FREE ESSAY ON RAGTIME

RAGTIME

Ragtime
The play Ragtime is set in New York in 1906. This musical is very intriguing because the
story of the characters in quite emotional. The actions that take place in this play are
very embellished. In order to portray some of the dramatic scenes of the play, the actors
must use exaggeration during their songs and actions. This helps the audience to imagine
what the characters are feeling. The props that are used by the characters are intricate
and allow the audience to understand exactly where the actions are taking place. 
One example of large movements by the actors is when the firemen destroy Coalhouse's car.
The lights on the stage are dimmed so the audience can only see the shadows of the men
and the car. These men are using baseball bats, hammers, and axes to ruin Coalhouse's
prized possession. The movements they make are in slow motion and the men move their
tools with large, full stokes so that the audience will feel the sadness that takes place
in the scene. These large movements are in many parts of the play. This is a way for the
director to make his point. By using the 
Gistaro (2)
shadows and the slow motion of the actors, the audience has time to watch the reaction of
Coalhouse and also has time to feel his anger. 
The scene I feel was best directed took place in the beginning of the play. The first
scene introduces all of the characters to the audience. The upper class white folks, the
middle class Negroes, and the immigrants are all dancing onstage at the same time. The
balance shown in this scene interests me because I think it would have been very
difficult to keep the balance moving to the beat of the music. Each of the three groups
stays together throughout the song. They move around each other on the stage as they sing
and dance. At the start of the song, the whites are in the middle of the stage dressed up
very neatly and acting very proper. Next the Negroes move onto stage left and the whites
are pushed to stage right. Eventually the immigrants wander in looking shabby and poor.
They are positioned upstage and appear to the audience to be pushed towards the back. The
balance shown during this scene allows the audience to understand the separation of these
groups of people that will take place in the play. 
Gistaro (3)
The character that was most appealing to me was Coalhouse Walker Jr. His actions in the
play were very emotional and he has to portray an intense degree of anger and sadness by
his actions. In the beginning as he sings and dances, his energy is immediately noticed.
The actor, Lawrence Hamilton, uses facial expression and body movement to display his
feelings onstage. As the play progresses he is made to deal with some horrific
situations, including the death of his true love. The audience is able to watch him
change from a cheerful ragtime singer into a man full of hate and vengeance. This is a
difficult task for the actor. In order to act out the anger his character is feeling,
Hamilton must exaggerate all that he says and does. His motions are now harsh and quick
while before they were bouncy and laidback. 
In my opinion, this play matches its production perfectly. The use of props and costumes
help portray the time in which this play takes place. The director has the play move
slowly during dramatic times when something sad occurs. This allows the audience time to
understand how the characters are feeling. The director speeds up the actions during
happy times of song and dance. During these scenes the actors are moving around and the
audience can 
Gistaro (4)
feel the energy. I think this interpretation coincides with the production because the
play is a musical tragedy and the audience is able to take part in the outlook of the
characters. The acting, directing, and design all contributed to the overall performance.
The emotional sadness that takes place during the play is conveyed to the audience by the
actors' movements and songs. I felt very sad by the end of the play and this is why I
believe that the genre of the play corresponds with its production. 
The person I think would most enjoy this production is my mother. She loves singing and
also loves listening to music. Because this play is full of song and dance, it would keep
her interest the whole time. My mother is also a teacher and I think the history behind
the play would appeal to her.