Ragtime Review at Vivian Beaumont Theatre New York 

The musical Ragtime takes you on an emotional journey as three different cultural groups interact in New York in the early 1900s. Their stories offer insight into issues at the time that perhaps still prevail. The audience feels a strong emotional response to the characters, and it is hard not to sob as the story evolves.

The current concert version began in 2024 with a brief run at New York City Center, followed by a full revival at the current location in 2025. This production was so successful that the initial limited run was extended, currently through to August 2026. It is important to know that this is still a concert version, so the set and backdrop are minimal. This does not detract from the quality of this show though, as supported by its win of the 2026 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

This is further evidenced by the recent awards given to the leads in the show. Joshua Henry as Coalhouse was a worthy winner of the 2026 Best Lead Actor in a Musical Tony Award, and Caissie Levy as Mother deservedly won the 2026 Best Lead Actress in a Musical Tony Award for their performances in this show.

The entire cast were strong vocally, with special additional mention to Brandon Uranowitz as Tateh, who embodied the role, plus Nichelle Lewis as Sarah. Both her and Joshua Henry’s performances separately and together were masterclasses, and I still feel privileged to have heard such world-class vocals live. The 2026 Tony Award for Best Sound Design of a Musical went to Kai Harada for Ragtime, which supported and extracted the best from this powerful cast.

The production shows us that you do not need to have fancy sets to create a powerful and emotional musical where the strength of the story, actors and music are more than enough. Costumes are gorgeous and appropriate for the period. I am very glad that I saw this quality production and would not hesitate to recommend it.

Ragtime plays at the National Theatre until 16 August 2026.

Where I Sat

I sat in H110 of the Orchestra. This was nearly at the end of the row, just a few rows back from the stage. The stage protruded in a curved apron with seating curved all around it. The performance was set to play to the whole curve, so I could see everything despite the side position. The rake was steady, so no heads were in the way. I did find the seat uncomfortable though and wished I had a small cushion to support my lower back. Legroom was also tight, but the spacing appeared to be the same throughout the whole theatre.

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Reviewed by Candace Ashbyfor SeatPlan, June 2026.