SDMT’s “Ragtime” is a powerful, emotional musical

A powerful, emotional and topically-relevant musical about individuals’ struggles to achieve the American Dream is playing at the Spreckels Theatre in downtown San Diego through Feb. 21.

San Diego Musical Theatre is presenting the Tony Award-winning “Ragtime: The Musical,” a not-to-be-missed production. Its 41-member cast excels in portraying the pain and heartache of the downtrodden. Jay Donnell (as Coalhouse Walker Jr.), Nicole Pryor (Sarah), Carolyn Agan (Mother) and Louis Pardo (Tateh) are among those who deserve mention for their beautiful, rich and powerful voices, and their believable, heart-felt portrayals.

By combining historical figures with fictional characters, “Ragtime” presents a look at America and the American experience via three families’ perspectives. It is a history lesson and spark for contemplation on how things have changed — or not — in society over the past century.

The first is a white, upper-class family living a privileged life in New Rochelle. They own a fireworks company that also makes patriotic items. They are initially oblivious to anyone’s life that does not match their own or exists outside of their sheltered sphere. Known not by names, but their familial positions — Father, Mother, The Little Boy, Grandfather and Mother’s Younger Brother — they figuratively lived their life through rose-colored glasses until Mother’s surprising discovery in the garden that opens her and some family members’ eyes to the world beyond their home.

In stark contrast is the family of Sarah, Coalhouse and their infant son, part of the black community in Harlem. There ragtime music is popular and ambitious individuals, such as pianist Coalhouse, are trying to move up and achieve the American Dream. But as he finds out in a devastatingly hard and life-changing way, legal justice is not available to people like him in early 1900s New York due to bigotry, prejudice and jealousy.

The third family is Tateh and his little daughter, poor Jewish immigrants from Latvia who arrive in New York City with high hopes and determination, but whose American dreams are quickly dashed. They learn that even though they live in the land of opportunity, external constraints make it practically impossible for immigrants to succeed in the U.S. or have a similar quality-of-life to the one they left.

Though the musical spans the early 1900s to the beginning of World War I, its themes — including black Americans clashing with law enforcement, immigrants struggling for success and workers receiving low wages while companies reap large profits — are as relevant today as a century ago.

There are many memorable musical numbers, most notably the title song that opens the almost three-hour show; the emotional “Wheels of a Dream,” “Your Daddy’s Son,” “Till We Reach That Day” and “Back to Before;” and high-energy dance number “Gettin’ Ready Rag.”

When it debuted on Broadway in 1998, “Ragtime” received 13 Tony Award nominations. Its four wins included Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations. It is based on the 1975 novel “Ragtime” by E. L. Doctorow.

“Ragtime: The Musical” can be seen at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 21 at the Spreckels Theatre, 121 Broadway in downtown San Diego. Tickets are $40 to $70, with discounts for youths (16 and under), seniors, students and groups. To purchase, go to sdmt.org or call 858-560-5740.