Casting for the upcoming production of Ragtime, which opens for previews at the Charing Cross Theatre on the 8th October, has been confirmed.
Directed by Thom Southerland, this new production of the musical based on on the novella by E.L Doctorow will star West End and Broadway star Earl Carpenter (The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables) and Anita Louise Combe (Gypsy, Chichester Festival Theatre/Savoy Theatre).
They will be joined in this actor-musician production by: Simon Anthony, Bernadette Bangura, Anthony Cable, Cavin Cornwall, Valerie Cutko, Matt Devereaux, Christopher Dickins, Tom Giles, Joanna Hickman, Lemuel Knights, Rachel Knowles, Ako Mitchell, Seyi Omooba, Kate Robson-Stuart, Jennifer Saayeng, Jonathan Stewart, Gary Tushaw and child actors Alana Hinge, Samuel Peterson, Ethan Quinn, Riya Vyas.
Ragtime has appeared in London on several occasions including productions at the Piccadilly Theatre, the Landor and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.
The musical originally opened on Broadway during the 1997/1998 season, going on to win four of the Tony awards out of twelve nominations that it received, including Best Score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty and Best Book by Terrence McNally.
Ragtime weaves together the story of three groups in America, represented by Coalhouse Walker Jr, a Harlem musician; Mother and her white, middle class family in New Rochelle; and Tateh, a Jewish immigrant who has come to America with his daughter seeking a new life. Their fictional lives become dramatically intertwined with one another as well as with historical figures including Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington, JP Morgan and Henry Ford.
This new production is produced by Danielle Tarento, Steven M. Levy, Sean Sweeney and Vaughan Williams. It will feature choreography by Ewan Jones, set designs by Tom Rogers and Toots Butcher, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Andrew Johnson costume design by Jonathan Lipman and musical direction by Jordan Li-Smith.
Ragtime will run at the Charing Cross Theatre from the 8th October until the 10th December. To book tickets visit: Ticketmaster.co.uk, Discount Theatre.com, Theatre Tickets Direct.co.uk, Last Minute.com, Theatre People.com and UK Tickets.co.uk.