Theater News

Clifton Duncan to Lead the Cast of Ragtime at Pasadena Playhouse

The ambitious production, featuring a cast of 21, begins performances this February.

Clifton Duncan will star as Coalhouse Walker Jr. in the Pasadena Playhouse production of Ragtime.
Clifton Duncan will star as Coalhouse Walker Jr. in the Pasadena Playhouse production of Ragtime.
(© Janie Willison)

Complete casting has been announced for Pasadena Playhouse's upcoming production of Ragtime, running from February 5-March 3 with an official opening scheduled for February 10. The production will feature a cast of 21 actors and a 16-piece orchestra.

The cast will be led by Clifton Duncan (The Play That Goes Wrong) as Coalhouse Walker Jr. and Shannon Warne (Camelot at Pasadena Playhouse) as Mother, along with Bryce Charles as Sarah, Marc Ginsburg as Tateh, Zachery Ford as Father, Katherine McDonough as Evelyn Nesbit, Iara Nemirovsky as Little Girl, Valerie Perri as Emma Goldman, Dylan Saunders as Younger Brother, Benjamin Schrader as Harry Houdini, and Luké Barbato Smith as Little Boy.

Rounding out the company are Dedrick Bonner as Booker T. Washington, Michael Deni as Male Ensemble, Ryan Dietz as Henry Ford, Cornelius Jones Jr. as Coalhouse's Friend, Gregory North as Grandfather, Tom G. McMahon as J.P. Morgan, Molly Stilliens as Female Ensemble, Michael Thomas-Visgar as Willie Conklin, and Candace J. Washington as Sarah's Friend.

The creative team includes scenic design by Tom Buderwitz, costume design by Kate Bergh, lighting design by Jared A. Sayeg, sound design by Philip G. Allen, projection design by Hana Sooyeon Kim, and wig and hair design by Carol Doran.

Based on the novel by E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime features a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. The Pasadena production is directed by David Lee with choreography by Mark Esposito and musical direction by Darryl Archibald.

Nominated for 13 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Ragtime tells the story of three families at the turn of the 20th century in pursuit of the American dream. The award-winning score uses ragtime rhythms to paint a portrait of the people who built this country with the hopes for a brighter tomorrow.