About This Show
With great passion and humor, Rags tells the story of Rebecca, a naive Russian immigrant, arriving at Ellis Island with her young son, and their struggle to make a life for themselves in the New World. She goes to work in a sweatshop, while searching for her husband, who has preceded them to America. When they are finally reunited she discovers that his assimilation is not entirely for the best. His desire to change their name and strip away their ethnic culture to fit in with his cronies distresses Rebecca, whose gradual enlightenment leads her into union activities against the very men her husband so hopes to impress. Subplots concern an elderly immigrant, his daughter, and their respective romances, one of which ends tragically. This sweeping saga of awakenings and disappointments, of greed and power, of strength and love is a deeply moving and inspirational musical featuring a book by Joseph Stein, music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.
