Based on the E L Doctorow novel of the same name, Ragtime is a story about life in America at the beginning of the 20th century. The show illustrates poignant issues of the day - from immigration, racism and politics to industrialization and social upheaval. Historical figures intermingal with fictional characters. The show focuses on three families whose intersecting lives are influenced by the Ragtime era's social challenges.

“Ragtime” had it's World Premiere at The Ford Arts Centre in Toronto, Ont, Canada on December 8th, 1996 under the auspices of Garth Drabinsky and his company, Livent, Inc. and featured a cast which included Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, Marin Mazzie, Steven Sutcliffe, Peter Friedman and Mark Jacoby among others and was directed by Frank Galati. It would go on to have it's American premiere at The Shubert Theatre in Century City, CA on June 15th, 1997, with Mr Mitchell as Coalhouse, Judy Kaye as Emma, John Rubinstein as Tateh, LaChanze as Sarah and John Dossett as the father.