deborah Cox. She appeared in the national touring companies of Spring Awakening and Jekyll & Hyde. Regional: Legally Blonde, Footloose, All Shook Up, Joseph…, Oliver!, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Producers, among others. Markowitz teachers theatrical masterclasses across the country with Broadway Connection.

Robert Petkoff (Tateh) Robert has appeared at TUTS as Bruce in Fun Home and King Arthur in Camelot. Broadway credits include All The Way, Anything Goes, Ragtime, Spamalot, Fiddler On The Roof and Epic Proportions. Film and TV credits include Irrational Man, Vice Versa, Law & Order, Madame Secretary, Elementary and The Good Wife. Robert is also an award winning audiobook narrator.

Ryan Silverman (Father) most recently starred in the world premier of the new musical A Sign Of The Times at The Delaware Theater Company. He also starred in the play A Comedy Of Tenors, the sequel to Lend Me A Tenor, at Papermill Playhouse and the recently acclaimed production of Finian’s Rainbow at Irish Rep Theater.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets start at just $30, and are available at online at www.TUTS.com, or by contacting the TUTS Box Office by phone at (713) 558-8887 or in person by visiting the Box Office located at 800 Bagby Street.