Ragtime

September 20 — October 30, 2009
On the U.S. Bank Main Stage
Book by Terrence McNally
Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow
Directed by Chris Coleman
E.L. Doctorow’s sweeping novel comes vividly to life in this Tony Award-winning musical, set against the backdrop of the ragtime craze in New York City. In it, three disparate families intertwine: a wealthy white couple; a Jewish immigrant father and his motherless daughter; and an African American ragtime musician who teaches them all about the surprising interconnections of the human heart, the limitations of justice and the unsettling consequences of dreams permanently deferred. Historical figures like Harry Houdini, J.P. Morgan and Emma Goldman also inhabit this stirring epic, but it is American popular music that carries the story, including marches, cakewalks and — of course — ragtime.
The run time for Ragtime is 2 hours and 50 minutes with one intermission.
Performance Times
Evenings: Tuesday - Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
Matinees: Saturday and Sundays at 2 p.m.,
Thursdays at noon
*Note: These are general performance times. Certain productions may have exceptions. View the season calendar for more information.
This show's run time will be posted below the synopsis at left near the date of the first performance.
Production blog

PCS Alumni: Where Are They Now?
18 January 2012 & Posted by Kinsley Suer
In a totally non-creepy way, we love to keep tabs on our PCS actors after they’ve left Portland. Where are they now? What are they doing? Have they been cast in any awesome productions? As it turns out, some of our very recent alumni have just scored some very blog-worthy theater gigs. We couldn’t be prouder!
MoreReDirect: Law & Order in the Theater!
16 November 2009 & Posted by Kinsley Suer
Join us this Sunday, October 18 for a new partnership with Multnomah Bar Association that invites attorneys to roll up their sleeves and informally “cross-examine” the lively ideas on the stage. This Sunday’s post-show conversation will feature attorney Judy Snyder looking at themes of law, liberty, justice and freedom in Ragtime.
MoreBuilding a City, giving Citizens the Keys
23 October 2009 & Posted by Kinsley Suer
PCS’s production of Ragtime offers us an opportunity to take a keen look back at the physical and socio-cultural forces and aspirations that shaped our city (and in many respects continue to influence how we imagine progress and change), as well mine some of the historic connections between Ragtime-era New York and Portland. Join us this Sunday for a free discussion at the Central Library in downtown Portland.
More- 20 Oct 2009
- Spend Halloween at the Armory
- 06 Oct 2009
- More Ragtime Raves
- 29 Sep 2009
- Listen to that Ragtime
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